Crunchyroll to Limit Most One Piece Arcs to Premium Users

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Crunchyroll to Limit Most One Piece Arcs to Premium Users

Summary

  • Crunchyroll is moving One Piece episodes to premium tiers in phases starting December 23.
  • Shift was expected following Sony/Aniplex acquisition; fans can still find free episodes on Pluto TV.
  • Other platforms like Netflix and Hulu also stream some One Piece episodes.

As a long-time anime enthusiast with a soft spot for One Piece, I must say that this recent change in Crunchyroll’s streaming policy has left me feeling like I’m walking on the Grand Line without my trusty compass – slightly disoriented and bracing myself for some unexpected storms.

It was previously possible for a long time for One Piece fans to enjoy watching many episodes of the show on Crunchyroll with a basic, free membership. However, it’s regrettable that the streaming service is currently revising its approach to ad-supported access for One Piece episodes.

For more than a decade, Crunchyroll has been broadcasting “One Piece” with fresh episodes each week. Previously, most subtitled episodes were accessible to all subscribers (except for the most recent episode, which was only available for a week to Premium users). However, according to Crunchyroll, these adjustments are being made to enhance the viewing experience for fans.

Initially, the transition won’t occur immediately. Instead, the initial 206 episodes will continue to be accessible to all Crunchyroll subscribers. The remaining episodes of the series will undergo a change in availability in three different stages, with the first phase kicking off on December 23rd.

Get Prepared to the New Changes Announced

  • Phase 1 (December 23): episodes from Water 7 to Fishman Island arcs will move to the premium tiers (probably episodes 207-574)
  • Phase 2 (January 20): from Punk Hazard to Whole Cake Island arcs (probably episodes 575-877) + 6 specials
  • Phase 3 (February 17): from Reverie arc on (starting at episode 878, probably)

One Piece for Free and Expected Shift

Crunchyroll to Limit Most One Piece Arcs to Premium UsersCrunchyroll to Limit Most One Piece Arcs to Premium UsersCrunchyroll to Limit Most One Piece Arcs to Premium Users

Though some fans might have been taken aback, the transition was generally anticipated due to Crunchyroll’s gradual change in approach following Sony/Aniplex’s acquisition. A few years ago, many titles on the platform moved to premium tiers, with One Piece being an exception that surprisingly remained free. Given this background, the current shift is not entirely surprising.

But a few ad-supported streaming services also stream at least part of the series, so people who want to watch it officially for free are still able to find it on Pluto TV, for example. Pluto doesn’t offer as many episodes as Crunchyroll, but it’s a good starting point. Other paid services also stream at least some One Piece episodes, like Netflix and Hulu. At least Crunchyroll free subscribers will still have some time to try to catch up with the series in the ad-supported format.

You can find the popular series “One Piece” streaming on various platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, and Pluto TV. However, it’s worth noting that as of now, only Crunchyroll offers access to all its episodes.

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2024-12-14 01:54