Scrolling through your Netflix account for a new watch? Love pirates and adventure? Look no further, here are 5 things you need to know about Netflix’s top trending watch – One Piece!
One Piece is known as the gold standard in Manga’s – its the best selling Manga series of all time and Netflix live action is the franchise’s first. Japanese manga is an art form that refers to telling a story in an artistic visual form through cartooning, comics, graphic novels. The term Manga is derived from two Japanese words that include “man”, which means whimsical or entertaining, and “ga”, which means pictures, images, or cartoons.
There have been many beloved Japanese animated films and TV shows that Hollywood has attempted to turn into a live action but those anime adaptations haven’t managed to garner global success, failing to capture the essence of the original work – from Dragon Ball, Ghost in the Shell to Death Note and Cowboy Bebop & many more.
Netflix’s very recent live action trending worldwide is One Piece – A thrilling tale of high-sea adventures, the original Manga recounts the journey of Luffy, a passionate young individual with a sole ambition to ascend to the position of Pirate King. Here are 5 things to know about it:
1. The Records One Piece Has Broken
The Netflix live action TV series, One Piece has fast smashed records previously held by Netflix series Stranger Things. The Japanese Manga adaptation series has made a successful debut last week, becoming, needless to say, a huge hit. Ranking as the no.1 show in 84 countries. Notably ahead of Stranger Things season 4 and Wednesday’s debut season which were ranked No. 1 in only 83 countries on their release weekends.
2. Cast
One Piece is based on the 1997 Manga of the same name by Eiichiro Oda following a group of pirates who are in search of the fabled One Piece treasure. The series stars Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy, Emily Rudd as Nami and Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro.
The live adaptation was announced all the way back in 2017, since then many fans have dreamed to see the series breathed to life for decades. It was the second best-selling comic book series of all time, the first chapter published nearly 26 years ago and is still going strong with a total of 1091 chapters and counting.
3. What Is The Show About?
The adventure series chronicles the journey of a young pirate named Monkey D. Luffy as he sets out on a monumental quest with his equally mischievous crew to locate the treasure known as One Piece. With an unwavering determination to claim the title of Pirate King, Luffy and his companions, who are more famously known as the Straw Hat Pirates, embark on a mysterious and tumultuous adventure.
Having only recently unveiled an eight-episode season in August, the show features Iñaki Godoy portraying the central character, Luffy. The cast also includes Mackenyu as the skilled swordsman Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as the sharpshooter Usopp, Taz Skylar as the group’s chef Sanji, and Michael Dorman as the infamous pirate Gold Roger, among other notable characters. Together with his loyal and diverse crew of Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy endeavors to uncover the elusive One Piece treasure and ascend to the esteemed position of Pirate King.
Luffy embodies the series’ spirit with charm, mirroring the enthusiasm of his manga and anime counterparts. Luffy remains resolute in the face of setbacks and a wide array of challenges, whether they are emotional or physical. His determination serves as inspiration, compelling others to set aside their personal concerns and either join him aboard his ship or pursue their unique journeys. Essentially, he encourages people to lead their best lives, unless, of course, you happen to be a villain with harmful intentions. In that case, Luffy tends to be an absolute terror.
4. For Both Newbies & Old Fans
Fans of the original Manga laud the series for its true homage to the source, highlighting how “One Piece” aptly conveys its extensive and intricate story in a manner easily understood by newcomers. In other words, the new “One Piece” live-action series not only gratifies the loyal, long time fans of the franchise but also holds the promise of captivating an entirely fresh generation of enthusiasts who might not be well-versed in the backstory.
5. A Staggering Budget
As reported by Netflixwoche, Netflix’s German website, each episode of “One Piece” boasts a whopping budget of $17.27 million. To put this in perspective, the budget for each episode of “Game of Thrones” was slightly lower at $14.79 million.
Regarding the One Piece live-action series, Eiichiro Oda recently expressed to The New York Times his cautious approach to ensuring the show remains true to the beloved manga and its original fans. Oda explained, “A successful live-action adaptation doesn’t necessitate significant alterations to the storyline. The utmost priority lies in whether the actors can faithfully portray the characters in a manner that will gratify the Manga readers. I believe we have accomplished this effectively, and I hope that the audience will embrace it.”
Planning to watch it soon?
