Luffy and his lively crew have set sail for the Grand Line, and audiences are loving it! The Netflix live-action adaption of One Piece made its premiere on August 31, and in less than a week, it has posted some remarkable streaming numbers, including one that shattered a monumental record.
One Piece managed to draw a huge audience during its premiere weekend, propelling it to claim the top position in 84 countries, as noted by Twitter user @OP_Netflix_Fan. Impressively, this achievement now marks a new record, breaking one previously held by Wednesday and Stranger Things, both of which peaked in 83 countries.
'ONE PIECE' is currently #1 in 84 countries on NETFLIX, surpassing the record set by 'STRANGER THINGS' Season 4 and 'WEDNESDAY'. pic.twitter.com/cMwRAZRSk6
— ONE PIECE NETFLIX FAN (@OP_Netflix_Fan) September 2, 2023
Surprisingly, critics and viewers are also in agreement about the show’s quality, as evidenced by Rotten Tomatoes. At present, One Piece is Certified Fresh, with an 83% rating from 40 critic reviews and an audience score of 95%.
Considering the show is adapted from a manga series, a lot of fans were skeptical about its potential prior to debut. Having been proven wrong, anime fans online are now asserting that it has successfully shattered the “live-action curse” that has plagued numerous similar adaptations like Cowboy Bebop and Attack on Titan.
A lot of the credit for the show’s success can be attributed to the manga’s author, Eiichiro Oda, who also serves as a producer on the show. Having built a cult-like following in the anime community, Oda understood all too well that the series would be put under a meticulous microscope by fans of the manga and anime adaptation.
In light of this, he ensured that several non-negotiable demands were met during production, including the character development of the main cast and the faithful adaptation of the “devil fruit” power system, which governs the abilities of various characters in the expansive world and its deep lore.
Unfortunately, the show does suffer from quick pacing, which takes away the opportunity for the crew members to form deeper connections. Each episode jumps from one big moment to the next, leaving little room for the calm, quiet moments where the Strawhat Pirates simply enjoy the adventure of being at sea.
While some might view this as an unfair critique of the show, given how lengthy the anime is, the League of Legends animated series Arcane proved that you can adapt a detailed story with just a few episodes that don’t feel rushed.
Regardless, this doesn’t take away from the blissful entertainment that One Piece delivers. Inaki Godoy, who stars as the future Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy, takes the spotlight as he brilliantly brings to life the happy-go-lucky protagonist that many anime fans have come to love and respect.
Whether we’ll get to see the Strawhats sail to greater seas and meet far more fearsome pirates in a potential second season remains a mystery. At the very least, we can appreciate the fact that we’ve finally been treated to a live-action manga adaptation that is worth watching.
