New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Originally an anime series from the 90s, One Piece has finally received the adaptation it deserved. The anime is known for its adventurous and fantasy genre, but mostly for the considerable number of 1,100 episodes.
One Piece was an extraordinary anime due to its fantastic storytelling, world-building, and spectacular characterization. It's considered to be the best manga of all time, and the anime itself received numerous awards.
However, we all know how difficult it is to transform an anime into a real-world show or movie. Many such projects flopped, such as Attack on Titan, Death Note, or Dragonball Evolution. On the other hand, Ruroni Kenshin's movies are some of the best live adaptations, as is Alice in Borderlands.
So, where does the One Piece adaptation stand?
Opinion on the first season of One Piece
The first season of One Piece aired on Netflix in August 2023. The creator, Eiichiro Oda, was a creative consultant for the show, and producers of the manga also contributed. This might be why the show's popularity boomed soon after its release, with some considering it the best live adaptation of anime of all time.
Only two weeks after the release, Netflix announced the series would be renewed for a second season, so the fans most likely demanded it. Therefore, we can assume the series did well in the eyes of anime lovers. Filming for the second season started in June 2024, so we hope the second season will arrive somewhere in 2025. If you're impatient for the next season, you could get exclusive One Piece merchandise on Loungefly's Canada website.
What will happen in the second season?
The first season covered only eight episodes until the Loungetown Arc. According to the ending, the show might focus on the Reverse Mountain Arc from the manga, so you'll be able to see the Baroque Work Organization and the Laboon whale come to life.
At the same time, it might be possible for the second season to have to adapt no less than 122 chapters, including the Arabasta Saga. However, since the first season did so well in fan's opinions, there's no worry about how the second season will handle all that.
There are some things Netflix simply can't reproduce
While the general opinion on Netflix's adaptation was positive, from both fans and people who haven't watched the anime or read the manga, some hardcore fans had a few things to say. Indeed, bringing the Age-Age Fruit or the Stick-Stick Fruit to life will be challenging as the developing team will have to consider integrating CGI.
However, the struggles won't stop here. Netflix had a hard time with the pacing due to the enormous number of episodes in the original story. Therefore, the team had to give up on fillers and arcs to fit the story into eight episodes while also leaving room for character development and world-building.
Casting the perfect main characters was also problematic, even though Netflix eventually did a great job at it. Iñaki Godoy became Luffy, Mackenyu got the role for Zoro, and Emily Rudd became Nami.
The ability to be funny or scary without being cringe
The biggest problem with adapting anime or manga to real-life movies and series is making components like superpowers, villains or funny stuff believable enough and not a total failure. You might know what we're talking about if you've seen Dragonball Evolution. The poor visual effects and corny humor definitely made the series flop.
Somehow, Netflix dodged being cringe and got the time and investments to make One Piece realistic and enjoyable simultaneously. Jeff Wars played Buggy successfully, and all evil characters had to focus on their subversive sides. Moreover, the humour in One Piece (mostly all anime) tends to get carried away, which is fine in manga or anime but dull in live-action. Therefore, actors received some re-writing of their comical side, getting one-liners or quips that were still characteristically to their personalities.
One Piece was perfect, even for new fans
The One Piece fanbase is pretty extended, considering the ongoing story since 1999. Netflix did such a good job that it attracted people who had never been introduced to this universe, making some people interested in the backstory, reading manga, or watching anime.
This doesn't happen very often, as watchers of live actions are mostly only people who have already consumed the original material. Netflix took the time to write and explain everything to new fans, which made the show more accessible. For example, the nature of the Devil Fruits is considerably essential to the story.
What's next on live adaptations of anime?
While we wait for the second season of One Piece, we could focus on two major animes getting their live adaptations. Naruto will receive its new story from director Destin Daniel Cretton, and One Punch Man will be directed by Rick and Morty Creator.
These are two of the biggest anime projects in the world, with worldwide fans of all ages, so the expectations are pretty high. Both stories have a significant emotional weight, but filming the fighting scenes correctly will also pose a massive challenge to directors and writers.
Naruto's live-action has no release date at the moment, but it might be possible for a release in 2026. The finished script will focus on Naruto's nuanced personality, relationships, and struggles. On the other hand, One Punch Man is in the works, and directors promised nothing more than hilarious dialogues and witty experiences.
What do you think about Netflix's One Piece live adaptation?
After releasing the first season of eight episodes based on the One Piece manga, Netflix announced the series will receive a second season, which will most likely land in 2025. The series received massive international praise from critics and fans, so we hope the second season will be as good as the first one. As anime gets more attention from Hollywood, we'll see live adaptations from Naruto and One Punch Man soon as well.
