Look, y'know there may some ugly truths about One Piece's lack of popularity in the US. But guys, if it truly wasn't profitable then Viz would not of sped up the manga and Funi wouldn't be fighting to keep the simulcast deal sacred. Originally I bought up some points where there may be some concern, valid points. But now its like everyone's pessimist and paranoia switch has turned on and will not stop.
Let's go to ground zero. The One Piece DVDs have been cancelled, the simulcast deal has been expunged, and Viz has stopped translating the manga. The question is what are YOU going to do?! As One Piece fans how are you going to handle the commercial version ultimately failing? Probably what we were doing BEFORE Viz licensed the manga, 4Kids mutilated the series, Namco Bandai translated the games, and Funimation ultimately licensed the series and simulcasted it an hour after Japan.
I have and will always support the commercial release of One Piece. I own all the Funimation released DVDs, all the Viz manga, and all the Namco Bandai games. I also watch the simulcast of the series on a weekly basis legally on Funimation's website. If other fans are not doing the same well… here's you're chance and if you are supporting the English release, well, you're not part of the problem.
Let it go...
Let whatever One Piece apocalypse take place and let the "anime industry" make the decisions they're going to make.
I want Viz to continue to release the manga (which, honestly, I see them continuing to do so), I want Funimation to continue dubbing the episodes. But I have learned that there are times in the anime industry where you can't put a square peg into a round hole and somethings just do NOT catch on. The reality is that uncut One Piece came out just when the anime bubble burst. It's surprising that despite the lack of a TV presence we still got a manga speed up and a simulcast deal just like Naruto and Bleach (which, mind you, still is the only SJ "holy trinity" manga series NOT to do so).
From my perspective One Piece is in some weird stasis in America where it's not a heavy hitter but it's notable enough that it has a strong following within the anime community. Anime fans know what One Piece is, they are very aware of it. But a lot of the newer fandom lump it in with Naruto and Bleach as series that go on forever. All three series are suffering from this stigma, it's just that Naruto and Bleach are still running on TV and look "shinier" but in the end these series have left its fans disillusioned. They are now trying out One Piece because despite how humble it looks the writing style and characterization comes off as far catchier. But still... its a magnum opus in the anime community and only a select few have the patience and tolerance to endure that type of dedication.
But this blame game that Naruto and Bleach are the "evil stepsisters" to One Piece's "Cinderella" has got to stop. Naruto (especially Naruto) and Bleach both have their strengths and while I do admit that One Piece, from my perspective, has trumped them in many aspects that does not automatically mean that EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT THE OTHER SERIES IS SHIT. Naruto tends the meander on plot lines and character development, Bleach takes too long to make a point, but I am still a proud fan of both series. Still, they are not to blame, solely, on One Piece's lack of popularity. The only advantage Naruto has is that it became the last staple of the Toonami era (much like DBZ before it) and Bleach aired on Adult Swim (which has been slightly more flexible with what "it" series they wanted on air).
If I had to say there was an overall point it's:
Calm… the fuck... down...
One Piece has taken some positive strides in popularity (in both the US and Japan) in the last year. If One Piece is not a commercial success then, us, as One Piece fans will probably take whatever resources we can to still follow our precious series. But that is not the case now, and there has been no official announcement on anything. I think we all need to take a breather, and just patiently let things play out the way they are supposed to play out. Whatever news that happens, good or bad, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime: no more theories, speculation, finger pointing, bitching, whining, blah blah blah...
because in the end if we really love this series...
we'll find a way...
period...
O-chan