Why the One Piece live-action will be different from the anime

With One Piece live-action just a few weeks away, the dread and anticipation keep increasing, especially among anime fans. However, anime fans may be in for a shock after realizing these significant differences in both adaptations.

One Piece live-action series will cover the East Blue Saga in its first season. Considering the bad reputation of live-action adaptations, Netflix is pulling out all stops at its disposal to make this series a success. 

Furthermore, Eiichiro Oda’s stamp of approval is enough to assure fans that the adaptation will live up to its hype. Bringing cartoonish characters and scenery to life is never easy, especially for a series like One Piece, which is not only beautifully written but also well-received across the globe. 

Therefore, a completely different adaptation is sure to attract mixed reviews. However, the One Piece live-action and the anime adaptations will be very different for two main reasons.

The target audience is different in One Piece anime and live-action series

Netflix

One Piece manga and anime series are marketed toward the young audience, primarily teens. While it often has moments where things get mature and dark, it’s overall dominated by childish humor, consequences that vanish after a few chapters, etc. 

As a shonen series, Oda tries his best to perfectly balance intense fights and hearty moments. On the other hand, the Netflix adaptation is targeted toward the older audience. Those who have watched the teaser trailer may have noticed that the characters seem more mature than usual. This is especially the case with the Straw Hats, whose usual goofiness is missing. 

However, it’s more than just a coincidence since the characters are supposed to look that way. Whether or not that’s a good change is something we can decide once the series is out. Nonetheless, because of this “small” change, the overall vibe of the series will change significantly, and the comedy will be toned down a little.

The pacing will be significantly different in the Netflix adaptation

Netflix

The Netflix adaptation will cover the East Blue Saga in its first season. It has a total of 61 episodes in the anime and 100 chapters in the manga. Therefore, One Piece live-action will cover 61 episodes of anime in mere eight episodes.

Therefore, Netflix will narrow down a ton of scenes and characters to incorporate the main storyline within these episodes. Luckily, scenes such as Zoro vs Mihawk, the barrel scene, or any iconic scene that has some significance in the main story will not be removed from the Netflix adaptation.

The One Piece anime can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below:

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