The arrival of the "One Piece" live-action series on Netflix generates excitement and concern among fans, who have experienced varying degrees of success with Hollywood adaptations of Japanese manga.
Nina Oiki, a gender and politics researcher at Waseda University in Tokyo, who has been a "One Piece" enthusiast since her elementary school days, is now ready to share her verdict. She was among the first readers of the manga when it was first published in Shonen Jump magazine in 1997, and also watched the animated show that followed shortly after.
Acknowledging the previous disappointments in American attempts to portray Japanese comics and animated works, Nina Oiki stated, "I know some people are worried about what might happen with the Hollywood remake."
In turn, the film has had a significant influence on anime, such as the "Blade Runner: Black Lotus" anime, which premiered in 2021. Japanese pop culture expert Roland Kelts views this as a remarkable moment for anime, facilitated by the emergence of streaming platforms like Netflix, which have helped to make entertainment more accessible and global.
The upcoming live-action adaptation of "One Piece," set to release later this year, follows in the footsteps of the success of "Demon Slayer," another manga originating from Shonen Jump that was adapted into a movie and an anime series, both of which were picked up by Netflix.
In February, The Pokémon Company announced its collaboration with Netflix on "Pokémon Concierge," a stop-motion anime. Pokémon has been identified as the world's most valuable media franchise, with an estimated all-time sales figure of $100 billion, according to a 2021 Statista report. This ranking puts it ahead of other popular Western franchises like Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Star Wars.
Hollywood is also currently working on live-action adaptations of other beloved Japanese franchises, including Makoto Shinkai's 2016 body-swap anime "Your Name" and the "Gundam" franchise, which features giant robots and first debuted in 1979.
According to a fan named Oiki, the main character's inclusive personality, which attracts more and more companions to join his quest, represents the kind of school, office, or workplace environment that modern-day society craves.
