Things you might not know as a "One Piece" Fan: How It Became A Global Phenomenon

Things you might not know as a "One Piece" Fan: How It Became A Global Phenomenon

28 September, 2026Alex Leptos

If you’re an anime fan, know someone who’s an anime fan, or are a resident of planet Earth in general, you have probably at some point in your life come into contact with One Piece.

We touched on this in our piece on Dragon Ball earlier this year- how anime gets a bad rep from some, but it is one of the most influential mediums out there. Dragon Ball inspired countless action movies, characters, martial arts, sports and more. Another franchise that continues to do the same concerns a stretchy pirate and his crew of misfits.

First published in 1997, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece has grown from a manga about a young pirate searching for a legendary treasure into one of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world. The manga has now surpassed 600 million copies in circulation, while the anime has been running for more than two decades.

One Piece is the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate who dreams of becoming King of the Pirates by finding the mysterious treasure known as… “the One Piece.” To get there, he assembles a crew of characters with their own ambitions, personalities and dreams along the way. It's a very simple premise, but what makes One Piece isn’t about the treasure, it’s what that journey became.

Next year will mark 30 years since Oda's world began, and it only continues to expand, building an enormous cast of characters, locations and storylines. The result is a series that can be funny, dramatic, absurd, emotional and action-packed, and somehow it keeps itself fresh.

That longevity has turned One Piece into something that fans can explore across different formats, whether they are well-versed or brand new- from manga, to anime, films, games and merchandise.

One Piece has been an anime phenomenon for years, but just as with much anime, its reach has expanded considerably beyond the traditional anime audience. And perhaps the most prominent example of that was the arrival of Netflix's live-action adaptation in 2023.

Adapting one of the world's best-known manga/anime series, with all of its animated quirks and colourful eccentricities, was always going to be quite a challenge, and frankly, it was wildly ambitious for Netflix to even try; not to mention that live-action anime doesn’t exactly have an amazing track record. But One Piece not only met expectations but exceeded them. The live-action series has given people who may never have picked up the manga or watched the anime a way into the world of One Piece.

And One Piece isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Netflix is now producing its own anime adaptation of the manga, THE ONE PIECE, which is set to retell the story from the beginning- which may be a very welcome way for some reluctant fan to finally start their journey (at over 1,000 episodes, it can be an intimidating one to try to get into!). So, the anime inspired the live-action series, and the live-action series inspired another anime. And thus is the circle of Luffy.

But its influence stretches a lot further…

 

1. One Piece has its own Guinness World Records

At Osaka Comic Con in May 2025, 897 people gathered wearing straw hats, setting the Guinness World Records title for the largest gathering of people wearing straw hats. The event was part of a One Piece promotional campaign, with Luffy's instantly recognisable hat providing the theme.

But that’s not all. The manga holds the Guinness World Records title for the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author, first achieving the record in 2015 with 320,866,000 copies published worldwide. The record was updated in 2022, when the series reached 500 million copies in print worldwide.

Lastly, but certainly not leastly: the One Piece anime set another record in 2024 when its 300th DVD release made it the anime television programme with the most DVD releases.

 

2. The Straw Hats set sail into football

We did say how anime has inspired sports, but football (or soccer, for our brothers and sisters across the pond) might not be the one you expect.

In 2025, German football club Borussia Dortmund teamed up with Toei Animation for a One Piece-themed matchday at Signal Iduna Park. Fans could take part in One Piece activities, try the One Piece Card Game and receive exclusive promotional merchandise.

And in 2026, the franchise teamed up with Japan's national football team, SAMURAI BLUE. The collaboration included specially designed artwork by Eiichiro Oda, a blue version of Luffy's famous straw hat and promotional material tied to the national team.

Just like Borussia Dortmund and SAMURAI BLUE, the Straw Hat Pirates are a team, so maybe the connection isn’t so far-fetched after all.

 

3. Nike put One Piece on the Air Max

Luffy and the Straw Hats are already a pretty fashionable bunch, and clearly Nike thought that too.

In September 2026, Nike launched a global One Piece collection featuring three versions of the Air Max Plus alongside jerseys, T-shirts, caps and a vest. The designs take inspiration directly from the series, including its famous Devil Fruits.

But these aren’t simply a logo printed on a trainer (or sneaker, for our brothers and sisters across the pond). Nike reimagined three Air Max Plus designs around the Gomu Gomu no Mi, Ope Ope no Mi and Mera Mera no Mi Devil Fruits, while some of the clothing incorporates actual manga panels.

It's actually a great illustration of how One Piece has developed its own visual language. You don't necessarily need to know the entire story to recognise the straw hat, the skull-and-crossbones Jolly Roger or the colourful Devil Fruits.

 

4. There’s a One Piece world

Not only has One Piece created a whole world on pages, screens and toys, there is quite literally an actual physical world in Universal Studios Japan. But it’s only once a year.

The park has been running its annual “One Piece Premier Summer” event since 2007, turning the series into a physical experience with live shows, themed food, attractions and merchandise. The 2025 event included a live One Piece show, a One Piece Story Ride and Sanji's Pirate Restaurant.

The idea has also crossed over to Hollywood, with Universal Studios there having a significant presence at Fan Fest this year, with a “Grand Pirate Show” at WaterWorld.

 

5. More Guinness World Records, but from the fans

One Piece merchandise covers an enormous range, from manga and anime releases to figures, cards, clothing and Funko POP! collectibles. But there is one person who has taken collecting considerably further than most.

Hong Kong fan Lam Siu Fung holds the Guinness World Records title for the largest collection of One Piece memorabilia. His collection contained 20,125 pieces when it was verified in 2021, including figures, umbrellas, puzzles, clocks, snow globes, sleeping masks and even a One Piece-themed dustbin.

It's an extreme example, but it demonstrates something quite ordinary about fandom: once a series becomes important to someone, just watching it isn't necessarily enough- that's where collecting comes in.

30 years on, One Piece still feels like it’s only just beginning. Its cultural impact is still very strong, and very much still expanding. With the manga passing 600 million copies in circulation in March 2026, and the series continuing to inspire new collaborations and adaptations, there are more entry points than ever for those who have just joined the Straw Hat crew.

Be sure to check out our One Piece deals at Rarewaves.com!

 

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