Netflix has done such a good job in eroding any confidence its subscribers may have on any big budget series lasting beyond a single season that not even the long-awaited drop of a first trailer has been able to turn the tide of apprehension, with One Piece already being designated as the latest one-season wonder.
Of course, it sounds incredibly defeatist to claim that a show which isn’t even premiering until August 31 is already doomed, but it’s not as if there aren’t such things as facts and history lending weight to the sentiment. After all, the streaming service has struggled in the arena of both live-action anime adaptations and blockbuster-sized fantasy before, but not even the hopes of an entire fandom are enough to see One Piece be greeted with an overriding sense of optimism.
Having canceled upwards of two dozen fantastical originals since the beginning of 2020 alone, with 21 episodic exclusives being axed since the start of this year for good measure, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why not even the promise of a faithful, action-packed One Piece is enough to have both fans and casual viewers alike hedging their bets on the show making it past its first eight episodes.
That reported price tag of $144 million doesn’t help its case, either, so the pressure is on for users to ensure they can guarantee a stay of execution by watching the end product in their numbers to prevent it from becoming Netflix’s latest high-profile casualty.