Crunchyroll Shifts One Piece Episodes from Ad-Supported Tier to Premium Tier

Crunchyroll is preparing to transition a significant portion of *One Piece* episodes from its free, ad-supported tier to the paid premium tier, as confirmed exclusively by Lifogame. However, the shift will occur gradually, and not all episodes will be affected.

Currently, all 1,122 episodes of *One Piece* are available for free on Crunchyroll, a policy that has been in place for over a decade. While the first 206 episodes will remain accessible to free-tier viewers, later episodes will be moved to the premium tier in three phases between December 23 and February 17.

Here’s a breakdown of the phased transition:

- Phase 1 (December 23)**: The Water 7, Thriller Bark, Summit War, and Fishman Island arcs (344 episodes).

- Phase 2 (January 20)**: The Punk Hazard, Dressrosa, Zou, and Whole Cake Island arcs, along with six special episodes (305 episodes).

- Phase 3 (February 17)**: The Reverie, WANO KUNI, and Egghead Island arcs (247 episodes).

Crunchyroll's premium subscription offers several tiers, starting at $7.99 per month. Earlier this year, the platform raised the prices for its higher-tier options, Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan, though the entry-level Fan tier remains unchanged. While this shift may be disappointing for those watching One Piece on the free tier, Crunchyroll explains that the move aims to balance accessibility with offering a "premium experience" for subscribers. The phased rollout should also allow fans to revisit their favorite story arcs before they make the transition.