Netflix’s One Piece has set a course for season 2, but will definitely need to skip some anime and manga arcs in order to adapt the entire story.
Summary
- Netflix’s One Piece may need to skip certain arcs in order to adapt the entire story, but choosing which ones to remove is a difficult task.
- Some of the less consequential arcs can be completely removed from the live-action adaptation without compromising the story.
- Others can have their length greatly reduced, focusing only on key plot points.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Netflix’s One Piece will have no choice but to skip some anime and manga arcs if it has any chance of adapting Eiichiro Oda’s entire story, but picking which ones deserve the chop is no easy task. One Piece is currently riding high on a wave of critical acclaim and streaming success that has convinced Netflix to sail ahead with One Piece season 2. Producer Marty Adelstein has spoken of hopes for One Piece to get 12 seasons in total, but even in the extraordinarily unlikely event that Netflix entertains this lofty idea, some manga and anime arcs would still require cutting, with Oda’s manga clocking in at almost 1100 chapters and counting.
Discounting One Piece‘s anime-only filler, there are very few obvious arcs that could be removed from Netflix’s live-action adaptation without negatively affecting the story. A great joy of Oda’s manga is how every One Piece arc serves the overarching narrative, contributing lore, developing characters, and furthering the big mysteries surrounding Luffy’s adventure. Nevertheless, Netflix’s One Piece can still slice out a choice few anime and manga arcs without sinking the ship.
4 Thriller Bark
Undoubtedly one of One Piece‘s least consequential arcs is the horror-themed Thriller Bark. The only event Netflix’s live-action adaptation truly needs from this story is the addition of a ninth crew member in Brook, the skeletal musician. Otherwise, Thriller Bark’s Scooby-Doo antics can be excised completely from Netflix’s show, including Luffy’s battle against the shadowy One Piece warlord of the sea known as Gecko Moria. If Netflix’s version can find a quicker, less convoluted way of introducing Brook that doesn’t involve stolen shadows and salt, the remainder of Thriller Bark’s 48 chapters can be cast aside.
The only other storyline that would potentially need carrying over is the sword fight between Zoro and an undead samurai, which enjoys greater importance later in the story. With Luffy being turned into a giant zombie and a veritable monster mash of background characters, Thriller Bark looks almost impossible to adapt in live-action, regardless of how much relevance it has to the One Piece story. The schlocky scares and cartoonish hijinks already come across corny in animation, so including them in the Netflix adaptation would pose an almighty risk that, considering how many other ways Thriller Bark’s most important stories can be told, simply isn’t worth the trouble.
3 Long Ring Long Land
Every rule has an exception, and if Eiichiro Oda is known for giving every single One Piece arc some degree of overall narrative significance, the Long Ring Long Land arc is that exception. Better known as the “Davy Back Fight” between the Straw Hats and the Foxy Pirates, both crews compete in a series of sports-like challenges to steal pirates from the other side. Essentially a filler arc that gets out of hand, Long Ring Long Land makes 19 chapters feel like 90, and Thriller Bark looks Shakespearean in comparison. If Netflix’s live-action One Piece is seeking manga material to remove, the Davy Back Fight will sit atop that list.
Curiously, One Piece season 1 already teased the Long Ring Long Land arc to a small extent. When Luffy and Koby peruse the wanted posters in Shells Town, Foxy’s poster can be briefly spotted as an Easter egg, confirming his existence in live-action. Like the absent Jango – another pirate whose wanted poster can be glimpsed in this sequence – Foxy’s cameo hopefully indicates that Netflix’s TV show has no intention of adapting the character, hence his reduction to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Easter egg. Everybody wins if One Piece‘s Davy Back Fight never sees the light of day in live-action.
2 Fish-Man Island
Compared to Thriller Bark and Long Ring Long Land, One Piece‘s Fish-Man Island arc does plenty to advance Luffy’s story, as a vital character in One Piece lore is introduced: the giant mermaid Shirahoshi. Further clues regarding the ongoing poneglyph and Joyboy mysteries are provided, and the relationship between the Straw Hats and their future helmsman, Jinbe, is strengthened. Largely, however, Fish-Man Island serves as a showcase for how far each Straw Hat advanced during One Piece‘s two-year time skip. Netflix cannot ignore Fish-Man Island completely, but the arc’s length could be greatly reduced.
The main villain of One Piece‘s Fish-Man Island saga, Hody Jones, is a forgettable Arlong rehash that Luffy defeats without remotely flexing his full power. By cutting Hody and other insignificant Fish-Man plot threads from this 51-episode anime arc, Netflix’s One Piece could launch directly into the far more important Punk Hazard storyline. The live-action adaptation would only need to spare time to introduce Shirahoshi, partake in a spot of ominous foreshadowing, and tease Jinbe joining the Straw Hat crew, and Fish-Man Island could be nothing more than a one-episode flying visit.
Related: Tiny One Piece Live-Action Detail Reveals Arlong’s Connection To A Future Straw Hat Member
1 Two Minor One Piece Season 2 Arcs Could Be Combined
While One Piece‘s anime and manga does contain several smaller arcs that Netflix might be tempted to cut, certain key factors make their removal tricky. Two such arcs will be featured – or not – in the upcoming One Piece season 2. While Whisky Peak has no main villain or importance as an island, this One Piece arc is where Vivi first becomes an unofficial Straw Hat. Additionally, the events of Whisky Peak establish the power and influence of Baroque Works in One Piece, making it too relevant to omit entirely.
Little Garden is another chapter in the Straw Hats vs. Baroque Works battle, and also debuts the giants Dorry and Brogy. These characters are not only instrumental in Usopp’s character development, but will soon become relevant again as the One Piece manga finally heads toward Elbaf, home of the giants, after 1000 chapters of teasing. Neither arc can be deleted outright, but Netflix’s One Piece could combine the best of Whisky Peak and Little Island into one mini-arc. Vivi, Dorry and Brogy could all be included and the power of Baroque Works duly demonstrated, but in double-quick time, allowing One Piece to move more speedily toward the crucial stage of Alabasta.
One Piece is currently streaming on Netflix.
Categories: Trending
Source: SCHOOL EMC
