Getting your hands on the rights of famous works of fiction and being tasked with creating a new adaptation of said work is difficult. Netflix has gotten the rights to adapt live action versions of anime like “Death Note” and “Cowboy Bebop”, and notoriously created horrible adaptations of rather good shows. In August, a live action rendition of “One Piece” aired, and this time around they didn’t disappoint.
“One Piece”, based on the anime and manga of the same name, written by Eiichiro Oda, follows the story of Luffy, a boy with the power to stretch his body, on a journey to become the king of the pirates, while recruiting people to his crew and getting into various antics. The story is fun, enjoyable and rich with memorable fight scenes, important plot points that progress the story and satisfying developments from the main characters.
One of the show’s biggest pros is its big cast of characters. Each character feels completely different, some being quiet and stoic, like Zoro, while others are joyful and hyperactive, like the protagonist. The actors have great chemistry and bring these characters to life almost perfectly, the standout being Jeff Ward as Buggy, who flawlessly portrays a psychotic clown. If you’re a fan of the original and loved those characters, then you will surely love the live action performance just as much.
Other standouts are Inaki Godoy, who brings Luffy to life as an energetic pirate, who dreams of becoming king, and Taz Skyler as Sanji, who brings the character’s passion for cooking and his kickboxing fighting style to life, thanks to Skyler’s hard training behind the scenes.
The biggest drive of both the main story and main characters is the theme of achieving your dreams and the determination needed to reach them. From wanting to become king of the pirates or the world’s greatest swordsman, to exploring the world just to draw a map of it. With this evident theme, the characters are more relatable and likable.
The set designs for the show are also incredibly crafted, bringing places to life, like marine bases, pirate ships and villages. Each place feels different, with its own unique flair and color palette.
If you’re a fan of the original “One Piece”, then you are guaranteed to enjoy the live action version. True to its origins, and filmed in homage to the style of the original, “One Piece” does a wonderful job recreating what made the original so iconic.
