VIDEO : Watch: Fans of Japanese manga One Piece celebrate the launch of a new Netflix series

Straw Hat pirate fans gathered in Santa Monica for a special event showcasing the first episode of the Netflix live-action adaptation. 

The premise is simple: follow the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who dreams of becoming king of the pirates. On his journey, he builds his pirate crew and sets off in search of the world’s most precious treasure: the One Piece.

Originally a manga series written and illustrated by Japanese artist, Eiichiro Oda, “One Piece” is an iconic staple of Japanese comics. Launched in 1997 in the weekly “Shonen Jump” magazine, the series boasts over 100 books so far and has been published in dozens of languages. It has since been adapted into an anime series with over 1000 Episodes and 15 movies.

In January 2020, Netflix announced it would be producing a live-action adaptation of the cult series, which is set to premiere on the 31st of August, 2023.