Netflix’s One Piece series is more expensive than Game of Thrones, but that’s not why it’s going to break the anime curse

On August 31, the live-action One Piece finally starts. The Netflix adaptation has what it takes to become the biggest blockbuster series of the summer. Or the streamer’s biggest flop ever. For over 20 years, over 1000 anime episodes and over 100 manga volumes, fans have been celebrating the weird and often very emotional stories of the Straw Hat Pirates. The expectations could not be more immense.

You are now thinking: “This is going to be just another horrific anime adaptation” Then One Piece could be the surprise of your life. Because the absolutely wacky pirate fantasy adventure has what it takes to finally break the anime curse. Let me convince you!

One Piece is the most expensive Netflix series of the year

Don’t spill, but clog. That’s the motto at Netflix when it comes to the live-action version of One Piece. As reported by Collider, among others, the series is said to have an opulent budget of $18 million per episode be equipped. For comparison: The HBO series The Last of Us devoured around 10 to 15 million dollars per episode. The 8th season of the fantasy epic Game of Thrones also cost $15 million per episode.

Watch the German trailer for the $140 million One Piece series:

Sure, Netflix can still throw so much money in one pile. A good series does not necessarily have to be created. After all, Netflix also spawned the $200 million disaster Jupiter’s Legacy. In the case of One Piece, however, the risk for the streaming giant is maximum. Anime and manga have a massive fan base that judges whether One Piece will be a success or another million dollar grab for the streamer.

Of course, there are great fears that One Piece will join the ranks of the gruesome live-action Netflix movies alongside Cowboy Bebop and Death Note. But the more details I learn about the production, the more I look forward to it. Yes, One Piece could be really good.

One Piece comes only with the blessing of Eiichiro Oda

On the one hand there is the strong influence of One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. Working closely with showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda, he always made sure that the Netflix version authentically captures the spirit of the original. The makers explained to Netflix that it was particularly important to him to preserve the background stories, motivations and dreams of the main characters. Also, the rules of his imagined world and character abilities were not allowed to be broken.

Any change or shift in the story has been sanctioned by Oda-san, who like a strict father oversaw the production and even took reprimands in case of dissatisfaction. In an open letter he explains:

Even after filming was complete, the production was ready, many Reshooting scenes because I didn’t think they were good enoughto be published.

If anyone understands One Piece, it’s Eiichiro Oda himself. Not only his influence should be an enormous relief for skeptical fans. Because with every interview and appearance of the young pirate cast, it becomes clear how much they loved One Piece – and even trained to the death for the series. And as long as that passion translates to the screen, I’m happy.

Real pirate ships and little CGI: One Piece relies on attention to detail

What I particularly love about fantasy series (and yes, One Piece also belongs to this genre in a way) are elaborate costumes and opulently designed sets full of handcrafted props that immerse me in a detailed world. And that’s exactly what Netflix’s One Piece series seems to be aiming for.

It is said that it was extremely important to the team behind the series to use as little CGI as possible. That means: It was made with great effort create real pirate ships and huge practical set constructions.

In the case of the humanoid villains of the One Piece world, masks and prostheses were used instead of computer animations. And even animatronic telesnails (in the world of One Piece, snails serve as telephones!) are to be used.

In addition, according to Netflix, a 70-strong team alone took care of the many costumes (and straw hats!) of pirates, marines and Eastblue residents. These details already sound fantastic.

Even if the look in the One Piece trailer is a bit too clean and the CGI inserts don’t scream for blockbuster cinema level, the dedication with which the series world was created lets me easily overlook minor blemishes.

One Piece does not want to alienate the anime – and even sounds like it

When I saw the German trailer for One Piece, I suddenly had goosebumps. What I heard sounded extremely familiar. Because for the German dubbed version, the well-known speakers around Daniel Schlauch and Stefanie Kellner from the anime were engaged. Most of the voices have been heard by fans for 20 years. Anyone who watches the series in German can look forward to a particularly nostalgic viewing experience.

But does all this promise that One Piece will be a success? Of course not. In the end, one thing counts above all: that the characters and the stories captivate the audience, as the original has done for more than two decades. Since the series is supposed to stick very closely to the plot of manga and anime, I have few concerns here.

The first season of One Piece adapts the so-called Eastblue Saga and thus the first 61 anime episodes (out of over 1000!). So we don’t have to worry that even one of the eight episodes about the beginnings of the Straw Hats will become a plotless filler. For me there is really only one question: Will the Netflix version break my heart too if Nami says the words “Luffy help me” pronounce?

In any case, I’m not only excited to see how the series affects anime fans, but above all to see how people who have never had any contact with One Piece react to this special pirate story and incredibly creative world. For showrunner Matt Owens, they are one of the most important target groups for the Netflix series:

One Piece is the most amazing story ever told. And if its the people as live action rather a chance [als in animierter Form] give, it’s worth it. If One Piece’s message gets out, then it’s all worth it.
You can hear more about One Piece and other series starts in August in the podcastAre you looking for fresh streaming tips? You can find the most exciting August series that you can stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more here in the monthly preview:

We have checked the long starting lists of the streaming services and present you the 20 big highlights of the month in the Moviepilot podcast stream trawl. Also included are Netflix’s highly anticipated One Piece series and Star Wars novelty Ahsoka. In addition to insider tips, there are also new seasons of Heartstopper, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building.