UK fans of the popular anime series One Piece can now celebrate as the BBC has secured the streaming rights for the English dub version of the show. Starting September 2024, the BBC iPlayer will release episodes in batches, gradually catching up to the current pace of the anime in Japan. This new partnership marks a significant step in bringing the adventures of Monkey D.
Luffy and his crew to a broader audience in the UK, allowing fans to experience the captivating storylines and rich characters of One Piece from the comfort of their homes.
Key Takeaways
- The BBC secured the rights to stream One Piece in the UK.
- UK fans can enjoy the English dub on BBC iPlayer in batches.
- The BBC is set to release episodes in batches up to the current pace of the anime in Japan.
With the 25th anniversary celebrations of the One Piece anime debut in 1999, it feels like new celebrations and news from the Straw Hat Pirates are around every corner or over every wave. With the manga on track to conclude with its final arc in the not-too-distant future, WIT Studios’ anime remake, the success of the live-action Netflix adaptation, and more.
It’s impossible to deny that the fervor of the quarter-century anniversary of Eiichiro Oda’s epic pirate series is in full swing (and that’s for the anime premiering in 1999—the One Piece manga on which it’s based goes back even further to 1997).
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The BBC as the UK Home for One Piece
Now, the exploits of Monkey D. Luffy have now gotten a new ally in the form of yet another legendary seafaring power: Great Britain. A press release from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has confirmed that it has acquired streaming rights to the One Piece anime from Toei Animation for the United Kingdom on its BBC iPlayer streaming service beginning in September 2024.
Internationally, the BBC has long carried itself with a reputation for a more elevated style of British programming like costume dramas and nature documentaries, though this deal shows that it’s not at all scared of having a fun side and engaging with some of the most popular TV in the world.
Appetite for Official English Dub
A single, convenient platform to stream the English anime dub has long been sought after by UK One Piece fans. The distribution deal is centered around the English-language (for England, of course) dub of the anime, and the BBC is currently slated to be the only place in the UK to stream the dubbed version of the anime (separately from the subtitled version of the anime, or the dub appearing on previous physical media). Fiona Campbell from the BBC described the arrangement of the distribution deal in the BBC’s release as follows:
It’s a really exciting move to bring the One Piece franchise to UK audiences in the coming months. With its captivating storytelling, rich characters, and global fanbase, One Piece has become a cultural phenomenon and we”re so excited to see how the fanbase will enjoy this huge canon of episodes available in English only on iPlayer.
The 1085 episodes included are set to be released in batches from September to December of 2024, with a massive batch of episodes comprising the first three arcs of East Blue, Alabasta, and Skypiea set to release as immediately as September 1st. Following releases will bring it up close to the current pace of the anime’s current releases in Japan, with the arcs coming in their order of East Blue, Alabasta, Skypiea, Water Seven, Thriller Bark, Summit War, Fishman Island, Dressrosa, Whole Cake Island, and Wano Country. So for UK anime fans looking for a chance to experience the dub of one of the world’s most popular series, the Thousand Sunny is soon set to sail with the Union Jack.
Source: BBC Media Center.
One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates” ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga”s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
