The live-action version of the Japanese anime “One Piece” on Netflix has been labeled an unexpected success, garnering significant acclaim from critics.
The series chronicles the journey of pirates searching for some mythical treasure called the “One Piece”, reflecting the original storyline crafted by Eiichiro Oda.
While many live-action interpretations of manga have fallen flat, this series seems to have “bucked the trend”.
“It’s a candy-coloured confection with a childish glee” commented Variety.
The Hollywood Reporter concurred, noting that “the series neither takes itself too seriously, nor apologises for its silliness”.
The New York Times’ Mike Hale had a more muted response, labeling the adaptation as “bland and generic”.
“It may satisfy fans of the original, who are happy to see events more or less faithfully replicated, but most of the verve and personality of the anime are gone, replaced by busyness [and] elaborate but uninteresting production design”.
Rolling Stone’s Alan Sepinwall described it as “an amusingly quirky show”, emphasizing an “arch tone that acknowledges how weird so much of this is”.
“The energy of the world-building and the chemistry between the characters is enough to carry things in the early going. But once the novelty fades, some of the problems begin to assert themselves”.
Kayleigh Donaldson from The Wrap appreciated how the series encapsulated the essence of “One Piece” initial version.
“The production team has done an enviable job of recreating the anime’s vibrant settings and costumes, which include clown pirates, shark-men, multi-coloured ships and punk-esque hair dyes”.
“It certainly looks gorgeous in a way many anime adaptations chicken out on”, she remarked.
Historically, Hollywood has struggled in translating anime, with works like “The Ghost in the Shell”, “Dragonball Evolution”, and “Death Note” receiving widespread criticism.
Yet, given the continued global allure and profitability of the genre, it’s logical for studios to persist in refining the adaptation process.
Variety’s Alison Herman recognized “One Piece” triumph in this context as a “best-case scenario”, but expressed criticism over Netflix’s broader strategy in adapting existing titles, referencing shows like “Wednesday”, “Umbrella Academy”, and “The Witcher”.
“These shows are both wildly popular and culturally slight. There’s a frictionless quality to them that’s friendly to a binge, unchallenging to the audience, and antithetical to achieving true novelty”, she observed.
Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter honed in on the series’ portrayal of characters, especially the main character, Monkey D. Luffy, portrayed by Iñaki Godoy.
“[One Piece’s] spirit takes after that of its protagonist, who knows perfectly well that his ambitions sound preposterous to most people, and who does not care one lick”.
“It just adds to the sense that this is all one big, joyous game of make-believe – albeit one constructed with an adult writer’s mind for continuity”, she detailed.
The show debuted on Netflix on Thursday, with the entire eight episodes available instantly.
