The Cortez family piled out of their car and stretched their legs. Finally, after an hour and a half drive from their Long Beach home, they had made it to Little Tokyo \u2014 specifically, to One Piece Cafe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just sitting in the car like, \u2018I\u2019m going to be at the One Piece Cafe,\u2019\u201d said Cammy Cortez, who was introduced to the popular manga and anime franchise by her older brother and now runs a \u201cOne Piece\u201d fan account on X. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Timed to the Los Angeles Anime Convention, the largest exposition dedicated to Japanese pop culture in North America, the new permanent restaurant is the second official location of One Piece Cafe, in collaboration with Toei Animation, from Andy Nguyen, a serial entrepreneur behind several themed restaurants. The first One Piece Cafe opened in Las Vegas in May 2024. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne Piece\u201d follows the adventures of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the \u201cOne Piece\u201d treasure. Fans of the anime have flocked to the Little Tokyo storefront, eager to try Japanese dishes inspired by \u201cOne Piece\u201d characters like Sanji\u2019s \u201cDiable Jambe\u201d Chicken Katsu Sando, with 24-hour brined chicken served on sweet honey milk bread, and Zoro\u2019s Onigiri, in honor of the character\u2019s love of rice and a nod to his precision as a swordsman. <\/p>\n
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1.<\/strong> Sanji\u2019s \u201cDiable Jambe\u201d Chicken Katsu Sando with Robin\u2019s Flower-Flower Power Refresher, left, and Dragon Fruit Strawberry Punch. 2.<\/strong> Mighty Meats Pirate Platter of orange sauce chicken pops, Korean BBQ-style ribs, Kurobuta sausage and L.A.-style galbi with a side of rice. (Myung J. Chun \/ Los Angeles Times) <\/p>\n The interior dons a nautical theme, with walls that mimic the wooden deck of a pirate ship and characters depicted inside portholes. Branded merchandise includes Luffy\u2019s signature straw hat, themed key chains and even a \u201cWanted\u201d license plate. Drinks, ranging from slushies to matcha horchata, come in collectible cups. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not [like] just they slapped the name \u2018One Piece\u2019 onto a random restaurant,\u201d said customer Imelda Cardenas. \u201cThey really did it justice with the interior and the menu, and the merch they sell inside is really great too.\u201d<\/p>\n Initially premiering in 1999, the \u201cOne Piece\u201d anime has 1,136 episodes and counting, with ardent fans deeply immersed in the lore. The manga, by creator Eiichiro Oda, is the bestselling manga of all time. New audiences were also introduced to the franchise in 2023, when Netflix released a massively successful<\/a> live-action<\/a> rendition<\/a> of the anime. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re a fan of \u2018One Piece,\u2019 then you think it\u2019s the best anime of all time,\u201d explained Karime Benmbarek, who came with his older brother Yassine from Northridge to experience the Little Tokyo restaurant. \u201cEven if you\u2019re just a chill fan, you still feel the love through the community.\u201d<\/p>\n Jose Cruz and grandson Noah Cruz visit One Piece Cafe. Jose\u2019s daughter Lulu Villalpando, left, is a One Piece fan.<\/p>\n (Myung J. Chun \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Restaurants themed around Japanese pop culture have recently gained footholds in L.A., with Gudetama Cafe<\/a> and Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe<\/a> \u2014 both within the Sanrio universe \u2014 opening in 2024. Local excitement for \u201cOne Piece,\u201d however, seems to be approaching the mainstream. In June, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a One Piece Night, featuring a limited edition \u201cOne Piece\u201d card drawn by Oda. The Los Angeles Lakers collaborated with \u201cOne Piece\u201d for their February matchup against the Clippers; exclusive merch from the match now resells for up to $250. <\/p>\n \u201c\u2018One Piece\u2019 has a pretty big community, and especially with the Lakers and Dodgers collaborating with One Piece, L.A. is bringing anime into their culture as well,\u201d said Yassine, who immediately alerted his younger brother after seeing a TikTok about the restaurant opening. The brothers bond over watching the show and, lured by the chicken katsu sandwich in particular, quickly made a plan to visit in person.<\/p>\n Karime, who tried the chicken katsu sandwich and curry, said, \u201cI\u2019d definitely come back \u2014 if my brother can take me.\u201d<\/p>\n A queue forms at One Piece Cafe in Little Tokyo.<\/p>\n (Myung J. Chun \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n As anime, manga and other elements of Japanese pop culture have become mainstream, the understanding of Little Tokyo as a place where people can engage in those interests has also skyrocketed, said Kristin Fukushima, the executive director of Little Tokyo Community Council. This interest in Japanese subcultures \u2014 evidenced in the virality of One Piece Cafe \u2014 can have a positive impact on other small businesses in Little Tokyo.<\/p>\n After the Benmbarek brothers finished their meal, they planned to make a day of wandering through Little Tokyo. Another group of friends planned to hunt down a collectible in the nearby shops after visiting the restaurant.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you become more into anime and manga, that means you\u2019re seeing depictions of not just culture, but also food,\u201d Fukushima said. \u201cSo you have more people knowing what real ramen is versus the Maruchan instant ramen, or people who want real sushi and not just California rolls that they can buy in Ralphs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s just a growing familiarity with what Little Tokyo has to offer,\u201d she said. \u201cLike, how do I further participate in this?\u201d<\/p>\n The timing of One Piece Cafe\u2019s opening comes as Little Tokyo is emerging from June\u2019s ICE protests<\/a>. Located minutes from City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center, Fukushima said many small business owners found themselves in a \u201close-lose situation,\u201d with images from the local news keeping people away from downtown out of fear<\/a>.<\/p>\n A lunch crowd at One Piece Cafe in Little Tokyo.<\/p>\n (Myung J. Chun \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Fans of \u201cOne Piece,\u201d with its themes of friendship and freedom, are primed to be attuned to these tensions.<\/p>\n \u201cI really like how \u2018One Piece\u2019 has a lot of nuanced messages about government powers and how oppressed people can come together,\u201d said Daniel Orozco, who first learned about the restaurant at Anime Expo. \u201cIt\u2019s really cool and especially relevant right now with everything going on politically.\u201d<\/p>\n Cardenas started watching \u201cOne Piece\u201d during the pandemic and quickly caught up by watching 12 episodes a day. Describing that time, she said, \u201cEverything was really scary and uncertain, and people just wanted answers and a distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a message of hope in \u2018One Piece\u2019 because the protagonist Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, but underneath it all he\u2019s just fighting for justice,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of symbolism that can be taken into the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n One Piece Cafe is located at 241 S. San Pedro Street and open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Cortez family piled out of their car and stretched their legs. 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