Events - One Piece: The Musée Grévin Sets Sail with a Spectacular Immersive Experience in the Heart of Eiichiro Oda’s Universe

By Mulder, Paris, Musée Grévin, 25 june 2026

Some collaborations seem obvious once they’re a reality. The arrival of One Piece at the Musée Grévin is one of them. Yet it took until 2026 for the most famous manga of all time to make its debut at the Parisian institution, becoming in the process the very first universe from Japanese animation to join the approximately 250 personalities and figures from popular culture on display at the famous museum. Our media outlet was present at the opening night held on June 25, an event celebrating the convergence of French craftsmanship and Japanese excellence. Even before the opening remarks, the tone was set by an elegant piano performance by Simon Zaoui, offering an unexpected yet particularly refined prelude to a ceremony that would celebrate both art and pop culture.

On stage, several speakers highlighted the symbolic importance of this collaboration. François Fassier, president of Grévin; Yves Delhommeau, CEO of Grévin; Ryuji Kochi, president of Toei Animation Europe; and Akira Yamaguchi, vice president of Toei Animation Europe, took the stage in turn to discuss this project, which was developed over many months in both Paris and Japan. The presence of singer Hiroshi Kitadani, the longtime performer of severalOne Piece theme songs, naturally sparked enthusiasm among the guests. More than just an opening ceremony, the evening felt like witnessing a true passing of the torch between two cultures that share a passion for staging, performance, and bringing great stories to life.

The result lives up to the occasion. Starting tomorrow (June 26), visitors will discover an immersive space spanning over 80 m² called the Cabaret du Soleil, a set design entirely conceived by Grévin, while the ten statues were crafted in Japan under the supervision of Toei Animation. Unlike the museum’s other characters, these are not wax statues. The characters were crafted from specialized materials to accurately capture the sometimes extravagant proportions envisioned by Eiichiro Oda. Some are significantly larger than life-size—starting with Franky and Jinbe while all are clad in real fabric clothing, reinforcing the impression that visitors are standing face-to-face with the series’ heroes rather than mere replicas. This artistic choice also allows the museum to stay true to the series’ highly distinctive designs while maintaining a striking sense of realism.

The set design is likely one of the greatest strengths of this new attraction. Rather than lining up the characters like mere exhibition statues, the Grévin team has created a vivid, lifelike scene where the Straw Hat crew appears to be celebrating a grand banquet. Monkey D. Luffy takes center stage in a setting bathed in lights reminiscent of the great Parisian cabarets; Roronoa Zoro is about to sit down to eat; Sanji is busy at the stove; Brook is seated at the piano; while Jinbe and Zoro raise their glasses in a joyful atmosphere that perfectly captures the series’ festive and warm spirit. The installation successfully integrates the world of One Piece into a quintessentially Parisian aesthetic without ever betraying the identity created by Eiichiro Oda. Attentive visitors may even discover a discreet mechanism that allows them to adjust the lighting ambiance of the set, further reinforcing the impression of being transported into a real live show.

This collaboration also highlights the cultural significance that One Piece has acquired over the decades. Launched in 1997 by Eiichiro Oda and later adapted into an animated series by Toei Animation starting in 1999, the manga is now the best-selling work in history, with over 600 million copies sold worldwide. The anime series now exceeds 1,160 episodes, confirming its exceptional longevity, which continues to captivate new generations of viewers. During the presentation, Akira Yamaguchi emphasized that this arrival at the Musée Grévin represented “a tremendous honor” for the franchise—proof, she said, that One Piece is now an integral part of the world’s popular culture heritage. For his part, Yves Delhommeau noted that the manga meets the expectations of new generations, while observing that the famous straw hat flag has, in recent months, become a symbol featured in numerous events around the world, illustrating a cultural impact that now extends far beyond the realm of mere entertainment.

Visitors will also leave with a few exclusive items. A brand-new visual created jointly by Toei Animation and Grévin accompanies this collaboration and is featured on a range of merchandise sold exclusively in the museum’s gift shop. To celebrate the opening, an exclusive promotional card for the One Piece Card Game featuring artwork specially designed for the event will be given to the first 50,000 visitors with an admission ticket, while supplies last.

By welcoming a world from Japanese animation for the first time, Grévin is doing more than just adding ten new characters to its permanent exhibition. The museum officially recognizes the major influence of One Piece on the history of global popular culture. For longtime fans and the simply curious alike, this new installation offers much more than just a photo op: it provides a carefully crafted immersion into a world where friendship, adventure, and dreams continue to bring together millions of enthusiasts around the globe. This historic first could very well pave the way for other major Japanese franchises in the years to come.

You can discover our photos in our Flickr page here and here

Photos and 4K video: Boris Colletier / Mulderville