Mini-Review: One Piece Live Action

When I made my OFMD review post, I commented that pirate media wouldn't come back in a big way. While I still think that, pirate media is having a comeback this year with OFMD season 2, Assassin's Creed Black Flag is remaking into a new game, and the One Piece Netflix live-action show. It's not huge but there is strong word of mouth. I mentioned One Piece in my OFMD review because normal people would see the length and drawbacks against it, not knowing they would fall down the rabbit hole. 

The One Piece Red movie was a rounding success here in the US due to both the strong fanbase and word of mouth so I hope the same would do for the live-action adaptation. 

I do watch the live-action adaptations of animanga. I want to see how it would adapt and do the source material justice. I even managed the bad ones despite knowing they were the bad ones. Of course, low expectations aside, I was still gonna watch the live-action Netflix show adaptation of One Piece. 

I want people to get into animanga but the stigma still remains even with the rising popularity. As much as live-action adaptations tend to just be there (looking at you, FMA), a good adaptation could draw people into the source material to check it out at the very least. A very bad adaptation can at worst tell people nothing and make them avoid the source material thinking that it would be just as bad as the live-action adaptation they just watched. 

Now the show only adapted barely past Arlong Park but not Loguetown because according to one of the interviews, they would need more money and time to film. They wanted to but considering this show is as expensive as Game of Thrones at this rate, they need to stop at one point for now because if it's a success, then they can go all out. The show is even more expensive than any original shows on Netflix combined. 

Initially, I was wary about it when the script presented a seemingly heroic Luffy. However, as the cast, trailers, teasers, and especially the clips came out, it made me excited though I try to tamp it down because I want to keep my expectations that as long as it feels like One Piece, then I'm happy. I was trying to keep my expectations low because when anime adaptations that do great can wow me, it's great. I mean the Death Note live-action movie Netflix bored me because at one point I kept half an ear while scrolling through my phone. 

If it really worked out well and proved a critical success among fans, then it would hopefully teach Hollywood and any entertainment monopolies that with time and the right people involved, it will pay off for them and for the fans. One Piece Netflix could walk so future live animanga adaptations could run. 

I know Rurouni Kenshin exists because it has been deemed as the best of the live-action animanga adaptations ever. Please note that the movie series doesn’t have Watsuki’s influence at all outside of providing the source material (the fact so many including Oda support him after Watsuki used his influence and connections to escape punishment. Yeah, still disappointing because Kohei Horikoshi wouldn’t support Watsuki but Horikoshi has his own flaws such as Momo and Hagakure…ugh, that cover… I mean Horikoshi still has Oda’s support in the final leg of MHA because Horikoshi is tired just not as bad as Kishimoto who bends to the executives and editors. That’s why I don’t really try to care about authors, especially after the JKR debacle but we shouldn’t hold them up as idols either, simply as a creator. At least the ones who haven’t done crimes or shown themselves to be asses to everyone.). If One Piece could do that, then it could mean anything. 

When video game adaptations are working very well now with the latest of the lot doing well, the curse has very well ended though people argued that there have been good video game adaptations even if they are more on the low-key reception. That’s the same with animanga adaptations too since Alita had done pretty well but it’s low-key. If it’s for an IP that isn’t well-known or made in a foreign country, unless it does Squid Game and Stranger Things numbers on a streaming platform, it’s not gonna be known or registered as part of a curse.

Even now the Bleach live-action movie while received nicely is low-key nowadays. The One Piece live-action have huge promo even in the strike through weird promos. 

Tumblr promos are pretty bad but hating on the show, the animanga, and their fans will get them nowhere. The adverts are ridiculous even by the standards of Tumblr adverts but people shouldn’t shout at the people who made the show or the fans but yell at the staff instead. The One Piece fandom on Tumblr is lowkey especially when Zosan scored around the 60s on the AO3 ships. I should add that they aren't crossing the picket line when they aren't even in the industry itself, just advertisers. It's still pretty bad though they seem to be siding with Netflix so it's best to send them disapproval about the adverts during the strike. I want to ask: Why are they bending over backward over a silly clown that amounts to a billboard because Tumblr isn’t actors and actors aren’t coders? They went so far to defend Barbie’s adverts but when it comes to One Piece, it’s pitchforks. I’m asking why they’re more upset about One Piece. 

Also, I can't believe I have to say this: One Piece content creators are gonna make reviews about the show because the work itself is not struck when again the people behind them would've said something by now about not seeing it. The point with the strikes is that they want people to see and give positive reviews to the stuff they made, just not work with the struck companies. The OP content creators and other random people online aren't gonna take the side of Netflix when all they're doing is reacting to the one thing that has been anticipated for years, especially in the times of the strike. The content creators aren't scabbers because they aren't with the unions but they side with the unions by giving positive reviews and demanding a second season with rightfully paid actors and writers. The strike will say something about what not to watch and One Piece is not one of them because that's jumping the gun on something that had been in the works for years and the ones that the strike will say to boycott have not even been released. The strikes are important but please understand the nuances instead of taking everything negatively in the worst possible way when the media that are released nowadays have been made years prior. 

Fuck, people are so fucking excited for OFMD which is not struck because the cast and crew would've said something by now, and fucking HBO is a fucking struck company but no, people don't understand that because apparently, it's best to jump to conclusions that by watching Netflix and Max, they are basically supporting the struck companies when these had been worked on prior to the strike and isn't counted as a struck work but the struck companies are. What people are doing and spreading misinformation is hurting the cause rather than helping. 

The struck shows are the ones ongoing in production. The Drew Barrymore mess is one such thing. One Piece S1 was done well before and isn’t struck.

Actually, I think I should talk about that. The people involved and the strike did not say to boycott shows that are already made. Netflix in their video promos made it clear that it was filmed before the strike and the producer and team involved had interviews with people who aren't involved with the industry to promote. If the strike said which show to boycott, it's definitely not this show because they would've said something about it by now. Stephen Amell is a scab willingly when his coworkers definitely aren't. The people involved with the strike will tell people what to strike and to jump the gun on One Piece made me question you because it seemed you hate One Piece in particular while saying nothing about Barbie and Oppenheimer at all. 

It would be amazing that One Piece out of all things would get a good live-action adaptation out of this. Now two of the Big 3 have good adaptations, Bleach, One Piece, and now it's Naruto's turn. I'm waiting for Naruto's turn now because One Piece turned out to be solid. 

There is just so much passion and love for One Piece in every nook and cranny. Easter eggs and everything feel One Piece. On that note, I was not expecting references and foreshadowing to future arcs at all. As a hint, Noland. Holy fuck, I wasn't expecting Noland to be referenced as far back as the East Blue Saga which I should be expecting now that I think about it because One Piece is so far along that later arcs should be foreshadowed at this point because why not? 

Besides the easter eggs leave tantalizing hints for newcomers who are utterly unfamiliar to One Piece's famous foreshadowing. It's so fun to see newcomers speculating whether or not Shanks got a Devil Fruit because that is how much the fandom used to speculate too. It's not only a great recreation but also a great way for newcomers to get invested in mysteries that won't be revealed until later. Besides, I'm cackling at newbies and casual watchers wanting to know the basic structure of Reverse Mountain because they got their first taste of the world and want more. I cannot wait to see their faces when season 2 happens and we get to the Grand Line! 

The characters, the writing, and the world feel One Piece which is more than I say about Cowboy Bebop which the world feels not like the anime at all. On its own, Cowboy Bebop live-action might be a story that could do well even if it's doing more telling than showing but as an adaptation, it's piss-poor. They actually kept the world and characters campy. It felt like a good mix of Hook, Muppets Treasure Island, and Pirates of the Caribbean. 

The Strawhats are the Strawhats. The found family comes through strongly as well as the individual characters even if there are changes. I felt like I was back reading and watching One Piece all over again and falling in love with the characters. They definitely aren’t 1:1 (I can tell you flat the OPLA Luffy is not animanga Luffy but it’s not a bad thing because the essence of Luffy is still there; Animanga Luffy is selfish but he is kind and a great judge of character. He’s just not good-good, you get what I mean, right? A lot of things got lost in translation as well as making it friendly to Westerners. The core of the characters in addition to acting the shit out of these characters does not detract from that.) but they are close yet their own spin. 

The actors are fantastic as they have done a great job making the characters their own but not losing the essence. Special mention goes to Jeff Ward as Buggy who is a wonder to watch; he doesn’t overstay his welcome too as a bonus. Please if people are surprised about Buggy fuckers, they haven’t seen his Impel Down arc yet; whether people like it or not, Buggy fuckers have always been a thing. Buggy isn’t even my favorite character in any incarnation but Jeff Ward’s performance certainly deserves an award. Godoka, I want him to interact with so many characters and Impel Down and to see Jeff Ward as Buggy the Warlord. The Failing Upwards as Buggy always is per the guy. 

The music is definitely an A plus. The We Are motif and Bink's Sake in the background made me so happy. 

There is a mix of practical and CGI but it will get more CGI-heavy given this is One Piece we're talking about here but since we haven't reached the Grand Line Paradise yet, we have yet to see how they are going to continue that mix. 

The costuming looks natural, not too cosplay but natural enough. I cannot believe Zoro’s green hair looks so natural. In some parts, it could’ve done better but when Mihawk looks like an utter badass, I don’t know what to say? Please we are in a world of merpeople, fish people, furries, islands that are stuck in one climate or have the ability to have wild stuff, and so much more. 

I definitely like the expansion of a tiny Transponder Snail that acts as a Bluetooth earpiece. It’s both modern yet it still feels like One Piece. The sets are beautiful like Going Merry and Baratie; the bar at the fish’s mouth makes me want so bad to visit and eat there. If possible, they could make a museum out of the sets because I want a damn theme park. 

It does say a lot just how fantastical the series is because of course Baratie needs a dock and uses as much space as possible for the restaurant-boathouse for living space and the restaurant itself. Of course, Going Merry is gonna be small with just enough room to relax because it’s a caravel that is meant for simple cruising in the East Blue, not the treacherous waters of the Grand Line. 

The story can get wonky and could do better in some parts. There are parts where I think the original is better. Not once did I think it was ever going too fast or too much going on. In fact, I think I was enjoying it outside of thinking parts of the story could've been better or the original was better told. If that isn't a mark of an adaptation instead of a 'everything sucks' that I see often, then I don't know what is? 

I think that because of time constraints, they couldn’t let the arc breathe in just a tad to build the arc just a little. The emotional moments didn’t feel impactful. Then again I had this same problem in the Episodes of Nami/East Blue too so there. I just hope that come season 2, they are allowed to breathe in just for a while since unlike East Blue where you can skip Gaimon, you can’t skip the entirety of the Alabasta saga because Little Garden is so important. 

But the live-action adaptation cut too much of Nami, Usopp, and even Sanji's pivotal moments in East Blue Saga to the detriment of uplifting Koby as the future of the Marines and Garp. I have no problem with the Marines getting a B-plot as a concept but when it cuts into the pivotal moments off, it felt not necessary, particularly with Cocoyashi Village as a whole. Genzo getting demoted really does not help that secondary parental figures for the Strawhats are not getting the screen time with the exception of one character probably due to another character's status as being raised by said character. At least those who are interested and want to start over would look at the differences with clear eyes as to why fans aren't major fans of those changes even if it was signed off by Oda. 

If I do have a major criticism, it’s that the world doesn’t feel lived-in enough. In the manga, the cover and background made the world feel so much. Because of the show cutting the minor characters, that lived-in aspect is going towards those who know the Strawhats. The sequel book on the final episode of season 1 shows a wider world than the endings of the Strawhats leaving the islands.

There are changes to be streamlined and made palatial for casual fans. I understand that but sometimes I miss some parts of the story that I love so much that ended up being easter eggs. 

At the end of the day, it's an interpretation of the story that it respects in a live-action format that works so well because it's still One Piece. It has a reason to exist which I can't say the same about Death Note 2017 where those changes made it no reason to exist on its own such as the constant thought of why the fuck is this happening? Those story changes made no sense to the themes if they had any because Justice never made any examination except surface level. For CBLA, they spell out the themes without showing them. 

In the end, it felt like the Strawhats were heading to Reverse Mountain. However, since producers had stated they wanted to make Loguetown, it's still likely we'll see Loguetown in the second season until just past the Alabasta arc where Robin joins because Alabasta is so expansive that it's needed to fill that much. It's just that this time Smoker will have more of an idea when Luffy finally arrives in Loguetown and the execution where he will get the feeling Luffy will become Gol D. Roger's successor. It's likely Logetown will be reduced to one episode instead of two episodes unless Netflix agreed to let them have more episodes this time around. 

God, I want to see so many characters in the second season: Ace, Laboon, Chopper, Robin, Vivi, Smoker, Tashigi, Crocodile... It makes me so happy because aside from Enies Lobby being my favorite arc of Paradise, I just want to see the Alabasta arc in all its glory and why fans love this arc in particular. As for the New World, it's a fight between Whole Cake Island and Zou; again, I haven't watched/read Wano in its entirety yet so that's why it's not in the running. 

The thing I could see biting them in the ass is the non-existence of Hachi. Given how important Hachi is later on, it's necessary they still need him around if they plan to finish the entire series in live-action. 

The colors are muted which is compared to OFMD which is basically Muppets. OFMD didn't exactly try to build every single ship or village. It's expensive surely because of the period wear but they still use virtual production. I just wish there were more colors in this rather than the color grade we ended up getting. There are still colors but more dull except when it’s in the bright sun. It got better but the color grading can be pretty bad at times. 

The show still feels like a swashbuckling adventure mixed with Looney Tunes. While I was still disappointed in the color grading, at least it feels like that. 

I don't jive with all the changes but every aspect still captured the spirit of One Piece and it's solid enough to stand on its own. 

If I have to give it a score, a decent seven out of ten straw hats is pretty good for an anime live-action adaptation. While no Rurouni Kenshin, it still squeezed out the score that is by all means a C plus. 

Honestly, the Rotten Tomatoes Score for both critics and audiences are pretty good parameters. Just a heads up, the few negative critic reviews are pretty bad, saying that it’s too close to the source material which is just nuts when that’s a good thing. I haven’t seen the East Blue Saga in years but I recognize the story beats as it’s second nature and I can tell them upfront that the adaptation is an adaptation and definitely not 1:1 as they imply. 

It makes me laugh that One Piece out of all things managed to get a good adaptation and will make other future adaptations run. The curse on the Western anime adaptations has finally been broken because now Netflix found the formula to help future adaptations. Notice I said Western because the curse on Japanese anime adaptations was broken long ago by Rurouni Kenshin. However, there are just bad adaptations released before and after the trilogy but the fact still remains: there are still good Japanese anime live-action adaptations as long as they give the story its dues. 

Really, when Cowboy Bebop and Death Note, the latter of which is grounded in reality, couldn't be adapted properly, then what about One Piece? How is it possible that the cartoony One Piece managed that? 

As it turns out, a balance of realism and fantasy, a central story that respects the source material while changing it to fit the live-action medium. 

I am going to say this especially when I saw it during the leadup to the release: Do not mess with people who just want to have fun and enjoy something. Sure, you might dislike One Piece or think the live-action might be good or just think the live-action looks bad but that does not mean you can be mean to others because you think your opinion means more to someone's enjoyment. 

Also, One Piece fandom, don't even try to gatekeep. Fans of the live-action have their first exposure due to this. They aren't gonna be 'true fans' just because they haven't read the manga. Give them room to explore the animanga without spoiling the fuck out of the rest of the series. We want to introduce them to One Piece and the live-action can provide as a mediator until they choose to explore the wider world. With One Piece drawing near its end in a couple years, the live-action should act as the same core story but in a different medium. 

I am endlessly entertained by non-readers/watchers of One Piece getting introduced to the world, seeing the wild clothing with regular and historical clothing, and snail tech with weirdo captains with hyper fixations that crews just went along with, falling in love with the Strawhats. If they think the East Blue is weird, then they haven't seen anything yet. They haven't yet witnessed the craziness that is the Paradise and that's nothing compared to the New World. 

No, really I've never been so proud to see newcomers cry about Shanks and Luffy and the backstories. 

With One Piece ending in a few years, the live-action opened itself and the source material to a whole new audience who never considered watching/reading One Piece, either uninterested or put off due to its length and art style. I was there since Dressrosa around 2015 because I was waiting for Zou's chapters. Just like I know I was there for the MHA Dormitories arc because it was just after the Kamino arc when I got into MHA. This is the only way I knew when I actually got into manga I was interested in was when an arc was either just still ongoing or starting a new one. I mean how else did I know when I got interested in KHR during the Future Arc when I knew I was waiting for the Inheritance Ceremony Arc? 

I am here for it. 

Actually, the live-action is a great litmus test for newcomers. If they like it, they should check out the series from the beginning since the live-action changed just enough that there will be confusion. If they don’t, they just don’t vibe with the series. That’s how it is. 

The show isn't without criticism but taking that length to gatekeep and hate others when one should ignore the live-action piece out of respect for the people who are passionately involved. 

The people who made the series still deserve respect for their art. It’s not perfect but it’s hell a lot better to give credit when it’s due. The people are on strike but this is a work before the strike began and deserve that.

With the success of the release, animanga will definitely be fast-tracked to film and television soon after the strike is resolved with writers and actors getting their dues. One Piece Live-action Season 2 would definitely be greenlit but until the strike resolves, there is no one going to work on it. 

However, there should be a completion rate and making GOT/Stranger Things numbers. Hopefully, with strong word of mouth, the completion rate might be done within weeks. From what I heard, while Sandman did have great reception, it didn’t pull great numbers on par with Stranger Things. Squid Game was the most-watched show but I haven’t heard if I pulled Stranger Things numbers considering the stretch between seasons. OPLA has to make those numbers and continue to make those numbers every single season if it has the chance to make it to even Enies Lobby and at best the final saga. 

Netflix wants to make money and adapt animanga into a live-action format. If it all goes well for all parties, we might reach Enies Lobby. At worst, it would be canceled due to not making the numbers.

A lot of potential merch would be OPLA-themed. While it is still Oda’s work, they would like a slice of the cheese of their own products. 

Because that’s the final obstacle: it needs to make and continue making GOT/ST numbers. 

Besides, Netflix has a lot to lose if they cancel it now. Not only did they spend so much money, but they also wanted to have a good reception for a live-action animanga adaptation. After having earned it, they want to keep that given the positive reception from newbies and casual watchers, especially from the fans and animanga watchers in general. They after all cancelled CBLA after the backlash and they want to try again with Death Note. 

Considering this is GOT money here, these seasons might be enough for the entire series if each season made Stranger Things numbers. I mean judging by that, it's up there with GOT in terms of seasons, just with more episodes, let's say twelve episodes seasonally. Twelve is too generous but ten is a good bet too considering that Loguetown was originally supposed to be the last two episodes of S1, a ten-episode season is a chance for future seasons if it comes to that. I don't see it going for the double digits here, folks, just within the GOT seasons. The bigger arcs should get multi-parters like Alabasta. 

I would love it to get that far with the cast since all the material is there. I want OPLA fans and casual watchers to understand there is just so much more. Unfortunately, I don’t see it going that far maybe Thriller Bark but when non-fans like Dan Murrell suggest that it wouldn’t end up like GOT, he’s still a non-fan who doesn’t know that the budget would go over GOT and needs more budget than even the most expensive show now to realize the world. I just hope that non-fans hope that we might get a start to finish OPLA from East Blue to the Final Saga.

At the moment, they might have surpassed Wednesday and ST S4's premiere numbers but that's all it is, premiere numbers within the first days of release. From what I'm hearing, there are good numbers so far but it needs to do more than enough in its second week to secure its renewal. And it was renewed not even two weeks later. 

Getting good reviews for the cast and crew would make the big studios reconsider and actually pay everyone. That's the point of the cast and crew's excitement to announce the second season through Oda. The team wants to get a good reception so that they can continue that success all the way through because the work itself is not struck but the company is! The team so desperately wants to promote but only those who aren't actors and writers can promote it hence the costume and set departments give interviews on BAFTA. 

Don't work with the studios in any capacity but review the show from the outside and give the cast and crew the support by praising their hard work that is beneficial to the strike. 

Because the strike would've said something about boycotting an anticipated work already if this is the case! One Piece and OFMD are releasing during the time of the strike as we're heading into the Autumn of the Strikes. Why are you not supporting One Piece and supporting OFMD when they are the same case of 'support the cast and crew by watching and giving praise to review, don't partner with the studios until we say which TV/Movies with actual scabs and AI which is years to come by the way'? Again, they would've said something by now to boycott any of these releasing now but no, the strike said nothing about boycotting what has been released!

Considering that the strike is going to end soon, OFMD may or may not be a so-called boycotted attack from people who don't consider that the cast and crew want good reviews and want to celebrate the success alongside the fans. I will forever loathe how people who want to help are unintentionally hurting the cause by hurting productions that had years of development behind them and were just released during the time of the strike. 

It’s the writers’ strike that is ending soon, have not heard anything from the actors’ strike yet. OFMD is releasing on Thursday from Monday where negotiations are gonna be made for the actors so is OFMD gonna still air during the strikes or not? So it probably still is going to be released during the initial talks. 

Don't hurt the movement by jumping to conclusions just because a work is being released in the times of the strikes when said work had been anticipated for a long ass time. Get your head out of your ass!

Because it's the second season's success that will determine the show's continuation. We might even get all the way to the final saga with Enies Lobby being the one to pull the big guns that will show just how emotional and dark the series can be because Enies Lobby to this day remains many people's favorite arc. 

Now I heard apparently from a producer of the show that at best they hope to make it to Enies Lobby where they might end on a high note which...come on, considering how much I love Enies Lobby, I don't think fans of the live-action and newcomers will be satisfied after that. The moment I heard Enies Lobby was like 'Uh huh, yeah, good luck with that' because Enies Lobby is a fave arc for many people even to this day, and stopping it there for non-animanga fans who only watch the live-action would only make them crave more what happened next. 

I know everyone is worried about shows getting canceled due to the whole writers not getting paid enough to live by studios canceling shows anyway and tax write-offs. It hasn't been that long since Batgirl was trashed hence all the worries of the shows released on streaming services getting cancelled. I know people fear OFMD season 2 might be the last season due to all the LGBTQA+ media on HBO Max or Max now getting canceled. The strike will ensure the writers and actors will get paid from then forward and fave shows won’t be canceled so easily. 

We are likely going to get multiple seasons. Considering CBLA was intending to be multiple seasons with John Cho moving to New Zealand just for that alone, I think we are getting that for OPLA...just Eventually it might get canceled. There is a chance of getting to the end but it's a slim chance only. 

The producers are hoping to make it to twelve seasons with six and six being both pre and post-time skip. It depends if the second season stuck the landing and made people more ravenous. 

It’s not the best season and series right now but the series has the chance to grow as fans know the story only gets better from here. Why else am I hammering about Alabasta and Enies Lobby or hell Wano right now? However, it still opens the door to getting the parts it needs to be the best series ever or what could’ve been had it stuck to the themes. ST and Wednesday are new stories that started off great but then try to recapture with innovations and occasional good storytelling with the skeleton there. 

If we somehow made it a complete story from the East Blue to the Final Saga, I would cry ugly tears of joy worthy of One Piece. 

As for awards, while I don’t care even though they give prestige however artificial but sometimes deserved, I don’t think we’re gonna get more than VFX and set design. Sorry but even with all the praise, it’s not gonna happen for more than that. 

As for me, I should get back to reading and watching Wano because like Whole Cake Island, Wano needed to be finished first before I could do that. As the anime is now relatively finished with the Wano arc as Gear Five and all, I can now go on that route motivated with the live-action to finish Wano at this point. With the final stretch in reach, the TV show will benefit because Game of Thrones did not when not even they have insider knowledge of what the author wants.