If there is one thing about anime you need to get used to, it is streaming. From Hulu to Netflix and Disney+, services across the board are starting to cater to anime. Of course, none do this better than Crunchyroll as the streaming service is the go-to home for anime online. But thanks to a new report,One Piecefans are eyeing Crunchyroll with care all because of a paywall.
The update comes fromCrunchyrolldirectly as a post was shared by service online. It was there fans learnedOne Pieceis about to go behind a paywall. While the first stretch ofOne Piecewill be available to non-Premium users, everything in the anime from Water 7 will be restricted beginning this month.
One Piece Will Begin Its Paywall Push in Late December
Crunchyroll Will Keep 200+ Episodes Available for Free Users
“Heads up,One Piecefans,” Crunchyroll shared. “Starting soon, someOne Piecearcs will require a Premium Membership. But the first 206 episodes (East Blue to Sky Island) will stay free, so new fans can still start Luffy’s journey at no cost.”
Crunchyroll went on to breakdown the paywall schedule forOne Piece. Starting this month, the hit anime will put Water 7 behind a Premium paywall, and that restriction will carry on through February 2025. So for a full schedule breakdown, you can find the dates below:
10 One Piece Characters With Seriously Weird Designs
One Piece is best known for its unconventional character designs and these are the wackiest-looking characters in the entire series.
For those curious,One Piecewill keep its first206 episodes available to all users, Premium or not. This stretch covers everything from East Blue through Skypiea. With this free selection in tow, Crunchyroll is eager to keepOne Pieceaccessible to new fans, and users who want to continue on with Luffy will need to pay up for those adventures.
Anime Fans Raise Questions About One Piece’s Paywall Move
From Pluto to Netflix, There Are Other Places to Watch One Piece
However, you can imagine the response anime fans have had regarding this Crunchyroll move. Netizens took to social media to question the move as many felt restrictingOne Piecefrom Water 7 and beyond was too harsh.
“This doesn’t affect me, but terrible change. Why do that,” user UltimaUmbreon shared. As for others, they were quick to sharealternative streaming services in light of this change. After all, Hulu streamsOne Piecein the United States but that access is dependent on a paid subscription. The same also goes for Netflix; In the United States,One Piecehas a number of arcs available to users. From East Blue to Fishman Island,One Pieceis easy to watch on Netflix, but there is a substantial episode gap leading up to the Egghead Island arc.
Want to watch One Piece? you’re able to find the anime streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Pluto, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime.
Now, if you are looking for a free way to watchOne Piece, there is another service to test out. Pluto has nine seasons ofOne Pieceavailable. Currently, the free-with-ads platform carriesOne Piecethrough Dressrosa, bringing the Straw Hat crew well into their timeskip era. Sadly, the anime’s English dub is not available on Pluto, but hey -free access is free access.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
