Crunchyroll to lock most of 'One Piece' behind a paywall
Now, anime lovers have to pay at least $7.99 to gain access to the entirety of One Piece.
Streaming services have completely transformed how we watch content, and anime is no exception. Crunchyroll has long been the go-to platform for anime fans, offering a vast library of titles, including the iconic One Piece. However, recent changes to One Piece's availability on Crunchyroll are raising eyebrows—and some frustrations—among fans.
Starting December 23, Crunchyroll will begin restricting access to several One Piece arcs behind a paywall. While the first 206 episodes (from East Blue to Sky Island) will remain free, arcs from Water 7 to Fishman Island will require a Premium subscription. This paywall will continue rolling out in 2024, with Punk Hazard to Whole Cake Island locked in January, and Wano Kuni to Egghead Island by February.
The decision has fans questioning why such a significant portion of the series is being locked away, especially considering One Piece is one of the most beloved anime ever. The change will certainly impact casual viewers who might not want to pay for Premium to continue the adventure past the first few arcs.
This move is part of a larger trend in the streaming industry where platforms are restricting access to content to push users toward paid subscriptions. Crunchyroll isn’t the only one doing this—Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Amazon Prime also stream One Piece, but their libraries are often limited, with many episodes hidden behind paywalls that have recently become more expensive. For example, Netflix in the U.S. only offers episodes up to Fishman Island, and Hulu has its own paywall for later arcs.
In response to these changes, some fans are turning to free platforms like Pluto TV, which offers One Piece through ads, though it has its own limitations like missing English dubs. Other fans have decided to become pirates themselves and scour not-so-legal websites to get a hold of the show again.
Crunchyroll boasts over 15 million paying subscribers, growing from 5 million between 2021 and 2024, according to Statista. Polygon also reported it to be the fourth largest platform for streaming anime in the U.S., so it would be interesting to see how this new decision affects the platform's current count.
Ultimately, Crunchyroll’s decision to lock One Piece behind a paywall reflects a broader trend in streaming, where exclusive, premium content is becoming the norm. While this may frustrate some fans, it’s clear that the future of anime streaming is moving toward paid subscriptions, leaving viewers to navigate a growing maze of services.