10 TV Shows Similar to the One Piece Adaptation That You Should Watch Next.
The One Piece manga has been running for almost 30 years, and the anime series just a couple of years earlier. It’s quite surprising that a saga with such a rich history has receiveda rather dynamic and entertaining live-action adaptation on Netflix —even if the versatility of the main character, Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), works slightly better in animation than in CGI. Luffy is the young leader of the Straw Hat Pirates, plundering the seven seas but mostly hunting for the legendary One Piece, which will make him king of the pirates. The adaptation, like other similarly vibrant adventure series, draws on the colorful and unique world created based on the source material.
Our Flag Means Death (2022–2023)
What if it were pirates, but a little goofy? Like One Piece , this adventure series offers action and a few laughs, and is also one of the best romantic series of recent years. It’s based (very loosely) on the true story of Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a gentleman who took up piracy despite having almost never been on a ship before. The series is a kind of work comedy about two men going through a midlife crisis: Bonnet and the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). It also unexpectedly features one of the most believable and gripping gay romances of the last few years; HBO Max canceled it after just two seasons (because, of course, they did). But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching. Watch Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max .
Firefly (2002)
This short-lived cult series follows a team of mercenaries led by Mal Reynolds and Zoe Washburne (Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres), two disillusioned former soldiers who fought on the losing side of a galactic war of independence against a staunchly conformist central government. The team attempts to remain undetected by law enforcement, engaging in activities that aren’t always strictly within the law. The series was canceled after just a few episodes, never fully exploring the central conflict, but the sequel/final film, Serenity (2005), provides a satisfying conclusion, with the team forced to stand up for one of their own. Watch Firefly on Hulu .
Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999)
Cowboy Bebop is a cult classic, a stunningly cool series, one of the undisputed anime masterpieces of all time, combining elements of Western, film noir, and crime, all accompanied by a stunning soundtrack. The show’s “cowboys” are bounty hunters in a near-future where humans have been forced to colonize the solar system after Earth has become uninhabitable. Former assassin Spike Spiegel leads his team from one near-disastrous mission to the next, all of their independent adventures culminating in an unforgettable climax. Watch Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll or buy it on Prime Video .
Delicious in the Dungeon (2024 – )
The anime series “Delicious in Dungeon,” produced by Japanese animation studio Trigger ( known for “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners “), is a sweet and witty fantasy series with just enough action to keep you interested. A group of adventurers embarks on a traditional dungeon crawl, but the leader’s sister is eaten by a red dragon. Running low on supplies and racing to catch the dragon, which has escaped to the dungeon’s lower levels, the group attracts the attention of a dwarven chef, who convinces them that their idea of cooking and eating dungeon monsters isn’t just practical—it can be a fine culinary art. The series’ main appeal lies in its fun and adventurous atmosphere, as well as its incredibly charming characters embarking on an unusual adventure.Watch “Delicious in Dungeon” on Netflix.
Black Sails (2014–2017)
This series isn’t so much a One Piece-esque series in tone as it is one of the best pirate shows of the last two decades—so if you’re looking for semi-legal sea adventures, this is it. Set during the so-called Golden Age of Piracy, when traversing the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific was nearly impossible without encountering pirates and privateers, Toby Stephens stars as the formidable Captain Flint, made famous by Treasure Island , to which this series is partly a prequel. Aside from its fictional protagonist, the series eschews the romanticized image of piracy portrayed in media in favor of a darker tone; Flint and his company are our protagonists, but the show doesn’t ignore the fact that they’re anything but heroes. The complex political situation of the era, both between pirates and the governments pursuing them, and between various factions, gives the series depth as the story unfolds. Watch Black Sails on Starz or the first episode on Prime Video .
Alice in Borderland (2020 – )
Arisu, a video game obsessive, gets his way, in a sense, when he and a couple of friends find themselves transported to an alternate, eerily abandoned version of Tokyo—Borderland, vividly brought to life by clever green screen work. The three are directed to an arena and given instructions for a game, which they will play whether they want to or not. The first competition involves a locked-room puzzle; if they fail, the room will catch fire with them inside—imagine Ready Player One , but with more deadly stakes. Games are held every evening, though the rules allow winners to take time off. There are actually many rules, but the games are skillfully and sadistically constructed. It’s a heavier film than One Piece , but it’s another impressively realized manga adaptation set in a stunningly conceived, fully realized world—even if that world is virtual.Watch Alice in Borderland on Netflix .
Percy Jackson & the Olympians (2023–)
After a couple of rather mediocre films, Rick Riordan’s beloved middle-school fantasy series gets a funny and faithful reimagining, starring Walker Scobell as the young demigod. After a few adventures at a museum, our hero discovers he’s been living a lie: his father is Poseidon, and his mother has been trying to protect the family from the gods’ machinations for years. Unraveling the mystery, he heads to Camp Half-Blood, a training ground for other demigods, where he makes new friends (and new enemies) while reluctantly pursuing his destiny. There’s a playful camaraderie among the main characters (both friends and foes), but the series takes on a more One Piece -like quality in season two, when Percy and his friends embark on a boat and set out into the Sea of Monsters to rescue a friend, battling the most powerful sea creatures of Greek mythology. Watch Percy Jackson & the Olympians on Disney+ .
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024–)
Another impressively successful animated series adaptation, this time based on a series heavily inspired (but not objectively inspired) by anime and manga. Set in a world divided into four warring nations (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air), the series follows the journey of 12-year-old Aang (Gordon Cormier), the last surviving Air Nomad, who can harness the elemental powers of all four nations. With the help and protection of his allies, he may become the one to unite the devastated world.Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix .
Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s fantasy book series of the same name, Shadow and Bone tells the story of Alina Starkova, an orphan and cartographer who discovers and develops her vaguely magical Grisha abilities. It’s a beautiful and rich fantasy world—darker but just as nuanced as the world of One Piece —and it immerses you in it without unnecessary explanation. The series is worth watching, even if the fan campaign to bring it back for a third season was unsuccessful.Watch Shadow and Bone on Netflix .
One Piece (1999–)
And of course, we have this giant of anime series, boasting 22 seasons and over 1,000 episodes (and counting)—if you’re truly obsessed, it should keep you busy for a while. (If you still need more, the original manga is slowly approaching its end after a quarter-century, and a new anime series is coming next year.) The adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and company, at least in animation, begin here. Watch One Piece on Hulu ,Netflix , and Crunchyroll.