Highlights
- A two-part LEGO ONE PIECE animated special will premiere, retelling key moments from One Piece live-action seasons 1 and 2.
- The project brings together Netflix, LEGO Group, Shueisha, and Atomic Cartoons.
- The special supports Netflix’s broader One Piece expansion strategy to keep audiences engaged prior to releases like One Piece live-action season 3.
Netflix announced on April 7 that a two-part LEGO ONE PIECE animated special will premiere on Sept 29, marking the company’s first-of-its-kind project on the platform. The project is produced in partnership with the LEGO Group, Japanese publisher Shueisha, and Vancouver-based studio Atomic Cartoons.
The LEGO ONE PIECE retells the events of seasons 1 and 2 of the live-action series in LEGO animation form with Usopp and Tony Tony Chopper. Tom Hyndman, known for working on Harley Quinn and Alcatraz, serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer.
The special positions Usopp as narrator, focusing on his storyteller imagery in the original One Piece manga, recounting the Straw Hats' journey across the East Blue and the Grand Line. Manga creator Eiichiro Oda executive produces alongside representatives from the LEGO Group and Tomorrow Studios.
The announcement arrives alongside a broader One Piece expansion that includes the live-action season 3 confirmation and a WIT Studio anime adaptation trailer. Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee stated, “We are building a universe where every fan— whether lifelong or brand new— can find their place in the Straw Hat crew,” while describing the expanded One Piece offerings.
Netflix’s Cross-Brand Strategy for One Piece Franchise Scaling
The LEGO One Piece adaptation reflects a growing trend of cross-brand collaborations in streaming. The LEGO Group first announced its partnership with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios in January 2025, describing the project as the first time “LEGO play and the exciting world of anime” had formally intersected.
Netflix and LEGO have previously collaborated on projects such as LEGO Gabby’s Dollhouse and LEGO Wednesday, with the latter seen as a precursor towards LEGO One Piece project. LEGO Group’s Senior Vice President for Core Businesses, Lena Dixen, positioned the upcoming project as “grand adventures” that fans will witness in September 2026.
Netflix VP of Consumer Products Josh Simon echoed a similar tone and stated LEGO ONE PIECE aims to give “fans new ways to live out their own epic voyages into the Grand Line one special LEGO brick at a time.” Additionally, the LEGO special would function as a strategic content bridge, sustaining franchise engagement on the platform, as the live-action series has ended.
Netflix’s decision also highlights the evolving role of anime IP in global content strategies. One Piece's multiformat logic mirrors strategies deployed by Disney with its Star Wars and Marvel universes, where subsidiary content maintains IP salience between flagship releases.
