Summary
One Pieceseason 1 was a hit for Netflix, but its success made us all forget a different live-action adaptation that proved adapting anime remains very difficult.One Piecegladly put an end to a disappointingNetflix live-action anime adaptationtrend. With an 85% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and having charmed both long-timeOne Piecefans and new viewers,One Piecewas one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of 2023. It is no surprise thatOne Pieceseason 2is happening, with the series likely continuing for several years.
I’m very excited about the future ofOne Pieceon Netflix. Although it is very difficult to imagine how the series plans to cover more than two decades' worth of stories,One Pieceseason 1 convinced me that the series has what it takes to tackle all the other arcs that are yet to come. Unfortunately,not every beloved anime property has gotten the “One Piecetreatment”when it comes to live-action adaptations.
I Thought Nothing Could Be Worse Than Dragonball Evolution Until This 2023 Live-Action Movie Proved Me Wrong
Dragonball Evolution was the worst live-action anime adaptation of all time for over a decade, but a 2023 film was sadly just as bad, if not worse.
2023 Saw Two Very Different Live-Action Anime Adaptations
Knights of the Zodiac
Knights of the Zodiac is a 2023 fantasy movie based on Masami Kurumada’s manga titled Saint Seiya. The film was originally released at the end of April 2023 in Japan before hitting select theaters in the United States in early May. The film centers on Seiya, a street orphan who discovers he is destined to protect a young girl that is a reincarnated goddess.
Knights of the ZodiacandOne Piecewere released around the same time, and they could not have been more different projects. Apart from the fact that they were both based on highly popular anime properties and starred Mackenyu, there were basically no similarities betweenOne PieceandKnights of the Zodiac. WhereasOne Pieceproved that live-action remakes can work under the right circumstances,Knights of the Zodiacrepeated the mistakes made byDragonball Evolutionand other failed adaptations. As incredible asOne Piecewas,Knights of the Zodiacis a reminder that adapting anime is still very difficult.
Netflix heavily marketedOne Pieceand positioned the show as one of its biggest releases of 2023.
Of course,the expectations forKnights of the ZodiacandOne Piecewere not the same. The live-action series based on Eiichiro Oda’s record-breaking manga was meant to be a big project for Netflix from the start, with each episode having a significant budget to bring the story to life. Netflix heavily marketedOne Pieceand positioned the show as one of its biggest releases of 2023.Knights of the Zodiac, on the other hand, had a production budget of $60 million, and its theatrical release was not even confirmed until much later.
One Piece & Knights Of The Zodiac Show The Best & Worst Of Live-Action Anime
One Piece Is Now The Benchmark For Anime Adaptations
One PieceandKnights of the Zodiacare extreme opposites when it comes to Hollywood live-action anime adaptations. AfterDragonball Evolution, it seemed like no live-action project based on a popular manga was ever going to work. Apart from adaptations of lesser-known titles such asSpeed RacerorEdge of Tomorrow, live-action adaptations continued to disappoint. Even major releases likeGhost in the Shell(2017),Death Note(2017), andCowboy Bebopfailed to live up to their respective source materials.
That said,One Piece’s success made it clear that even the most fantastical anime can be translated into other media if treated carefully and with a lot of respect. Not only was Oda an executive producer on the Netflix show, but the entire creative team made sure to stay as truthful to the source material as possible. It is difficult to judgeKnights of the Zodiac’s creative decisions when so much about the project already seemed worrying even before a trailer was released. The live-actionSaint Seiyamovie arguably never had a chance.
One Piece
Cast
One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
