One Piece Live-Action Changes and What Makes a Good Adaptation
In Alison Herman’s review of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “One Piece,” she notes the growing trend of adapting anime and manga into live-action formats. Despite the historical challenges faced by such adaptations, 2023 has witnessed successes like HBO’s “The Last of Us” and the “Super Mario Bros.” movie. Netflix’s foray into this territory with “One Piece” shows their interest in leveraging their global reach to cater to a new audience. However, the article highlights the difficulties in translating two-dimensional worlds into live-action, citing past failures like “Ghost in the Shell” and “Death Note.”
The article praises Netflix’s approach, mentioning that Eiichiro Oda, the manga’s creator, supports the adaptation. The show’s co-showrunners, Matt Owens and Steven Maeda, developed the series based on the first 100 chapters of the manga. The review notes that while the live-action adaptation honors the source material, it struggles to fully capture the fantastical world of “One Piece.” The characters’ larger-than-life abilities and cartoonish nature create an uneasy fit for live-action settings.
The visual effects, both practical and CGI, are applauded for creating a visually appealing atmosphere, but the adaptation faces challenges in capturing the essence of the original. The review questions whether the adaptation brings anything new to the table beyond replicating the source material. It draws parallels between “One Piece” and other successful Netflix series like “The Witcher” and “The Umbrella Academy,” which focus on preserving rather than reinventing. Ultimately, the review points out that while novelty might not be the goal, “One Piece” still struggles to escape the limitations of its animated origins. #OnePieceLiveAction
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