Netfilx’s One Piece live-action has rave reviews, but there are still some things the anime does better than the hit series.

One Piece first debuted in 1997, and over 25 years later, it appears as though the long-running shonen franchise is just now reaching its true potential. With the series’ manga entering its final saga, its anime showcasing Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation, and its live-action adaptation receiving mostly positive reviews, One Piece is undeniably more popular than ever before.

However, as great as the One Piece live-action adaptation has been, there are plenty of things that the franchise’s anime handled far better. While these shortcomings don’t take away from what the live-action adaptation has accomplished, they can certainly serve as points of improvement going into its second season.

10. The Introduction Of Roronoa Zoro

Roronoa Zoro consistently ranks as the second-most popular character in One Piece, so fans were understandably excited to see him appear in the series’ live-action adaptation. Unfortunately, Zoro’s introduction in the show left a bit to be desired.

Although the live-action Roronoa Zoro is cast perfectly, the circumstances of his introduction are slightly different. He isn’t imprisoned by Helmeppo until a bit later than he is in the anime, taking away a bit of the emotional gravitas from moments like when he eats the rice ball that Helmeppoto has stomped into the ground. Ultimately, these discrepancies aren’t too noticeable, but overall, they’re less impactful than those in the anime.

9. Side Characters

When it comes to the One Piece anime, one of the series’ biggest strengths is its wide array of unique side characters. While the live-action adaptation includes many of these individuals, they’re generally less interesting than their anime counterparts.

The Romance Dawn Saga introduces a lot of characters, such as the Red-Hair Pirates, Koby, and the various individuals associated with each member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Because of time constraints, many of these characters are glossed over in the live-action series, with some individuals like Jango and Gaimon even disappearing from the show completely.

8. The Introduction Of Red-Hair Shanks

While Shanks is still yet to play a major role in the One Piece anime, he’s consistently ranked as one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise. His introduction is one of the best in the entire series, so it’s a shame that it’s slightly less impactful during the series’ live-action remake.

When Shanks and his crew take down the mountain bandits that capture Monkey D. Luffy in the live-action adaptation, it’s more serious than its anime counterpart, losing a bit of the light-heartedness that defines them. In addition to this, Shanks’ encounter with the Sea King, which results in the loss of his arm, is a bit less enjoyable in the live-action remake.

7. Don Krieg

The Romance Dawn Saga pits Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates against several villains in quick succession, including the pirate with the largest fleet in the East Blue, Don Krieg. Whereas he engages in a one-on-one battle with Luffy in the anime, the live-action adaptation instead opts to make his storyline much shorter.

Rather than including a fight between Monkey D. Luffy and Don Krieg, the live-action One Piece opts to have Dracule Mihawk make short work of Don Krieg, setting up Mihawk’s duel with Roronoa Zoro much faster. While this makes Mihawk’s introduction much more impressive, it effectively reduces Don Krieg to a stepping stone for another character.

6. Nami’s Relationship With The People Of Her Village

Despite its age, the Arlong Park Arc still slots as one of the most beloved arcs in the history of One Piece. Nami’s backstory and struggle ot liberate her village from the Arlong Pirates is heartbreaking — unfortunately, the live-action One Piece‘s depiction of these events is not quite as kind in its depiction of the people from her village.

In the One Piece anime, the people of Nami’s village are aware that her actions as a pirate and burglar are made in their best interest, and they do not hold any ill will for her. In the live-action adaptation, these characters are unaware of her agreement with Arlong, making them legitimately spiteful toward her and much harder to root for.

5. Arlong

For many One Piece fans, Arlong is the first true test that Monkey D. Luffy faces during his journey across the East Blue. Accordingly, many viewers had high expectations for the character’s appearance during the series’ live-action adaptation.

Arlong isn’t handled terribly during the live-action One Piece, yet at the same time, he’s not nearly as intimidating as he is in the anime. Some of these differences can be chalked up to the constraints of the medium, but regardless, his depiction brings the future of other non-human races into question.

4. World-Building

There are many reasons that One Piece has become the best-selling manga franchise of all-time, arguably the most important of which is the series’ unparalleled world-building. Its creator, Eiichiro Oda, has crafted an incredibly dense world with rich lore and a wide array of nuanced characters, but unfortunately, some of this was left on the cutting room floor during the production of the live-action One Piece.

Because of time constraints, many characters are left out of the live-action adaptation of One Piece, resulting in a product that, although impressive, is less fleshed-out. Overall, the East Blue and the Grand Line feel much more grandiose in the original anime.

3. Monkey D. Garp

Although Monkey D. Luffy will always be the most important character in One Piece, his entire family is extremely memorable to the history of the Grand Line. His grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, is known as the Hero of the Marines, and in the series’ anime, he demonstrates many of the same characteristics as Luffy.

However, in the live-action adaptation of One Piece, Garp is much more serious and significantly less animated than he is in the show’s original source material. This fits the show’s darker tone, but it takes away from what made Garp such a unique part of the Marines’ military structure.

2. The Syrup Village Arc

Any One Piece arc that results in a new addition to the Straw Hat Pirates is generally well-received; therefore, many fans were excited to see the live-action One Piece‘s adaptation of the beloved Syrup Village Arc. While it is not without merit, there are several reasons to believe that the live-action version of this arc is significantly worse than anime’s.

The live-action One Piece forgoes the presence of memorable characters like Jango and the Usopp Pirates in order to place more emphasis on Captain Kuro and Lady Kaya, ultimately taking some of the enjoyment away from the entire sequence. This, coupled with the death of characters like Merry, make the live-action Syrup Village Arc a bit less enjoyable as a result.

1. Monkey D. Luffy

If there’s one thing that One Piece fans have come to know and love, it’s Monkey D. Luffy. The Straw Hat Pirate is one of the most recognizable anime characters in the world, and over the course of 1,000-plus episodes, his character has become a defining element of the shonen genre.

The live-action One Piece has been largely well-received, and much of that can be attributed to its wonderful depiction of Monkey D. Luffy. However, as great as Iñaki Godoy has been in the role, his performance still can’t replicate the iconic presence of anime’s most beloved pirate.

Src: cbr.com