Were you a newcomer to One Piece and have now finished the live-action series on Netflix and are eager to continue the story? Is the anime too overwhelming due to sheer number of episodes, even if you skip all the filler? Want to start on the manga but collecting the early volumes seems too difficult due to availability? Well, don’t fret. Thanks to the success of Netflix’s latest live-action adaptation, you can read One Piece digitally for free. But there’s a catch.
Shonen Jump announced on Twitter that fans can read One Piece for free in the Shonen Jump app, thanks to the popularity of the latest Netflix series. However, it’s only for a limited time and not every chapter will be available. Only chapters 1 to 108 will be accessible for free, which essentially cover the story that was covered in the Netflix series, as well as the beginning of the next arc, the “Arabasta Saga.”
It is quite understandable why only the first 100 or so chapters are free. For starters, the original manga has over 100 volumes and has over 1000 chapters and counting. This does not include the final saga that Eichiiro Oda is currently working on. So limiting the free access to just the “East Blue” arc seems fair, especially for those who only found interest in the franchise thanks to the Netflix series. Also, teasing fans to read the early parts of the “Arabasta Saga” is pretty good marketing, and could potentially hook new fans to come along for Luffy’s next adventure.
One Piece found success since its streaming debut as it placed itself at number one on Netflix’s top 10 charts for TV shows this week. It also boasts a certified fresh critics score of 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its latest achievement, it has yet to be confirmed if the show will receive a second season.
Hopefully, Shonen Jump’s latest offer could increase demand to the point where the streaming giant is willing to hoist the sails for the grand line.
