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[Angry Grimace]

No shit, but don't even mention this because there are several people here who are denial in how unpopular One Piece is in America.

Even Naruto/Bleach get pirated more than One Piece.

Yeah, but there's no particular reason to think the dub not being great is solely responsible for One Piece not being as popular.

 

[Wiseblade]

So basically from that list, only girls buy manga in America.

Yeah, out of all the people I've ever know to read/watch manga/anime, I could count the ones who buy the stuff on one hand.

Yeah, but there's no particular reason to think the dub not being great is solely responsible for One Piece not being as popular.

It doesn't help that people's first exposure to the series was a terrible one. And animation studios seemed to blame OP's failures on the dub too, given the way avoided 4Kids like the plague afterward.

 

[Soriku]

One Piece doesn't have enough pretty boys.

 

[B-Dubs]

Yeah, but there's no particular reason to think the dub not being great is solely responsible for One Piece not being as popular.

The dub really made it out to be a kiddy show for 9 year olds, while Bleach and Naruto gave off a more mature vibe. First impressions are huge and that rap intro was horrible and childish. Ask someone what they remember about the dub and they'll say the rap.

 

[Wiseblade]

The dub really made it out to be a kiddy show for 9 year olds, while Bleach and Naruto gave off a more mature vibe. First impressions are huge and that rap intro was horrible and childish. Ask someone what they remember about the dub and they'll say the rap.

I hate to break it to you, but...

 

[BassForever]

Yeah, but there's no particular reason to think the dub not being great is solely responsible for One Piece not being as popular.

When this is your introduction to a series it leaves a long, painful memory that is hard to give a second chance. Like going on a date with the most beautiful and smartest girl in school and five minutes into the date she throws up on you, that moment is going to haunt you for a long time.

 

[Wiseblade]

When this is your introduction to a series it leaves a long, painful memory that is hard to give a second chance. Like going on a date with the most beautiful and smartest girl in school and five minutes into the date she throws up on you, that moment is going to haunt you for a long time.

I'm pretty sure this manga exists.

 

[Sonicbug]

Personally I've loved it (the whole story, not just the first book). There are a couple of things that could have been handled better, but I found the characters, the situations they found themselves in and the backdrops to be really interesting. Plus I ended up really liking Ayuko's artstyle.

The premise is really good, but I just feel there have been a lot of missed opportunities. Still, there are 3 more volumes, so the manga can still impress me.

The problem with Earl & Fairy is that it's a manga adapting the first two volumes of a.. what, 31 volume long light novel series? I wish Viz would stop releasing light novel adaptations that just... oh... stop partway.

 

[789shadow]

So not only does Stat tolerate Bleach, he's a Gen One-er. I lose so much respect man.

 

[survivor]

The problem with Earl & Fairy is that it's a manga adapting the first two volumes of a.. what, 31 volume long light novel series? I wish Viz would stop releasing light novel adaptations that just... oh... stop partway.

Wow. I knew there was a novel, but I thought it was like a 4-5 books thing. At least I hope the manga will get some sort of conclusion.

 

[Save 'N Quit]

It is coming to Toonami this year. Hopefully it can get another chance.

Didn't hear about this. Hoping it comes out at least close to Summer/Fall and not near the Winter season.

Excellent news either way.

 

[Angry Grimace]

When this is your introduction to a series it leaves a long, painful memory that is hard to give a second chance. Like going on a date with the most beautiful and smartest girl in school and five minutes into the date she throws up on you, that moment is going to haunt you for a long time.

This entire line of reasoning presupposes that people were going to like One Piece, generally because "it's popular in Japan and better than Naruto/Bleach!" That isn't really evidence, its speculation. Paul Gilbert could probably explain a few things about that phenomena.

 

[BassForever]

This entire line of reasoning presupposes that people were going to like One Piece, generally because "it's popular in Japan and better than Naruto/Bleach!" That isn't really evidence, its speculation. Paul Gilbert could probably explain a few things about that phenomena.

I can't prove that if funimation's current dub had aired first that OP would be more popular in America, but at the same time you can't prove it'd have been received worse. Would it have been more popular to beat out Naruto/Bleach I dunno, but would the series sell better and have better reception? Absolutely

 

[survivor]

So DTL's post made me go check and see if BookScan posted their sales list for 2012 and it was. I just crunched in numbers for some of the series you guys might care about

I'm only showing 8 volumes per manga cause otherwise this will be a long post

Naruto = 151,284
21 volumes
volume 55 - 17,243
volume 54 - 15,868
volume 56 - 14,923
volume 57 - 14,317
volume 58 - 12,347
volume 53 - 10,313
volume 59 - 10,138
volume 1 - 7,478

Sailor Moon = 129,894
8 volumes
volume 3 - 22,400
volume 4 - 19,362
volume 1 - 18,557
volume 5 - 16,719
volume 2 - 16,005
volume 6 - 14,425
volume 7 - 11,787
volume 8 - 10,639

Bleach = 98,648
21 volumes
volume 38 - 7,130
volume 40 - 6,958
volume 41 - 6,664
volume 39 - 6,292
3-in-1 volume 1 - 6,202
volume 1 - 5,622
volume 42 - 5,314
volume 43 - 5,251

One Piece = 53,030
12 volumes
volume 1 - 7,318
volume 61 - 6,184
volume 60 - 5,238
volume 62 - 5,188
volume 63 - 4,691
volume 2 - 4,222
volume 64 - 4,184
volume 3 - 3,481

 

[Angry Grimace]

I can't prove that if funimation's current dub had aired first that OP would be more popular in America, but at the same time you can't prove it'd have been received worse. Would it have been more popular to beat out Naruto/Bleach I dunno, but would the series sell better and have better reception? Absolutely

I have an alternate theory pirates aren't nearly as interesting to young boys as ninjas or sword ghosts, particularly not when they don't do any pirating. One Piece starts pretty slow, too, to be honest. I'm saying it couldn't have had an effect, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to presuppose that it would automatically be Dragonball Z popular merely because its that popular in Japan.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

So DTL's post made me go check and see if BookScan posted their sales list for 2012 and it was. I just crunched in numbers for some of the series you guys might care about

I'm only showing 8 volumes per manga cause otherwise this will be a long post

Fairy Tail only selling 6,000, but I guess its just starting.

I wonder where Magi will fit in for Viz, guess it can easily do better than Toriko, maybe it can be their next bleach saleswise.

 

[BassForever]

I have an alternate theory pirates aren't nearly as interesting to young boys as ninjas or sword ghosts, particularly not when they don't do any pirating. One Piece starts pretty slow, too, to be honest. I'm saying it couldn't have had an effect, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to presuppose that it would automatically be Dragonball Z popular merely because its that popular in Japan.

This is true, early Naruto may be "boring" but it has ninja's which are cool, early Bleach has big ass swords and huge monsters which is also cool, early One Piece has a rubber guy punching a fat lady and a clown with a red nose...

Berserk 12-21

Griffith seems already like a complex character, his first (of I assume many) fights with Gutts seems like they'll be the highlights of the series. It is kind of easy to see how things are going to develop from where this flash back is to where the series currently is though based upon everyone's OMGZ reactions I guess I'm probably wrong lol.

 

[Angry Grimace]

This is true, early Naruto may be "boring" but it has ninja's which are cool, early Bleach has big ass swords and huge monsters which is also cool, early One Piece has a rubber guy punching a fat lady and a clown with a red nose...

Berserk 12-21

Griffith seems already like a complex character, his first (of I assume many) fights with Gutts seems like they'll be the highlights of the series. It is kind of easy to see how things are going to develop from where this flash back is to where the series currently is though based upon everyone's OMGZ reactions I guess I'm probably wrong lol.

Naruto starts a full on arc that people claim to love like 5 episodes in (Zabuza/Land of Waves).

 

[Big One]

I have an alternate theory pirates aren't nearly as interesting to young boys as ninjas or sword ghosts, particularly not when they don't do any pirating. One Piece starts pretty slow, too, to be honest. I'm saying it couldn't have had an effect, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to presuppose that it would automatically be Dragonball Z popular merely because its that popular in Japan.

Yeah cause Pirates of the Caribbean aren't some of the highest grossing films in the world.

 

[survivor]

5 Centimeters per Second - 2,943

YES, SHINKAI FTW

Fairy Tail only selling 6,000, but I guess its just starting.

I wonder where Magi will fit in for Viz, guess it can easily do better than Toriko, maybe it can be their next bleach saleswise.

Could probably be the next Blue Exorcist for them. It seems to hit the same market.

 

[Jintor]

I'm pretty sure this manga exists.

Natsume throws up in the same chapters she's introduced in in tonari. Amazingly,she actually throws up in a hilariously shoujo way.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Yeah cause Pirates of the Caribbean aren't some of the highest grossing films in the world.

I thought, in North America, Pirates of the Caribbean has actually been going down and down with each release. I would still say that, in North America, the idea of being a Shinobi, is still more compelling to people than, say, being a Pirate on the high seas. There is just something alluring about the idea of being a ninja.

 

[survivor]

The only reason we are all watching Pirates is for Johhny Depp and not for pirates.

Natsume throws up in the same chapters she's introduced in in tonari. Amazingly,she actually throws up in a hilariously shoujo way.

Best girl

 

[BatDan]

I thought, in North America, Pirates of the Caribbean has actually been going down and down with each release. I would still say that, in North America, the idea of being a Shinobi, is still more compelling to people than, say, being a Pirate on the high seas. There is just something alluring about the idea of being a ninja.

On Stranger Tides (the fourth movie) made over a billion dollars worldwide. It might be going down in quality, but it's certainly not going down in popularity.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

On Stranger Tides (the fourth movie) made over a billion dollars worldwide. It might be going down in quality, but it's certainly not going down in popularity.

Worldwide, but I was specifically saying North America.

 

[FYC]

D. Gray Man Volume 12

Holy shit. Two excellent fights back to back. Arystar's Blood Innocence was fucking awesome, and Allen got a big ol' sword!

Onto the Lavi fight.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Yeah cause Pirates of the Caribbean aren't some of the highest grossing films in the world.

Johnny Depp was in it and there aren't even any real pirates in One Piece. The beginning of One Piece is an unintelligent rubber guy sailing around on a boat fighting a clown and a fat lady. The dub doesn't magically explain everything.

It doesn't make sense to simply argue that One Piece would have translated in popularity to the US but for the dub just because its popular in Japan. There isn't any evidence to support that.

I thought, in North America, Pirates of the Caribbean has actually been going down and down with each release. I would still say that, in North America, the idea of being a Shinobi, is still more compelling to people than, say, being a Pirate on the high seas. There is just something alluring about the idea of being a ninja.

To the target audience, sure.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

The problem with One Piece is ultimately the art. It just doesn't seem appealing at first glance.

Which is why the best way to get someone to watch/read One Piece is by forcing them to read/watch a part of it.

 

[Tamanon]

Yeah, I'm not sure One Piece on Toonami will catch on that well, especially if they start at the beginning.

 

[Kusagari]

Yeah, I'm not sure One Piece on Toonami will catch on that well, especially if they start at the beginning.

They have to start at the beginning.

Nobody is going to give it a chance coming in at episode 100.

It's going to be rough, but as long as it sticks around on Toonami it will hopefully catch on.

 

[Korosenai]

Bleach 279

What's with this Ichigo/Ulquiorra/Grimmjow love triangle?

But seriously, Ichigo vs Grimmjow should be cool. I really enjoyed the Rukia/9th espada fight as well.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Bleach 279

What's with this Ichigo/Ulquiorra/Grimmjow love triangle?

But seriously, Ichigo vs Grimmjow should be cool. I really enjoyed the Rukia/9th espada fight as well.

Ichigo v Grimmjow is, personally, the best fight in the manga, my favorite bleach chapters t reread and watch.

 

[Infinite Justice]

They have to start at the beginning.

Nobody is going to give it a chance coming in at episode 100.

It's going to be rough, but as long as it sticks around on Toonami it will hopefully catch on.

They might not at ep 1 either, especially given the slow burn.

Good luck to them though.

 

[survivor]

Nisekoi 65

Decided to check out the latest chapter to see if the manga got any better, but nope, still shit.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

They have to start at the beginning.

Nobody is going to give it a chance coming in at episode 100.

It's going to be rough, but as long as it sticks around on Toonami it will hopefully catch on.

I can only hope they do two episodes a week, or else that will take forever to make much progress to where one piece starts getting good. I wonder if it will pull bleach,naruto numbers,

 

[Piecake]

Tower of God s1ch1

I guess it is a good start, though could have said why they are in the Tower in the first place, seemed like an odd detail to not mention in the first chapter. Baam has a good design, at times, some of the panels he looks odd, and like hes vampireish, probably just the art, random. Will keep following I guess, hope it has epic attacks and moments like Soul Cartel.

Its infinitely better. I predict that I will be seeing a Baam loves Koon avatar from you soon

 

[fertygo]

Hey all, it's been awhile since my last post and I've been meaning to come back here sooner. For like the past month or so I've been reading Jojo's Bizarre Adventure just so I would be familiar with all the characters from ASB when I import the hell out of the game when it comes out in August. Started with Phantom Blood obviously (just so I can see the difference between the manga and the anime that started last season) and just recently finished Stone Ocean, and currently on the 4th volume of Steel Ball Run. For those who are Jojo fanatics and/or familiar with the series up to part 6 I have a few questions.

Spoiler

Was volume 6 originally supposed to be the final installment in the Jojo series? The whole universe alteration seemed like a pretty significant close to what I first believed to be a means to end the eternal strife between the Joestars and Dio until one of the last panels showed that Jolyne, now known as 'Irene' in the AU still had the star shaped birthmark on her upper left shoulder.

Moving onwards to SBR, is this story set in the AU (so technically after Stone Ocean)? From what I've read so far it seems like that is indeed the case.

Not sure you still catch this, but the popular theory is that the universe that caused by Pucci's stand.

 

[Big One]

Johnny Depp was in it and there aren't even any real pirates in One Piece. The beginning of One Piece is an unintelligent rubber guy sailing around on a boat fighting a clown and a fat lady. The dub doesn't magically explain everything.

There aren't any real ninja or shinigami in Naruto/Bleach either.

Yes Johnny Depp was a huge draw, but wasn't THE draw of Pirates of the Carribbean. The pirate theme is still one of the most popular themes in the West (mainly cause of Western roots).

Ninja and shinigami are mainly loved by weeaboo and anime fans for the most part.

It doesn't make sense to simply argue that One Piece would have translated in popularity to the US but for the dub just because its popular in Japan. There isn't any evidence to support that.

One Piece would've translated in popularity in the US if the following things happened:

1. Dubbed aiming on a broad audience rather than just turning it exclusively for a comedy for kids. One Piece has humor in it, but it also has story, character development, amongst other things that define pretty much any series that can appeal to the general audience. The later aspect, 4kids completely axes out of in it's dub, and therefor no one took it seriously in any respect.

2. Advertising and exposure. One Piece barely had either. If One Piece started out on Toonami like Naruto did, it would've been huge. The FoxKids/4kids cartoon block was pretty much losing steam around the time the One Piece dub was shown on television.

3. Actual hype. Most of the hype Bleach and Naruto got back in the day, were from the early days of internet fansub communities. These communities never watched anything more than these two anime and had a very strong cult following. One Piece never got much of a cult following till much later. As soon as Bleach and Naruto aired on TV, they already had thousands of Western fans supportive of these two series, which One Piece didn't really have. The cult following for One Piece didn't really take shape until after One Piece was literally pulled off Toonami.

 

[grandjedi6]

Yeah, I'm not sure One Piece on Toonami will catch on that well, especially if they start at the beginning.

They have to start at the beginning.

Nobody is going to give it a chance coming in at episode 100.

It's going to be rough, but as long as it sticks around on Toonami it will hopefully catch on.

Its a problem with no good solution. Do you start from the beginning and risk losing the audience's attention? Or do you start from somewhere in the middle and risk confusing and alienating audiences? And that's not even mentioning the enormous time commitment involved (Toonami will probably disappear again before they get to where the anime is now lol).

They could always pull a Dragonball Z/GT too. Skip a bunch of episodes and have Funimation create a recap episode for people.

 

[Stat Flow]

So not only does Stat tolerate Bleach, he's a Gen One-er. I lose so much respect man.

Gen one > the rest

Bleach > One Piece

dealwithit

 

[Azure J]

Gen one > the rest

Bleach > One Piece

dealwithit

Sorry man, but Gen 5 > Gen 2 > Gen 1 > Gen 4 > Gen 3. Gen 5 got me into the series hardcore again and some of the new stuff is beyond awesome.

At the same time, Squirtle is best water starter. Free.

 

[Angry Grimace]

There aren't any real ninja or shinigami in Naruto/Bleach either.

Yes Johnny Depp was a huge draw, but wasn't THE draw of Pirates of the Carribbean. The pirate theme is still one of the most popular themes in the West (mainly cause of Western roots).

Ninja and shinigami are mainly loved by weeaboo and anime fans for the most part.


One Piece would've translated in popularity in the US if the following things happened:

1. Dubbed aiming on a broad audience rather than just turning it exclusively for a comedy for kids. One Piece has humor in it, but it also has story, character development, amongst other things that define pretty much any series that can appeal to the general audience. The later aspect, 4kids completely axes out of in it's dub, and therefor no one took it seriously in any respect.

2. Advertising and exposure. One Piece barely had either. If One Piece started out on Toonami like Naruto did, it would've been huge. The FoxKids/4kids cartoon block was pretty much losing steam around the time the One Piece dub was shown on television.

3. Actual hype. Most of the hype Bleach and Naruto got back in the day, were from the early days of internet fansub communities. These communities never watched anything more than these two anime and had a very strong cult following. One Piece never got much of a cult following till much later. As soon as Bleach and Naruto aired on TV, they already had thousands of Western fans supportive of these two series, which One Piece didn't really have. The cult following for One Piece didn't really take shape until after One Piece was literally pulled off Toonami.

You were born in the 90s, so I'll take your history lesson with a grain of salt.

You're just making an assumption because its the only explanation that doesn't require the accepting that people actually don't like the same things as you.

 

[Korosenai]

Sorry man, but Gen 5 > Gen 2 > Gen 1 > Gen 4 > Gen 3. Gen 5 got me into the series hardcore again and some of the new stuff is beyond awesome.

At the same time, Squirtle is best water starter. Free.

Gen 5 is the best, Gen 2 was the worst.

 

[Big One]

You were born in the 90s, so I'll take your history lesson with a grain of salt.

What?

What does that have to do with anything?

Considering I WAS a Naruto fanboy in my youth, I would know more about this than you ever will be.

You're just making an assumption because its the only explanation that doesn't require the accepting that people actually don't like the same things as you.

No I'm making a logical explanation. Mass popularity has absolutely nothing to do with the quality (or lack of) of a work. One Piece has everything it takes to be a massively popular series and more, but unlike the Japanese market it's been treated terribly in the Western market and literally destroyed any chance of it having any exposure.

 

[Angry Grimace]

What?

What does that have to do with anything?

Considering I WAS a Naruto fanboy in my youth, I would know more about this than you ever will be.

I'm sure I'll be losing sleep tonight about you knowing more about this than I will ever be.

No I'm making a logical explanation. Mass popularity has absolutely nothing to do with the quality (or lack of) of a work. One Piece has everything it takes to be a massively popular series and more, but unlike the Japanese market it's been treated terribly in the Western market and literally destroyed any chance of it having any exposure.

You were what, 9, when the dub came out?

 

[remz]

What?

What does that have to do with anything?

Considering I WAS a Naruto fanboy in my youth, I would know more about this than you ever will be.

anime fan subs goes back before the 90s... and anime communities are broader than people like me or you that were growing up when Naruto/Bleach was on

 

[Big One]

You were what, 9, when the dub came out?

I believe I was 14.

anime fan subs goes back before the 90s...

No shit?

 

[Atredeus]

There aren't any real ninja or shinigami in Naruto/Bleach either.

Yes Johnny Depp was a huge draw, but wasn't THE draw of Pirates of the Carribbean. The pirate theme is still one of the most popular themes in the West (mainly cause of Western roots).

Ninja and shinigami are mainly loved by weeaboo and anime fans for the most part.

So much wrong with this statement. Pirates succeeded because of Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom (coming off the LOTR hype) and Disney. Period. No one goes to see just any movie on pirates, and I'd argue pirates are hardly more popular than cowboys/ninjas/samurai/any other bygone romanticized genre.

 

[Angry Grimace]

So much wrong with this statement. Pirates succeeded because of Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom (coming off the LOTR hype) and Disney. Period. No one goes to see just any movie on pirates, and I'd argue pirates are hardly more popular than cowboys/ninjas/samurai/any other bygone romanticized genre.

Well, yeah. Johnny Depp and a $300 million budget is why Pirates of the Carribean was huge.

 

[Articalys]

.