Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the beloved manga and anime One Piece is on the way, but despite the promising information known about it, high hopes weren’t necessarily abundant online. Live-action takes on anime have been historically disappointing for audiences, and with Netflix failing to give its adaptation of Cowboy Bebop a fair shot before canceling the promising series after one season, it’s hard to blame fans for keeping their expectations low. I was admittedly in that same camp until watching the full One Piece trailer that dropped for Comic-Con, and now I’m feeling newly confident that this adaptation will be a hit for the streamer.
If you’re a fan of One Piece and haven’t yet seen the full-length trailer for Season 1, stop everything and do so immediately. Even if you’ve seen it, you’re due for a rewatch. Let’s all take a brief break and absorb this together before getting into the details of why I’m so psyched for the series:
If that doesn’t want to make you sign up for a Netflix subscription immediately, or at least specifically timed to the show’s release, I’m not sure what to tell you. There are a few key elements from the full-length One Piece trailer that have me far more convinced that this series is on the right path, and more hopeful than ever that it will become a success for both fans of the source materials and newcomers to the franchise alike, not to mention the streaming service itself. Let’s dive into the stand-out moments that have me so excited to see the Straw Hats hit the high seas in search of the legendary treasure.
The Visuals Look Spectacular
One of the biggest hurdles I think any live-action anime adaptation has to overcome is living up to the visuals that won audiences over the first time around. Drawing an epic sea monster that towers over sailing vessels for an animated series is much cheaper and easier to scale than using CGI to create the same sequence. There have been instances where the digital effects in these kinds of projects have made me wish the creative team had just scrapped those moments entirely, rather than bringing them to life so haphazardly. I didn’t have that feeling watching the One Piece trailer, though, as it boasts some of the more impressive visuals I’ve seen for a show in this genre.
The sea monster especially looks as frightening and as realistic as it should, but I also was very impressed with how Luffy’s “Gum Gum” and Buggy’s “Chop Chop” Devil Fruit abilities looked. If the Devil Fruit powers would fail to impress, then the series would already be as good as sunk, so I’m relieved to see just how fluid and cool both of them looked when the characters are utilizing them.
The Action Is As Over-The-Top As It Should Be
When considering the action in Netflix’s One Piece, I had three characters in mind to evaluate specifically. I wanted to see Luffy’s signature Gum Gum abilities showcased in fight scenes, as well as seeing Zoro quickly dispatching enemies with his sword skills. Lastly, and fans of the anime will understand this, I needed to see Sanji kick something, someone, anything. All of that was on full display in the latest trailer, and damn, does it all look so satisfying.
As great it everything is on the whole, I have to say I’m most impressed by how Sanji’s kicking ability translated to live-action. This is purely speculation on my part, but I imagine it would be easier to fake someone having stretchy arms and legs than it would be to fake gravity-defying twists and kicks. Sanji looks as strong in this series as he deserves to be, which helps along with the implication that the action in this show won’t be forced into being more grounded as a way to save money, and will instead go for broke on wild AF moments. That’s the dream, anyway, since the action in One Piece is one of the shining joys of the anime.
The Passion For Making The Set Design Authentic Is Noteworthy
One Piece features such a unique universe, and is truly unlike any anime out there. I had my concerns seeing how this world would adapt to live-action as much as the characters themselves. After all, we don’t see a lot of pirate shows or movies these days outside of Disney fare, and certainly not ones with the stylized aesthetic of this universe. Recreating some of the most iconic locations and ships was a tall order for the creative team, and another key element that would upset fans if the show didn’t deliver.
I’d heard previously that the One Piece team spent weeks recreating iconic locations like Arlong’s map room, but one can’t really appreciate that effort in full until seeing it and several other major locations straight from the anime sprinkled throughout the trailer. Even something as simple as the masthead on the Going Merry was so impressive I couldn’t help but grin when I saw it. Now all I’m hoping is that they left a lot of these sets intact because I definitely would be down to take a vacation and tour them.
The Straw Hats Look Bad Ass While Still Looking Corny
Out of all the elements I was looking for in the latest One Piece trailer, I think this was the most important. Having seen the live-action cast in costume ahead of this footage being released, I knew that the team nailed the look of the characters. That said, there’s so much more to the task than just getting these guys to look like their anime counterparts. There’s a unique tone to One Piece that allows the Straw Hat pirates to be comically corny, badass, and serious. Sometimes they’re all of that at the same time, which itself presents challenges for live-action.
So far, I’m feeling pretty good, even just based on Iñaki Godoy’s portrayal of Luffy, a character that is so goofy and oblivious at times that I wouldn’t blame any casual fan for never being able to take him seriously. At the same time, he’s one of the strongest of the Straw Hat pirates, so Godoy had his work cut out for him juggling looking aloof but also like a destructive force of nature. I think he’s succeeding, judging by this brief look.
The same goes for each and every member of the Straw Hat crew that’s shown. I will admit I was bummed to see so little of Usopp, just because he’s one of the more animated characters of the Straw Hats. Plus, I’m also curious as to how his cowardly antics will play in live-action One Piece. That aside, I think I’ve seen enough to feel confident the team was right to take their time with the series and that it may result in an adaptation that can run for a long time. Whether it can run as long as the actual anime is an entirely different story, but I’d love to see it happen!
One Piece sets sail on Netflix on Thursday, August 31st. That means there’s still plenty of time to start watching the anime to see the events that Season 1 will focus on, assuming readers don’t mind spoilers. Those who do might just want to wait the relatively short amount of time to see this promising adaptation.