While many are still waiting on One Piece Season 2 to hit the 2025 TV schedule, I always feel a need to drop reminders that anyone can watch a large chunk of the anime series with a Netflix subscription. While the full list of episodes available is not as vast as what's offered by Hulu or Crunchyroll, the streaming giant DID just add one episode that isn't available on either of its competitors, so I immediately dropped everything to watch.
This episode arrived with the latest One Piece arc to arrive on the platform, Punk Hazard, and subscribers can now see one of the coolest and rarely seen crossovers with another iconic 90s anime they undoubtedly know from their childhood.
Netflix Added The Lesser-Seen One Piece and Dragon Ball Z Crossover Special
Back in 2013, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda and the late Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama did the unexpected by splitting the spotlight between both franchises for the 590th One Piece episode, titled, "History's Strongest Collaboration vs. Glutton of the Sea."
The episode is widely known by One Piece fans, but those streaming the series will know why it's not an automatic watch. The first part of the special actually takes place in the series Toriko, and often isn't included as in One Piece lineups.
But it is part of the first adventure that Luffy and Goku would take part in together in the anime medium. Those wishing to watch it now, or after finishing this story, just need to pull up the Punk Hazard saga on their Netflix accounts and can find it there to watch them take on a fearsome foe together.
Who Is Toriko And The Others Who Have Nothing To Do With One Piece And DBZ?
Those who watch will notice there's actually a third anime hero and his friends in on the adventure, though they're far less known to casual anime audiences in the U.S. Toriko follows the titlular hunter as he seeks out gourmet foods. This franchise is in on the fun, and it plays a big role in some key questions readers may have about this collaboration.
To start, viewers will notice that this episode features a fairly beefy recap that feels like they might've missed out on the first part of the adventure. They did, because the first part of this collaboration happened on Episode 99 of Toriko. Unfortunately, you can't watch that first part on Netflix or even Crunchyroll, though the recap does a pretty solid job of laying out all the relevant details of what people should know.
All three franchises are part of the Shonen Jump brand, which is why they're linked to this adventure. While it's exciting and fun to watch, those wanting to know big fandom questions like who is the strongest between Luffy and Goku will leave disappointed. This crossover takes place before Dragon Ball Daima, so it wouldn't even answer any questions, considering Luffy had yet to hit Gear 5, and Goku wasn't able to use his Ultra Instinct.
That aside, I had to binge this one immediately since we're in the middle of a bummer hiatus period for One Piece. As someone who was against re-living the oft-criticized Fishman Island arc via the currently airing remaster, this was a great way for me to celebrate my love for the show while I wait for the live-action series to return and for more anime episodes. It only kept me occupied for a little under thirty minutes, but hey, I'll take what I can get!
Stream One Piece right now on Netflix, especially if you've never had a chance to watch the anime. It's very long, but as someone who put in the work to get current on the series, I can say it's worth anyone's time if they're looking for something to binge.
