Let’s talk about Netflix’s new One Piece live-action adaptation trailer
Since its announcement in 2018, I have been skeptical of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the best selling-manga of all time, and my beloved anime, One Piece. I vowed to set my expectations lower considering Netflix’s divisive past of anime-to-live-action adaptations like Cowboy Bebop or Death Note.
We all grew up with One Piece, it was one of the staple comics and cartoons we had. Along with Dragonball and Naruto. It follows Strawhat Luffy and his crew, the Strawhats. We see their great venture, through the vast ocean and unpredictable islands to find the one piece.
Netflix’s new One Piece live-action adaptation trailer
For its over two decades of existence, One Piece remained one of the few original manga series untouched by any attempt to be adapted for live-action. This changed when Netflix confirmed its partnership with Tomorrow Studios to produce the 10-episode adaptation. Set for release this year, One Piece’s mastermind, Eichiro Oda partakes Executive Producer role.
About the trailer…
Based on the 1-minute and 43-second teaser trailer, the series will be showcasing the chronicles of Luffy and his pre-mature crew before setting for Grand Line. We are still in the dark on which arcs it will feature among the 60-something anime episodes and manga chapters. Regardless, between the CGI effects, casting, set and costume, and even the scene-to-scene likeness from the manga and anime, it seems nowhere near a bad adaptation.
Why is it above expectation
Netflix’s main promise to Oda and fans of staying true to its origin transcends on the many details shown in the trailer. For instance, Luffy’s iconic devil fruit power of stretchability comes to mind in discussing hard-to-execute details for a live-action. With CGI, we see him do in the teaser his signature move, Pistol. Words cannot express how relieved I am to have seen this scene before the whole thing premiered. His punch came to life, and I cheered like a child watching the anime for the first time.
Remarkably, the cast perfectly encapsulated the very essence of each character that we have grown to love. They are exactly what you would imagine of the Strawhat crew in person. Iñaki Godoy as Luffy gives off the optimistic and likable persona fitting of the future King of the Pirates. Mackenyu’s Zoro captured the familiar smugness, and Emily Rudd with Nami’s charisma. We are yet to see more of Jacob Gibson’s Usopp and Taz Skylar’s Sanji, but surely, it can’t be any lesser considering what top-notch casting the production did.
The frame where the Strawhats stop on a barrel while proclaiming their aspirations for their adventure, is special to me. Aside from being an exact replication, it makes me want to relive my first experiences with One Piece. Its exact interpretation of scenes like this, among the other things I listed, incites excitement and hope for a promising end-product for fans like me.
Why it works
The heavy involvement of Oda as an Executive Producer makes me think that the adaptation is bound to be more successful. Throughout history, we have heard and seen creators of original literature being left out of the production process of their adaptation. Most famously, the incoming Avatar: Last Airbender remake, another Netflix live-action production, cut off its original creators. Or the infamous case of Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe not liking the adaptation of his creation.
For One Piece, after finding the right partner to make it with, Oda took the biggest supervision role. From the casting choices to scripts, everything would go through Oda, until “he is satisfied.” As a fan, Oda having this much control of the production feels right. Oda knows every twist and turn of the story. He is familiar with how to entertain his audience like the back of his hands.
Additionally, having a budget of $18M USD, more than The Game of Thrones, and approved of having so, Netflix must have a familial level of trust to the production. Fitting of the best-selling manga of all time, with one of the largest cult following, they right to do so.
