Netflix's reputation, especially considering adaptations, is a wild ride. There are the highest of highs and the lowest of lows – fortunately, the One Piece adaptation by Netflix nails (most!) things we loved about the anime and manga in the first place.
Adaptations can be a tricky thing, especially the anime ones. While showrunners already get a finished story to work with, they also have to deal with lots of other things. They don't have to figure out the whole plot, but instead have to deal with high expectations and the challenge of bringing an animated show, book or game to life under the watchful eyes of a community of die-hard fans.
One Piece on Netflix has been the cause of much stress for fans for that reason: will Netflix mess up the beloved, ridiculously-long adventure? Or will they show the Straw Hats the love they deserve? Will the world get the attention to detail it needs? Or will One Piece end up as an embarrassing example as to "Hot To Not Adapt Something?"
You can stop biting your nails in nervous anticipation: with the One Piece release on Netflix on August 31, fans can breathe a sigh of relief: it's good, everyone! It actually worked out amazing! Except for one tiny thing...
Listening To The Creator And Showing Love To The Source Material Works Like A Charm
Who would have thought: getting the original creator of the thing you're trying to adapt on board (pun intended) actually works wonders in creating a fun show! The showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda made sure to involve Oda in the production process and that shows.
And Oda seems to have been adamant in some regards, thankfully: in a letter to fans he shared that some scenes "weren't good enough to put into the world" and ended up being re-shot. Oda also praised Iñaki Godoy for his great portrayal of Luffy.
Adventure is on the horizon and Eiichiro Oda's letter is on your screen. Happy One Piece Day! pic.twitter.com/jeAKwhsu7p
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) July 22, 2023
It's something that is clear from the get-go: the cast is passionate about their roles, going above and beyond in their performances and it shows. The whole crew put all their love into the adaptation and that's exactly what One Piece deserved.
There's Only One Teeny-Tiny Flaw...
The biggest problem to face when adapting an anime into live action may be the challenge of somehow making completely fantastical and spectacular scenes that were meant to be animated in the first place look good in real life.
That's the only thing Netflix's One Piece struggles with just a little bit. It feels like clutching at straws to find one thing to critique about the show and maybe it's the nostalgia speaking, but take Arlong for example: when I watched the show as a kid, he was this big, absolutely intimidating dude and now, he's still intimidating, just not as big. Kinda petty to even mention that it's kind of disappointing to not have an 9-foot actor play an evil shark.
Stuff like that simply breaks the immersion a teeny-tiny bit from time to time: sometimes, the show looks like polished cosplay. Which is actually a good thing too, because it shows how much attention to detail they put into it that we usually only see at conventions. And let's be honest: if they didn't try to make the characters look like the OG Straw Hats, I would complain even more. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Pushing that to the side, Netflix did absolutely great with the One Piece adaptation. And the best thing? They have 26 years worth of stories to adapt next!