After last year’s successful debut, Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that it is bringing a One Piece back as part of its 2026 Fan Fest Nights event. Expanding on the original fan zone, this year the park is featuring a live stunt show. Based on the long-running manga and anime, One Piece has seen rapidly growing popularity in the West, driven in large part by the success of the live-action Netflix adaptation.
One Piece Season 2 – Netflix
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In its promotional material, Universal promises a “high-energy experience,” featuring “explosive battles, splash-filled stunts, and a dazzling pyrotechnic finale.” Guests will also have opportunities to take photos with the Straw Hat Crew and purchase a themed dining experience for an additional fee.
The move suggests that Universal is capitalizing on One Piece’s recent surge in global popularity to draw new audiences into the park.
Bringing the World to Life
Promotional concept art suggests the live stunt show will closely replicate Eiichiro Oda’s original anime designs, emphasizing fidelity to the source material. With over 1,100 episodes and more than 500 million manga copies sold, One Piece is an expansive global franchise. It has been further boosted by the recent release of the second season of its Netflix live-action adaptation.
Get ready to enter the pirate world as ONE PIECE comes to life at the WaterWorld show venue during Universal Fan Fest Nights. Set sail with Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew as they battle it out in a stunt-packed battle for the high seas with a dazzling finale fans won’t forget. pic.twitter.com/2Nzb5DgusL
— Universal Studios Hollywood (@UniStudios) March 18, 2026
The show is scheduled to run at the WaterWorld venue from April 25 through May 16. As a limited-time offering, the event allows Universal to concentrate demand while gauging audience interest without committing to a permanent attraction. Attendance for Fan Fest Nights is expected to reach into the tens of thousands.
One Piece is only one component of the event. Additional experiences based on properties such as Scooby-Doo and Universal Monsters, Harry Potter, and Super Nintendo World point to a broader strategy: bringing together multiple fan communities under a single, ticketed experience to maximize reach and test franchise appeal.
From Streaming to the Theme Park
Netflix greenlit a third season of its One Piece live-action series in August, with production already underway. With a short wait time between seasons, the property will remain at the forefront of popular culture. Additionally, the show’s streaming success has expanded awareness of the franchise, creating an opportunity for Universal to translate that audience into a paid, in-person experience.
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Whether Universal ultimately integrates the One Piece live stunt show as a permanent attraction remains unclear. However, the limited-time event offers a controlled way to gauge franchise appeal, using attendance and guest spending as indicators of the property’s long-term viability within the park.
Taken together, the approach reflects how entertainment companies are increasingly using temporary, event-based formats to test the real-world draw of streaming-driven franchises before committing to permanent investments.
Anime in the Mainstream
The inclusion of One Piece in Fan Fest Nights two years in a row suggests that anime is no longer being treated as a niche category. Positioning it next to properties like Scooby-Doo and Harry Potter highlights a broader shift. Global intellectual property is increasingly prioritized and packaged for mass audiences.
Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece Season 2 – Netflix
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At the same time, its placement within a limited-time event—rather than building out a full themed land—indicates a measured approach. Universal appears to be testing whether the enthusiasm generated by streaming success can translate into sustained, in-person attendance.
The outcome of that test may help determine not only the future of One Piece within the park, but also how aggressively theme parks invest in anime and other globally driven franchises moving forward.
Would you be interested in seeing a One Piece live stunt show? Let us know in the comments!
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This Live Action show is horrible, and now they will make it worse by bringing it to more places………
If it pulls people away from Pedo Disneyland, I’m all for it.