Netflix releases the first look at their live-action One Piece characters with a new poster and cast image. The manga series of the same name was previously adapted into a popular anime, which to date has released over 1,000 episodes. Netflix was announced to have ordered a live-action One Piece show in January 2020, and anticipation has since been high for the first real look at the new interpretation of the characters.
Now, a new Netflix live-action One Piece poster reveals Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) from the back, while the streamer’s info page for the series includes a image (via DiscussingFilm) of the whole main cast.
The first look at Netflix’s take on Luffy and his gang of pirates is promising, even though it is just a tease. The poster and the cast image seem appropriately gorgeous and epic, mimicking the feel of the anime and building up anticipation for the series’ debut, which Netflix has now confirmed to be some time in 2023.
Everything We Know About Netflix’s Live-Action One Piece Show
Netflix’s live-action One Piece series is part of the streamer’s plan to expand its coverage of anime, with several live-action adaptations of popular offerings of the medium in different stages of development at the streamer. One Piece will need to be a faithful adaptation, something that Netflix’s live-action Death Note movie and Cowboy Bebop series (which was recently panned by the original anime creator) failed to be, in order to capture the interest of fans and get renewed for multiple seasons. Otherwise, Netflix’s One Piece would be doomed to repeat the streamer’s previous failures.
The One Piece anime totals 1049 episodes so far, starting in 1999 and still going strong. Both the anime and the Netflix series follow the story of captain Monkey D. Luffin and his merry band of Straw Hat Pirates as they embark through One Piece‘s dangerous, pirate-infested waters in order to find the mysterious “One Piece” treasure and crown Luffin the Pirate King. Netflix’s One Piece season 1 is likely set to adapt the anime’s East Blue saga. East Blue villains such as Alvida, Morgan, Buggy, Kuro, and Arlong have all been confirmed to appear in the series, which hints at Netflix’s One Piece season 1 having a villain problem. That problem stems from the East Blue saga spanning 61 episodes in the anime, which gave its numerous villains time to breathe, something that might be a problem for the Netflix show’s 10-episode season.
The live-action series needs to faithfully replicate the anime, while also doing so with a much shorter order of episodes. Netflix has become famous lately for the streamer’s controversial cancellations of shows, some of which were fairly popular. The live-action One Piece series could be the next victim of this ongoing Netflix purge if the team behind the series can’t figure out a way to adapt the show, while also fixing the One Piece anime’s pacing issue. With over 1000 episodes, One Piece‘s arcs in the anime are fairly long, and an ending is still at least a few years away. Netflix’s One Piece might not even make it to season 2 if it does not find a way to be both faithful to the anime, while also getting the pace right for a live-action series.
Source: Netflix, DiscussingFilm