These ‘One Piece’ Manga/Anime Storylines Are Essential Ahead of the Series

Everything you need to know before 'One Piece' premieres on Netflix on August 31.

The live-action adaptation of hit manga One Piece is coming to Netflix at the end of this month and considering it's been over 25 years since the manga first debuted, it can feel incredibly intimidating jumping into the expansive world made by Eiichiro Oda. There are over 1000 manga chapters, 1000 anime episodes, and even over a dozen films. However, worry not because Netflix's live-action series will be an accessible introduction into the sprawling world of One Piece while maintaining the free-spirited nature and fun of the beloved franchise. There are still a lot of characters, world-building, and plot points to cover, so here's a breakdown of the crew members and major story arcs that the Netflix series will be covering.

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The story of One Piece follows the Straw Hat Pirates on their adventure in pursuit of the legendary One Piece, the treasure left behind by legendary pirate Gold Roger. It's said that whoever finds his treasure will be crowned the King of the Pirates. The pirate crew is named after Luffy's distinct straw hat, which has become one of the most recognizable items in anime history. There are five initial members of the crew, including Luffy, who all join during the first saga of the series. The show's cast already feels like the found-family that the Straw Hats are meant to be. The series will even pay homage to the original voice actors in the anime, as they will be reprising their roles for the Japanese dub of the show.

Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) is the adventurous and jolly captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. His iconic straw hat, which became the symbol of his pirate crew, was given to him by his role model, the famous pirate named Shanks (Peter Gadiot). Luffy dreams of finding the One Piece and becoming King of the Pirates. When he turns 17, he departs from his home village to begin the greatest journey of his life. When he was young, Luffy had eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit, a mysterious Devil Fruit that turned his body into rubber. This allows him to stretch to ridiculous lengths in order to throw powerful punches at his enemies. The captain of the Straw Hat crew is truly a fearless and fiercely loyal leader.

Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu) is the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy's right-hand man and most trusted friend. Before he joined the Straw Hats, Zoro was actually a feared pirate hunter. However, after Luffy rescues him from a deceitful marine, he joins the crew and becomes his captain's most loyal member. Zoro's ultimate dream is to become the World's Strongest Swordsman. He uses a unique form of sword fighting that involves wielding three swords at a time— one in each hand and one in his mouth. Though Zoro often spends much of his time sleeping and drinking, he's nonetheless one of Luffy's most trusted and powerful friends.

Nami (Emily Rudd) is the navigator of the Straw Hats, helping them traverse the dangerous and mysterious seas of the world. Nami loves money more than almost anything else, even going so far as to steal from Luffy. However, Nami's love for money is connected to a more altruistic dream, as her village is under the control of a dangerous pirate named Arlong (McKinley Belcher III). Arlong forced Nami to chart maps for him, and she planned to one day buy her village's freedom. After she joins the crew, she earns the loyalty of Luffy who helps free Nami. As much as she cares about making money, Nami cares deeply for her friends and isn't afraid to set them straight when needed.

Usopp (Jacob Romero) is the Sniper of the crew, preferring to keep as much of a distance between him and the danger. Luffy and the rest of the crew meet Usopp in Syrup Village, where he had earned a reputation as the "Boy Who Cried Pirate" for all his grand, but false, stories about his adventures and alleged pirate attacks. However, he is legitimately connected to piracy, as his father is on the same crew as Shanks, the pirate who inspired Luffy. After his village actually is attacked by pirates, he works with the rest of the Straw Hats to protect his home. He is given a ship dubbed the Going Merry as thanks from one of his dear friends on the island. Usopp joins the crew and the Going Merry becomes the Straw Hat Pirates' first official vessel. While he may be cowardly on the surface, Usopp still rallies through his own fear to help his crew.

Sanji (Taz Skyler) was the last member added to the Straw Hats in the East Blue when he joined to become their Chef. He worked as a cook on the Baratie, a floating restaurant that travels across the East Blue. One of his most foundational beliefs is his refusal to let anyone go hungry. Having almost died of starvation as a kid, Sanji never turns away anyone that's hungry— even if they're an enemy. Sanji refuses to fight with his hands since he reserves them for his cooking, so his combat style revolves around swift and powerful kicking. He also has strict rules about chivalry, as one of his running bits involves his infatuation with beautiful women and his strict rule against fighting them in any way. Once he joins the crew, he quickly earns Luffy's confidence (partly due to his great cooking) while developing a rivalry with Zoro and an infatuation with Nami.

There are currently over 1,000 manga chapters and anime episodes of One Piece, but don't let that intimidate you. The first season of Netflix's One Piece will focus only on the first saga of the series: the East Blue Saga. This part of the series contains 6 short story arcs, adding up to the first 100 chapters of the manga and the first 61 episodes of the anime. However, since the live-action adaptation will feature longer-length episodes, expect plenty of One Piece adventures this season.

The first arc the adaptation will cover is the Romance Dawn Arc, where Luffy first begins his journey to become Pirate King. Having been inspired by a pirate named Shanks, Luffy embarks on his adventure once he turns 17, quickly meeting friends and allies like Zoro as he starts his search for the One Piece. Very quickly, he runs into a corrupt Marine captain, showing that despite their reputation, there are pirates who are more virtuous than those in the World Government.

In the Orange Town Arc, Luffy and Zoro meet Nami, whose disdain for pirates leads to the trio working together to free the town from Buggy the Clown, a clown-themed pirate who had taken over the village. With Nami as their new navigator, the trio reach Syrup Village, the next arc in the manga, as they look for a ship to use for their crew. There they meet Usopp, whose constant lying put his village at risk when the residents ignore his warnings of an impending pirate attack. However, with the help of the crew, they are able to keep everyone safe and are rewarded with the Going Merry, the Straw Hat's first ship.

Having acquired a new ship, the crew goes to the floating restaurant, the Baratie, in their next arc. Working alongside Sanji, one of the cooks in the restaurant, they help protect the ship from being overtaken by a rival pirate. While there, they also meet Dracule Mihawk (Steven Ward), the Strongest Swordsman in the World, who is Zoro's ultimate obstacle to achieving his dream.

Nami ends up betraying the crew at the Baratie, leading them to the Arlong Park Arc. The Straw Hats followed Nami back to her home island, which was under the tyrannical control of Arlong and the Fish-Man pirates. As a Fish-Man, Arlong has superhuman strength and durability, making him a fierce opponent for Luffy and the Straw Hats. The crew fights to free Nami and her village from his control, wanting to bring their friend back from his villainous clutches.

The final arc that will be covered in Season 1 is the Loguetown Arc. The Straw Hats reach Loguetown, the place where former Pirate King Gold Roger was born and executed. While there, they must face powerful Marine captains and former enemies in order to make it into the Grand Line, the next step in their immense adventure.

Oda's imagination ran wild in his world-building of the series, so there are some important traits about the world that make it feel incredibly distinct from our own. The first is the existence of Devil Fruits, which are mysterious fruits that bestow powers onto those who eat them. These powers can range from incredibly versatile, like Luffy's Gum-Gum fruit which lets his body stretch like rubber, or can even be straight up silly, with a character in the series literally having the power to turn into a jacket that other people can wear. However, the powers come at a cost, as Devil Fruit users can no longer swim in the ocean, as seawater nullifies their powers and causes them to sink.

The geography of the One Piece world is also mysterious and fascinating. The world is split into four main seas— the North, South, East, and West Blue respectively— with a unique stretch of ocean that cuts across the middle of the globe called the Grand Line. The first season will take place entirely in the East Blue, following the crew as they make their way to the entrance of the Grand Line. The Grand Line is considered the most dangerous place in the world, with powerful pirates, unexplainable weather, and incredible mysteries to uncover.

The adventure for the One Piece comes to Netflix on August 31, but avid fans should be on the lookout as Netflix announced international fan screenings starting on August 24 that will give people an earlier look at the epic series.