2024 is proving to be a big year for One Piece. Not only is the series excelling in the anime and manga world, but it has taken global recognition to a different level. Toei Animation, the production studio of One Piece, recently announced that Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus has collaborated with the world’s biggest entertainment arena, Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Not only that, One Piece has also got its first One Piece cafe in America, and that too is located in Las Vegas. Along with that, the collaboration of One Piece with the Sphere will also mark the launch of One Piece’s first English YouTube channel, which will offer fans from all over the world an easy and comfortable understanding of the franchise.
However, fans of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball might not be happy with One Piece getting world recognition on a whole new level. As the news was announced, Dragon Ball fans started berating One Piece and Oda for diverting their attention from their roots. But One Piece fans didn’t stand for this and supported One Piece like always.
One Piece is Collaborating with Sphere to Mark a New Beginning
Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their franchise this year, and to make the celebration more special, Toei Animation made the announcement about the series’ collaboration with Sphere. The exterior of the screen will stream One Piece episodes from June 10th to June 16.
While the episode list is not yet revealed, the streaming will obviously help in the promotion and advertisement of the One Piece franchise as a whole.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The Straw Hat Pirates are set to takeover the biggest screen in celebration of the 25th anniversary of #OnePiece! A stunning, larger than life display of the anime series will debut on @SphereVegas from June 10-16! #SphereVegas pic.twitter.com/PBTIZcAnoH
— Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) May 20, 2024
This collaboration with Sphere will increase the number of One Piece anime, live-action, upcoming gaming series, remakes by WIT Studios, etc.
One Piece has had a pretty successful year in comparison to other series. Not only has the series launched a bunch of new projects, but it has also collaborated with many prominent brands like PUMA, Cloud9, Culturefly, Trends International, etc. The series has gone to a whole different level in terms of earning global recognition.
Dragon Ball Fans Might Be Jealous of One Piece
The One Piece collaboration might come as a shock to Dragon Ball fans because, ideally, they have a better worldwide reception, and this partnership with Sphere could hamper the love Dragon Ball has received from all over the world. This is why, as soon as the news was shared by Toei Animation, Dragon Ball fans started disrespecting One Piece and Eiichiro Oda.
They stated that Toei Animation has not done much for Dragon Ball this year and has put its entire focus on One Piece. They even called Toei Animation a ‘garbage’ studio.
However, One Piece fans could not bear another fandom talking badly about their favorite series as they came to support Oda and point out the jealousy of Dragon Ball fans over the fame One Piece is getting.
Why are DB fans mad you guys have had their for decades. Stand proud and watch your second anime. You're still popular regardless 😭😭
— freeforall (@Sitback101) May 20, 2024
Garbage Studio
And yall said this is the Year of Dragon ball ???
What a joke 🤡 pic.twitter.com/rqD8ataD7C— 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥 🎯 (@Unariel_) May 20, 2024
Cook them toei😭🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/YYpzI9uOqC
— KiNG (@folk_boi) May 20, 2024
Hot Take: I think Toei & Oda know One Piece popularity struggles over seas compared to DB so they do these paid promos (macys parade balloon and this) to try to push it more in the west.
— Rinnegod ✇ (@Rinnegod) May 20, 2024
Dragon ball fan when Toei promotes a series with more potential pic.twitter.com/yxysZXiAVT
— Saad D King (@saadverse212) May 21, 2024
Feel like all the love Toei is giving to OP should’ve been directed to Dragonball
— Sonoftheworldsruler (@Nhlanhla_NMT) May 20, 2024
It is no secret that Dragon Ball has more fans globally than One Piece, but Oda’s masterpiece had a pretty successful year and they deserve this collaboration. However, this will in no way hurt the popularity of Akira Toriyama‘s series.
You can watch the Dragon Ball series and One Piece on Crunchyroll.
