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Tom is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, with expertise covering all things Classic TV from hilarious sitcoms to jaw-dropping sci-fi.
Initially he was an Updates writer, though before long he found his way to the Classic TV team. He now spends his days keeping Screen Rant readers informed about the TV shows of yesteryear, whether it's recommending hidden gems that may have been missed by genre fans or deep diving into ways your favorite shows have (or haven't) stood the test of time.
Tom is based in the UK and when he's not writing about TV shows, he's watching them. He's also an avid horror fiction writer, gamer, and has a Dungeons and Dragons habit that he tries (and fails) to keep in check.
Stranger Things ending has left a noticeable void in Netflix’s blockbuster lineup. After years of Hawkins, the Upside Down, and globe-dominating release weekends, subscribers are now looking for the next high-budget series they can commit to long-term. The streamer needs another global event show, one capable of sustaining hype, fandom, and cultural relevance across multiple seasons. Fortunately, that successor already exists, with a second season due this year.
While Stranger Things and One Piece are wildly different in tone, genre, and mythology, the overlap in audience appeal is clearer than it might first appear. Both are ensemble-driven adventures, built around found family, escalating stakes, and expansive worlds that reward emotional investment. For fans of Stranger Things fans missing that sense of scale and momentum, One Piece offers a surprisingly compelling alternative.
Debuting in 2023, Netflix’s live-action One Piece quickly earned critical praise and strong audience support, even from viewers unfamiliar with the manga or anime. While new trips to the Upside Down will have to wait for future spinoffs, the Grand Line is already charted. For many Stranger Things fans, the next obsession is waiting in plain sight.
What Is One Piece About?
A Swashbuckling Fantasy Epic Built On Found Family And Adventure
Netflix’s One Piece is a live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s long-running manga, one of the most successful fictional franchises ever created. The series follows Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young pirate with the supernatural ability to stretch his body like rubber after eating a Devil Fruit. His singular dream is to find the legendary One Piece treasure.
Luffy believes claiming the One Piece will make him the King of the Pirates, but the journey matters more than the title. Along the way, he assembles the Straw Hat Pirates, a mismatched crew united by loyalty and shared dreams. Early members include swordsman Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), navigator Nami (Emily Rudd), and sharpshooter Usopp (Jacob Romero).
The first season of Netflix's live-action One Piece adapts the East Blue saga, introducing a colorful world ruled by pirates, corrupt Marines, and eccentric villains. Each island functions like a self-contained story, gradually revealing a larger mythology. This structure makes the series accessible, even as it lays the groundwork for a much larger narrative.
For Stranger Things fans, the appeal lies less in genre similarities and more in emotional construction. Like Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends, the Straw Hats are outsiders finding belonging. Their bond grows through danger, sacrifice, and shared trauma, grounding the spectacle in character-driven storytelling.
Netflix’s One Piece also mirrors Stranger Things in its commitment to scale. The practical sets, detailed costumes, and visual effects create a tactile world that feels lived-in. The series never feels small, and that ambition is key to its crossover appeal.
Most importantly, One Piece balances humor, sincerity, and darkness without tonal whiplash. It understands when to be playful and when to slow down. That tonal control is exactly what allowed Stranger Things to resonate far beyond its original premise.
How Faithful Netflix's One Piece Is To The Manga
Prior to Netflix proving the doubters wrong, adapting One Piece into live-action had long been considered an impossible task. Eiichiro Oda’s manga spans over a thousand chapters, with exaggerated character designs, dense lore, and tonal extremes. Netflix’s live-action version succeeds by understanding what must remain untouched and what can be streamlined without losing the story’s soul.
The series stays impressively faithful to major character arcs, emotional beats, and world-building rules. Luffy’s optimism, Zoro’s code of honor, and Nami’s tragic backstory are all intact. These elements are non-negotiable, and the adaptation treats them with clear respect.
Where One Piece diverges is in structure. Entire arcs are condensed, characters are merged or repositioned, and timelines are adjusted to fit an eight-episode season. Rather than feeling rushed, these changes create momentum, ensuring each episode advances both plot and character development.
Netflix’s approach mirrors how Stranger Things streamlined its own mythology over time. Instead of overwhelming viewers with lore dumps, One Piece introduces concepts gradually. Devil Fruits, Marines, and the Grand Line are explained through action and consequence, not exposition-heavy dialogue.
Eiichiro Oda’s involvement as an executive producer of the Netflix show was crucial. His oversight ensured the adaptation never lost sight of its emotional core. Even when scenes differ from the manga, the intent remains consistent, preserving the spirit rather than the exact letter of the source material.
The result is a rare example of a live-action anime adaptation that satisfies longtime fans while remaining accessible to newcomers. Like Stranger Things, which drew heavily from genre history without alienating casual viewers, One Piece understands that clarity and character matter more than exhaustive fidelity.
By condensing years of storytelling into a focused first season, Netflix proved the franchise could work in live action. That achievement alone sets One Piece apart from most adaptations and positions it for long-term success.
One Piece Can Be Netflix's Next Stranger Things
A Global Franchise Ready To Dominate The Streaming Conversation
With Stranger Things concluded, Netflix faces the challenge of filling the marketing gap in its upcoming release slate once held by its most recognizable original series. One Piece is uniquely positioned to fill that gap, not by imitation, but by offering a different kind of epic with the same global pull.
The series already boasts an enormous built-in fanbase, but its true success lies in its crossover appeal. Viewers unfamiliar with the manga embraced the show’s characters, tone, and sense of adventure. That broad accessibility is essential for any flagship property.
Like Stranger Things, One Piece thrives on a strong ensemble of characters played by a group of actors with excellent chemistry. The Straw Hats function as a unit, and their dynamic evolves naturally across episodes. This creates long-term emotional investment, encouraging audiences to return season after season.
Netflix has also committed significant resources to the adaptation. The production values rival the platform’s biggest hits, signaling confidence in the franchise’s future. With multiple story arcs already mapped out thanks to the extensive length of the source material, One Piece offers narrative longevity few shows can match.
Culturally, One Piece has built in momentum. The levels of cosplay, social media engagement, and word-of-mouth already surpass the early days of Stranger Things. That organic enthusiasm is difficult to manufacture, and Netflix has clearly tapped into something resonant with how readily the fandom behind hit took to the live-action version.
Crucially, One Piece is picking up momentum for its second season at just the right moment. Stranger Things is done, and audiences are ready for a new long-form adventure, one that promises wonder, danger, and emotional payoff. With its second season approaching, the show has every opportunity to become Netflix’s next defining series.
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