Two decades after "One Piece" introduced the world to a swashbuckling pirate in a straw hat, fans of the Japanese cartoon series are giddily awaiting this weekend's release of the 1,000th episode.

"One Piece" first appeared in manga (comic book) form in Japan in 1997, with an anime (animated TV series) version following two years later.

Since then the franchise has become a global cultural phenomenon, smashing records and winning fans around the globe.

The popularity of the manga version has also endured as the TV show has taken off.

Its creator Eiichiro Oda holds the Guinness World Record for "most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author" -- 490 million, to be precise.

The 1,000th episode of the anime series will be released in 80 countries over the weekend.

The series also spans geographical and cultural references, from ancient Egypt to medieval Japan, that help to make it feel universal.

As for what's next -- a live-action adaptation by Netflix is in the works, with fans speculating that it could catapult the franchise to global household name status similar to "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter".

Netflix's announcement of the cast set social media alight earlier this month, with 18-year-old Mexican actor Inaki Godoy preparing to take on the role of Luffy.