Lego dives into anime for the first time with new ‘One Piece’ sets

Lego is releasing a new line of sets inspired by the popular anime and manga series One Piece, marking the first time the company has adapted an anime property. The collaboration with Netflix's 2023 live-action adaptation of One Piece includes five unique sets, ranging from $29.99 to $329.99, inspired by recognizable locations in the show. The sets are available for preorder and will officially become available on August 1. Lego's foray into the anime world makes sense, given the company's increasing focus on IP-based collections, which has led to revenue growth of 13% in its full-year 2024 report. Fans of both anime and Lego have been waiting for a crossover, and the dream is finally a reality. The effort to adapt One Piece locations into Lego bricks involved an ongoing back-and-forth between the show's designers and Lego's design team, with support from the manga's creator, Eiichiro Oda. The five playsets in the collection were chosen by analyzing the most iconic scenes from the Netflix show's first season and the overall franchise. The sets include iconic locations such as the Going Merry Pirate Ship, Battle at Arlong Park, and the Baratie Floating Restaurant. Lego's designers worked intensively to bring each location to life in brick form, analyzing the Netflix show's first season and meeting with the show's creatives got the sets just right. The same attention to detail was applied to recreating each of Luffy's crew members in Lego minifigure form. The feedback from fans has been "phenomenal," and Lego sees anime as a "huge and very exciting area" for the company to explore.