Netflix Live-Action One Piece Review: 7 Ups And 4 Downs
6. Up: It Makes The Right Changes
One of the most contentious things about bringing anime to live-action is the amount of changes viewers can expect from the source material. The projects often become unrecognisable, *cough* Dragon Ball Evolution *cough*. But, to make a show like this work, changes had to be made, and somehow, One Piece chose all the right ones.
A lot of content is cut to keep the show from being too convoluted and long. Some notable character omissions include Jango, Hachi, The Usopp Pirates, and Momoo.
Additionally, formerly major villains like Don Krieg and Gin have their roles cut down to brief cameos. Plus, Chouchou the Dog's storyline doesn't happen at all.
While this is all sad, it is a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, as these elements are not essential to the plot.
The show makes cuts, but it also adds enough to make the adaptation worthwhile. The subplot focusing on Koby and Garp brings later storyline elements in early and adds an overarching threat. Plus, scenes like Zoro escaping a well while flashing back to his childhood make for excellent sequences not found in the anime.
Overall, the changes might rub some the wrong way, but they are very well-thought-out.