Get the scoop on One Piece's upcoming Netflix live-action TV series! We've rounded up all the information you need to know about this exciting adaptation.
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The hit TV series One Piece currently has 1052 episodes, a feat for an anime that has been around for over a decade. And within the animator community, if you've caught up on the series, you're congratulated for the feat. However, although the series is extremely good, the problem lies in the fact that it is difficult to keep up with the most recent episodes due to their number. However, this problem could be solved thanks to Netflix's live-action adaptation of the popular animated series. And live-action Western adaptations are something that scares anime fans around the world, so will it be good or not?
The series is arguably the biggest and most popular anime of the moment, grossing over $21 billion worldwide. Additionally, it has sold more copies of its manga than other major anime such as Dragon Ball and Naruto. And this is understandable, because the anime will likely go down in history as one of the most iconic series to date. And to everyone's surprise, Netflix also wanted to take advantage of the craze, by announcing its live-action series a few years ago. Here's everything we know so far about Netflix's upcoming One Piece TV series.
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When will the series be available for streaming?
Netflix has made the decision to release the entire season of a series in one go. This makes it much easier for binge-watchers to binge the good series. So when they found out they were going to make a live-action series instead of a movie, fans at least have the chance to decide if it's good in one day. As the One Piece TV series was announced in January 2020, it can be assumed that the production of the series is nearing its end.
In a tweet from the official Netflix account on Twitter, they shared that the series will be hitting our screens sometime this year. Some people are speculating about an August 2023 release, but no specific date has been confirmed. The tweet included a photo of Monkey D. Luffy's back and his fist raised into the sky under a caption that read:
“Adventure is on the horizon! One Piece sets sail in 2023.”
Naturally, fans showed a colossal lack of enthusiasm upon hearing this news. Indeed, previous live-action adaptations made by Westerners ended in bitter failures. Netflix's Death Note (2017) was an absolute nightmare, turning one of the smartest anime characters, Light Yagami, into a shriveled mush. And then there was the live-action series Cowboy Bebop, which was canceled after one season due to its poor quality. The creator of the manga chimed in to say that the series was nothing like the manga or anime and was only similar in name.
And this is without counting the other live-action anime adaptations which were a disaster. These include the casting of Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell (2017) and the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution (2009). Only time will tell if this adaptation will suffer the same fate.
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Is there an established cast for the series?
Since the Netflix One Piece TV series is scheduled for release at the end of the year, it would be strange if there was no official casting. And surprisingly, the actors cast to play some of the world's most beloved anime characters all seem to fit the role. As can be seen in the animated series, these characters all come from different backgrounds and would benefit from a multiracial cast. The actors are as follows:
- Inaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy
- Emily Rudd as Nami
- Mackery Arata as Roronao Zoro
- Jacob Gibson as Usopp
- Peter Gadiot as Shanks
- Morgan Davies as Koby
- Vincent Regan as Garp
- Taz Skylar as Vinsmoke Sanji
Unfortunately, no trailers or clips have been released yet regarding the flow and plot of the series. This makes it difficult to gauge what these actors will look like in the role of these characters. The failure of many live action anime adaptations is due in part to the inability of the actors to bring the characters to life on screen. Coming from a place that is very in touch with the human heart, portraying characters written in Japanese can be a feat. And gets even more complicated when showrunners don't grasp the original content.
Additionally, the series will be produced by Tomorrow Studios, news that many fans have not welcomed. Indeed, it's the same studio that produced the Cowboy Bebop series, which didn't work at all. The showrunners will see Matt Owens and Steven Maeda behind the project, and based on their track records, one can hope that the series will be better than other adaptations. Unfortunately, it would be a lie to say that this series is something fans are looking forward to, but it leaves room for viewers to be pleasantly surprised if it's good.
But it's probably best not to get your hopes up for this series.
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