The launch of Netflix’s One Piece series is getting closer and closer. The more we get to see of it, the more my scepticism and fears about another bad anime adaptation evaporate.
On 31 August, the live-action adaptation of One Piece finally opens. 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 celebrated the quirky and often very emotional stories of the Straw Hat Pirates. The expectations couldn’t be more immense.
You’re thinking to yourself: “This is just going to be another horrible anime adaptation”. Then One Piece might 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 it, make it count. 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 will reportedly have an opulent budget of 18 million dollars per episode. By comparison, the HBO series The Last of Us gobbled up 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 over $140 million One Piece series:
Clearly, Netflix can still throw as much money at a pile. It doesn’t necessarily make a good series. After all, the $200 million disaster Jupiter’s Legacy also spawned Netflix. In the case of One Piece, however, the risk for the streaming giant is at a maximum. Anime and manga have a massive fan base that will judge whether One Piece will be a success or another multi-million dollar grave for the streamer.
Naturally, fears are high that One Piece will join the ranks of gruesome Netflix remakes alongside Cowboy Bebop and Death Note. But the more details I learn about the production, the more my anticipation grows. Yes, One Piece could be really good.
