The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performed its ONE PIECE Symphony at the Hilbert Circle Theatre featuring songs from the popular anime.
“One Piece” is an animated television series adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s original manga that began airing on Japanese television in 1999. Since then, the series has set the Guinness World Record as the top-selling manga title of all time, encompassing 108 volumes and 500 million copies worldwide.
The anime series follows the character Monkey D. Luffy on his adventure to sail the seas and become the exalted King of Pirates and find the mysterious treasure known as the One Piece. Along the way he meets a colorful cast of characters who brave the dangers of the sea to help him fulfill their dreams.
The ONE PIECE Music Symphony started 13 years ago, with its first performance in Asia, and is the only official “One Piece” concert. The show has been featured internationally at venues such as the Philharmonic in Paris, and Beijing Worker’s Stadium. The show is in its fourth year of performances in the U.S.
The original music featured in this performance is in direct collaboration with original composer Kohei Tanaka and under license from One Piece producer, Toei Animation.
The ISO ensemble played fan favorite tunes from the show such as “Haha naru Umi (Mother Sea)”, “UUUUUS!” and “Ore no saikouchiten’ (Luffy’s Gear 5 Theme)”, composed and arranged by Tanaka. The concert also featured a heartfelt sing-along selection of the popular “We Are!,” where attendees participated in the performance.
The show also featured expertly arranged clips highlighting various scenes from the anime. “One Piece” fans were treated to a recap of iconic moments from the show which resulted in fans, me included, sharing a laugh and reliving some of the most impactful scenes in franchise’s timeline.
Alexandro Cravero, a renowned French conductor and violinist, led the ensemble. She has conducted prestigious orchestras such as the BBC Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic and the Dallas Opera. Cravero brought even more life to the performance with her energetic delivery in leading the performance group and interacting with the captivated crowd during the high points of the night.
The Hilbert Circle Theatre was filled with eager fans, with some dressed in cosplay for the event. The theatre even flew the infamous Straw Hat crew pirate flag in downtown Indianapolis to celebrate the show’s arrival.
As the show concluded, fans erupted into a standing ovation having seen some of the show’s most iconic moments coupled with some the most beautiful and impactful songs from the show, leaving every audience member in attendance smiling from ear to ear.
For more information visit indianapolissymphony.org/ or visit toei-animation-usa.com/one-piece.
Contact Staff Writer Malik Simon at 317-762-7847.
Malik Simon is a Staff Writer for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies concentrating on journalism. Before joining the Recorder, he wrote for the Devil’s Gazette newspaper at MVSU and served as a freelance content and video editor. He seeks to use media to help communities flourish through literacy and factual reporting.
