Netflix's One Piece Is the Live-Action Anime We Deserve

Netflix's One Piece live-action series is now out, and the overwhelming consensus is in: it's one of – if not THE – best live-action anime adaptations that we've ever seen. More than just being technically proficient, there's something about Netflix's One Piece that has both longtime fans of the anime and newcomers alike feeling like this is a milestone moment in which anime fans are seeing the kind of treatment of the genre that it (and they) deserve. 

In her 4.5 (out of 5) star review of Netflix's One Piece live-action series ComicBook.com/Anime's Megan Peters drives the point home that the anime adaptation curse has been broken: 

Just like superhero films before them, live-action anime has had a rough go in Hollywood, but every streak must end. Netflix's One Piece marks a definite turn in that sour reputation. Decked with a perfectly curated cast and intimate stories, One Piece captures the heart of what makes Oda's tale transcendent. At its core, One Piece is about dreams and those destined who see their hopes fulfilled. For years, we've waited to see whether Netflix's One Piece would sink or swim. So as Luffy begins chasing his dream in live action, it is a privilege to say Netflix's One Piece is worthy of telling the Pirate King's tale. 

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

As stated in the review, the Netflix One Piece series manages to do nothing less than capture the actual spirit of Eiichiro Oda's original manga and its anime – a feat that has long been missing from a lot of anime adaptations. Even in Japan, where live-action anime adaptations have been happening for years, it's often been the case that adaptations have been more hollow mimicry than an exciting realization of the material in live-action (Netflix's Cowboy Bebop). Worse yet, a lot of these same adaptations failed to pull in mainstream viewers and inspire them to get into anime and manga if they haven't before. In the worst-case scenarios, we've seen wild live-action takes on anime like M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender or Hollywood's infamous Dragon Ball: Evolution film; questionable attempts at transplanting anime stories from Eastern to Western culture like Netflix's Death Note, or poorly produced attempts like the 2015 Attack on Titan movie. 

So what does Netflix's One Piece do differently? 

Netflix has struck out with live-action anime multiple times, with Cowboy Bebop canceled after one season, and Adam Wingard's Death Note movie causing divisive reactions at best, and major backlash at worst. With One Piece, it seems Netflix learned from past errors; showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda definitely seemed to understand the assignment: they not only recreated Oda's world and work perfectly, with great production values, costumes, and visual effects – they did the rigorous casting to fill that world with actors that also brought the world and characters to life with passion and authenticity.

Iñaki Godoy has been a one-man ambassador for One Piece, as his offscreen personality still conveys everything he brings to the table as Monkey D. Luffy. It's set a tone with the rest of the cast (Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero Gibson, Taz Skylar, Vincent Regan, Morgan Davies) and showrunners, where they all lean into the mix of heart and slapstick humor and absurdity that Oda has sewn into the universe. The end result is that all parties are working together to sell viewers on the fun, lore, and emotional payoffs of One Piece, which has distinguished the series as one of the best in anime/manga for 20 years now. 

Therein lies the lesson that future live-action anime adaptations need to keep in mind: the makers of Netflix One Piece and everyone involved seems to have understood – on a fundamental level – what the value and appeal of the series was, and they made sure to keep it intact as they made their show. It won't be the same formula for every new live-action anime, but the proof is undeniably in front of us that it can be done. 

The One Piece live-action series is now streaming all Season 1 episodes on Netflix.