From Dragon Ball, Attack on Titan— and even the Last Air Bender, the list goes on for live-action adaptations that ruined the source material. The release of One Piece series on Netflix has finally broken the curse!

One Piece, a live-action series on Netflix, gives fans a familiar take on the East Blue but also establishes its right to become its own show. The ambitious take on the story did not disappoint. The characters have their interpretation but also respect the source material.

The story follows Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) as he sets out to fulfill his dream of becoming the king of the pirates and discover the treasure known as the One Piece. To do this, he must assemble a crew to help him in his journey. Zoro (Mackenyu), a swordsman and first mate. Nami (Emily Rudd), a thief and navigator, Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), a sharpshooter. And Sanji (Taz Skylar), their cook. They call themselves Straw Hat Pirates and journey from island to island, encountering new friends and foes and avoiding the contingent of the Marines.

Instead of getting mixed up with the plot and with countless expositions, One Piece uses its pleasant cast of characters to help drive the narrative of the story. The fun interactions between Luffy and his crew are a joy to watch. The chemistry between Zoro and Nami is also fun to watch and a standout. The climax of episode 1 of the show kind of reminds me of DC’s trinity— Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It puts me on the edge of my seat watching them. The supporting characters are also a huge deal in driving the whole show. Buggy and Kuro are incredibly awesome. Kaya, the rich girl from the Syrup Village, also has a modern take on the character.

These fun character interactions are fueled by flashbacks, which flesh out more of their dreams and flaws. Since this is the first and hopefully not the last season, we are seeing them trying to figure things out. It also sends a message to believe in yourself, reach for your dreams, and ignore people who don’t have faith in you.

While the characters serve as the heart of the story, the plot does a great job of keeping viewers invested. We see a common catch me if you can, and new problems arise elements in the story. Not to mention, the streamlined version of the story made some changes that may potentially upset some fans of the manga or anime. As a regular fan and viewer of the show, I don’t see it affecting the overall experience, but instead helping improve the story and, at the same time, capturing new audiences who don’t have time to watch or read all of it from the source material.

The most intriguing thing for me is how they kept the characters’ cartoon design from costumes, production, and even some lines. The goofy feeling sometimes feels awkward to watch. Although these are minor takeaways, they don’t take away the fun interaction and straightforward narrative. The goofiness and cartoon look feels natural at the end. It also feels like a style of their approach on the show.

Overall, One Piece live-action series gives both old and new fans incredibly fun to watch adventure. From 8 episodes with an hour each, it shows its potential and is worth believing— just like its characters. With the success of One Piece, it rewards us all to look forward to the second season and maybe to other live adaptations that Netflix has in store.

One Piece is now available to stream on Netflix.

4 of 5 stars

What about you? What do you think of One Piece live-action? Let me know your thoughts down the comment section.