Where pirates run rampant and chaotic, the world of One Piece comes alive in the live action tv show adaptation of the anime and manga and surprised audiences with how well they pulled it off. It is an 8 episode series covering the East Blue Saga, the first season of the anime was released Aug 31. is currently available for streaming on Netflix and rated TV-14, for its language, nudity, self-harm, smoking and violence.
The story is of a young pirate named Monkey D Luffy, played by Iñaki Godoy, a boy whose body is made of rubber, with a goal to become the King of the Pirates. As a child, he ate a magical substance called a Devil Fruit, specifically the Gum-Gum Fruit, and became extremely elastic. In present time, he sets off in a barrel to his adventure. He encounters many other pirate crews, and the Marines, the authority figures of this universe.
Zoro, Roronoa Zoro, played by Mackenyu, is a green-haired swordsman, who acts as Luffy’s first mate of his crew. He has 3 swords, one of which is named Wado Ichimonji, which he obtained from a past rival. Zoro can be a hilarious character while still having his strong-silent persona that we were all expecting. This humorous side of his identity makes him more relatable and entertaining.
Nami, played by Emily Rudd, is a thief with bright orange hair. She is also the navigator on the Going Merry, the main ship, as well as the most logical member of the crew. Rudd highlights how smart Nami is, showing off her main strength as a character, her ability to problem solve, and how she can still be strong despite the hardships she has endured. She is proficient with a bo staff, and has helped the crew to escape more situations than one could count.
The last two members of Luffy’s crew are Usopp, played by Jacob Romero, and Sanji, played by Taz Skylar. They both make a disappointing, but accurately late, appearance. However, both are still relevant as members of the crew, bringing charm to the dynamic that we all needed. They provide both comic relief, as well as genuine moments of character and emotion, developing them more than the stereotypes they fit into. Usopp eventually gets past his cowardice, and Sanji learns to be a better person through cooking, and keeping his core values at heart.
When first hearing Netflix was making this, many people scoffed at it thinking it would be a poor representation of the story, myself included. But, after watching it, we were all surprised with the quality of the show. The cast was diverse, character designs were incredibly accurate, and it was faithful to the original plot line. It had the element of charm and humor that made all the fans of the original enjoy the remake just as much while also handling the emotional beats well. All around, the show was enjoyable and an amazing adaptation. It is a great way to first get introduced to the massive content that is One Piece, which the manga has 1095 chapters and is still running.
