Netflix’s One Piece: Breaking Records and Winning Hearts
Since its premiere in 2023, Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga One Piece has attracted global attention. The original manga, beloved since 1997, spawned numerous animated series and films before Netflix took the bold step to adapt it in live action. That gamble paid off: in its first week, the series logged 140 million hours viewed, making it Netflix’s most-watched show for the last six months of 2023.
One Piece’s momentum continued beyond its debut. The second season, released in March 2026, achieved similarly strong viewership, with an impressive 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes—surpassing the first season’s 86%. Much of this triumph is credited to the cast, who captured audiences’ imaginations within minutes of the pilot episode. A large fanbase quickly formed around Iñaki Godoy, who stars as the optimistic and adventurous Monkey D. Luffy.
Iñaki Godoy: A Fan Favorite with His Own Anime Favorites
Godoy, known for his work in Netflix's The Imperfects, has made a mark with his lively, upbeat take on Luffy. Alongside Taz Skylar (Sanji) and Mackenyu (Roronoa Zoro)—who bring their own competitive flair and comedy to the screen—the trio recently appeared on TikTok’s Flighthouse channel to rank their favorite anime heroes.
Despite embodying one of anime’s most beloved characters, Godoy didn’t pick Luffy as number one. The top spot went to Akira Toriyama’s legendary creation: Son Goku from Dragon Ball.
“You have to give it to him. He’s an anime legend. You know what I mean? If I had to pick just one, I’d say Goku is a classic anime character. Honestly, I think Goku deserves first place.”
Son Goku: The Legend Who Inspired Generations
For Iñaki Godoy, Goku is more than a character—he’s an icon who helped shape the shonen genre. Without Akira Toriyama’s groundbreaking work, many modern manga classics—One Piece included—might never have emerged. In fact, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has cited Dragon Ball as a major inspiration.
Although Luffy only placed fifth in their ranking, it wasn’t for lack of importance. He was simply up against the biggest names in anime, and the ranking may have been influenced by its blind format.
In the end, whether you cheer for the Straw Hat pirates or for Goku and his allies, it’s clear that anime is filled with legendary heroes. Sometimes, even their real-life actors are their most enthusiastic fans.
