Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: One Piece

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ and the Road to Season 2

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ and the Road to Season 2

    Netflix is infamous for being very specific on what show will return for a second season, especially regarding high investments. So, there are a lot of questions surrounding One Piece and its chance to get a renewal potentially. The adaptation surprised many by getting a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a high IMDb score, while also now flaunting the #1 spot in 84 countries, which is higher than what was reported for Wednesday and even Stranger Things. Yet, that isn’t the “Season 2” confirmation quite yet that some might be hoping for.

    Fair Wages

    As long as studios aren’t paying writers and actors any fair wages, we’re not going to see any shows go into production anytime soon. So, Netflix might either wait it out completely before even making a decision. As of now, the discussions between the WGA, SAG, and AMPTP remain at a standstill and there’s likely still going to drag out going into the rest of the half year. So, some shows’ future remains a big question mark at the moment.

    However, Netflix did renew XO, Kitty for a second season while the writer’s strike was still going on. They can always make an announcement to keep interest in the project and ride the discussions online. In May, they also gave The Witcher two additional seasons even though Liam Hemsworth is going to replace one of its main stars and one of the show’s draws, Henry Cavill. At the time, WGA was the only one striking so who knows if they are more hesitant now that SAG also is fighting for a fair wage.

    Budgetary Concerns

    The big concern is the high investment for this series. It reportedly is more expensive than even Game of Thrones and while we don’t know how it compares to Stranger Things or Wednesday, it still will need to impress with its viewership. We are still only a few days in and there’s also the factor that the series’ completion rate showcases an ongoing interest in the series beyond just its first season. What’s On Netflix has a great breakdown of how exactly the streaming service decides what is worth continuing and not.

    The recent news on the #1 placements in the world is a great start but doesn’t reflect the exact viewership quite yet. Netflix changed its metrics recently and is also hopeful for these binge series to last for multiple weeks (instead of ensuring that with an actual weekly release). So, the next few weeks will give us a better look at how well the show holds up and if word-of-mouth might keep the series at the top spot for weeks to come.

    The one additional factor that may give One Piece some benefit is that the series already includes a variety of merchandise. So, an additional income source may give the series some additional potential for the streaming service to decide if it is worth continuing. The original manga and anime series supposedly generated $3 billion in merch sales alone. So, Netflix might be hopeful to accomplish the same with this new adaptation given how fast they are rushing them out around the series’ release.

    Cautiously Optimistic

    For now, it’s just too early to say if One Piece is going to face a renewal or not. The positive reception gives it the potential to grow through strong word-of-mouth and we’ll have to see if the series also had people watching the full way through. The inclusion of elements from future seasons and a variety of Easter eggs for new and familiar fans of the series could give some incentives to rewatch the series.

    They also added the Japanese dub later on that could have some hardcore fans give it at least one more watch. There is enough here that its audience can grow throughout the next few weeks, as there is also no real competition with other major releases. So, we’ll also have to see if Netflix makes a grand statement on its performance similar to what they did with Wednesday shortly after its release.

    Source: What’s On Netflix, IndieWire, Own Your Own Future, NetflixLife, Deadline, Twitter

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Breaks a ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things 4’ Record

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Breaks a ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things 4’ Record

    Some time ago, Netflix made the big appointment that Wednesday was tying with Stranger Things‘ fourth season for the most #1 positions in the world with 83 countries. Considering the iconic IP and Jenna Ortega leading the show, it was definitely a statement but it seems a new entry may have potentially found a new contender as the live-action adaptation of One Piece reportedly already managed to become the No. 1 in 84 countries and seemingly rising due to strong word-of-mouth.

    As such, One Piece has broken the record set by other iconic Netflix series and is continuing to grow its potential to continue on the platform with at least a second season. However, the question is if it is also reflected in the total viewership numbers. Netflix didn’t unveil Wednesday’s record numbers until at least a week later and there’s a chance that they are going to count that same timeline which means the big challenge is for this new series to also keep up that very momentum throughout the coming weeks.

    Netflix evaluates different factors even if not every detail on when they decided to renew a series. One Piece was an expensive production with a massive marketing push. Yet, they also already have merchandise ready for this series, which can push it to become quite profitable for the studio. So, we’ll have to keep a close eye on its performance for a bit more time if the series manages to dethrone Wednesday and Stranger Things.

    Source: Twitter (Wednesday), Twitter, Twitter, Television Stats, Flixpatrol

  • REVIEW: ‘One Piece’ is Among Netflix’s Best First Seasons

    REVIEW: ‘One Piece’ is Among Netflix’s Best First Seasons

    It’s been seven years since One Piece was first announced to be getting a live-action adaptation. The production survived a pandemic, constant delays, a long production in South Africa, one of Netflix’s biggest marketing strategies, and so much more. On August 31st, it finally made its way to Netflix as a binge-drop. Was the wait worth it or did Tomorrow Studios repeat the same mistakes that sank Cowboy Bebop?

    To get the easiest comparison out of the way fast: it’s not another Cowboy Bebop (though to be upfront, I felt it as actually decent if taken as its own thing). Showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens managed to do what seemed impossible and bring a goofy but heartfelt series to live-action like One Piece in this new take on the iconic East Blue saga that started it all.

    The manga series by Eiichiro Oda is somewhat special in many ways: it is a very goofy, almost childlike story that has some of the most heartfelt moments that truly tug on your heartstrings while managing to still tell the same story for over 26 years at this point. Yet, East Blue is very distinct when compared to the rest as it was the time when Oda was still figuring out the story he wanted to tell with very distinct stories that only loosely connect through the first recruits for Luffy’s journey to the Grand Line.

    So, the showrunners are given quite a daunting task having to bring such an iconic series to life and stay true to the original while having to establish a more Western-style connected adaptation of the saga that has the least connective tissue. And, somehow, they managed to pull it off. The smartest move they did was to ensure that the main cast where perfect for their respective characters, which became one of its biggest selling points. Netflix was smart to make good use of pre-recorded interviews and videos of the caster interacting to further sell their dynamic as a team.

    Inaki Godoy was a perfect choice for the loveable Monkey D. Luffy. He has just the right energy to play the character and also has that inspiring energy that keeps the story going. Mackenyu is a more subdued Zoro who is inspired by his later appearances but actually adds a bit more variety to the cast with his straight-man reactions and dry humor. Jacob Romero Gibson is a lot of fun and they do more with him than just being comedic relief; they also really embrace his cowardly habits.

    Emily Rudd is a standout for her more emotionally-centered performance; not too surprising given the importance of this arc and her story. Lastly, Taz Skylar is a great rendition of Sanji that finds that right balance but given when he is introduced, we sadly don’t get a lot of time with him. However, they make good use of his “new guy” dynamic and want to prove himself. The Straw Hats are the selling point of this series and are definitely the highlights throughout, as you just want to spend time with them even when the show’s first season wraps.

    The rest of the cast is also great and outside of maybe one or two, they are probably the most accurate castings I’ve seen in an adaptation. They also give some great and varied performances with Jeff Ward truly being the stand-out as the always loveable but terrifying Buggy. Arlong (McKinley Belcher III) is also a stand-out who has a lot more depth and wasn’t done justice in the trailers. Overall, the villains were great even if one really deserved way more screen time but at least got a slight spotlight. Vincent Regan’s Garp is also a great character who is given a bigger role inspired by a later arc.

    One thing many were a bit concerned about early on was the CG and outside of maybe one or two shots, there’s some fantastic work in this show. News Coo and the Lord of the Coast are visually impressive. There’s a scene of swords falling apart that looked off later on in the series but the big surprise is just how well they pull off Luffy’s stretchy powers. They don’t shy away from it and make good use of it whenever they can. Even the Gum Gum Balloon looks convincing which is impressive given how even big-name studios avoid those kinds of powers like with Ms. Marvel.

    The most impressive aspect of this series is how they keep this tight balance of having it grounded but the series still has its goofy elements. It makes it stand out from other adaptations that either go too serious or generally just replicate the original source material. There are iconic moments in here but they changed enough that allow it to connect more effectively with an overarching plot and set-up. There are a lot of changes that are here to focus more on the character dynamics and overarching thematic plotline.

    Speaking of, the smartest move was to give it a strong connective tissue through the theme as a way to also explore a story that is a bit removed from our main Straw Hat’s journeys. While some of the parts with Garp and the Marines seem disconnected, the way the story comes together actually gives it a strong meaning on why it is being told here and now. The scenes are a bit slower and can break the overall pace, but don’t feel like they overstay their welcome; especially with some great moments from Garp and Helmeppo. Personally, the pay-off of these sequences gives it a lot more weight and made me like the addition to further elevate the themes.

    The biggest challenge with these adaptations is the direct comparison to the original. A lot of minor and even some bigger characters were removed which is a shame, but after leaving behind the “I missed this from the original” makes sense in how the story is being told this time around. It’s a different adaptation that feels like how Oda might’ve told it given how his storytelling has evolved since he first worked on the East Blue back in the 90s. Especially in how some characters get a bit more screen time to flesh them out more. The early introduction of characters like Mr. 7 is also a clever way to establish elements that might pay off quite a bit later for new viewers and give reasons to rewatch.

    I do have some gripes which are likely due to this being the first season to begin with, as the show is trying to finds its identity. They have created a variety of lenses just for this series but tend to overuse them at times, especially at the beginning of Syrup Village it feels unnecessary. However, the strong use of face close-ups feels inspired generally by Oda’s love for showing expressions that’ll get better with more time. There are also some moments that perhaps could’ve used some additional work to balance it out better as it tends to slip into being a bit goofier than necessary.

    Though,t these elements don’t take away from what the team behind One Piece accomplished. With this first season, I believe that Netflix should give this show multiple seasons moving forward to allow it to grow just like the original. I would even go as far to say that this season gives us a stronger East Blue saga even if some characters could’ve used a bit more love and some iconic scenes were sadly missing to add relevance. Still, this might be one of Netflix’s strongest first seasons which makes the small issues I have just a way to truly refine it going into the next arc that is famous for doing the same for the manga.

    One Piece truly stands out from most series nowadays with its style and wacky world. Small details like the cast interacting with the wanted posters that introduce them give it a lot of charm. Even if some CG looks a bit wonky, the practical sets are really impressive and it has such distinct style that makes it stand out from other projects out there. If this is the first season; I cannot wait to see a lot more in the future and hopefully spend more time with this cast for many seasons to come.

  • Den Den Murphy 33 – Ahead of ‘One Piece’ Live-Action’s Release

    Den Den Murphy 33 – Ahead of ‘One Piece’ Live-Action’s Release

    With only a few more days to go, Suki and Joe risked having the episode out before the live-action Netflix series releases by sharing the latest news and their hopes for the show, the latest news, and getting ready for a lot more One Piece.

  • ‘One Piece’ Production Designer on Why They Changed Going Merry’s Figurehead

    ‘One Piece’ Production Designer on Why They Changed Going Merry’s Figurehead

    Production designer Richard Bridgland got a chance to share what it was like bringing the iconic manga One Piece to live-action. Given just how iconic many locations and visuals have become over the years, it was a daunting task for anyone to tackle.

    It seems that the production team wanted to ensure that while they kept the fantastical elements from the original manga, their main goal was still to ensure that the One Piece series was kept as realistic as possible. As such, it led to a few changes that needed to happen one of them being the way the figureheads looed for the various ships.

    It’s interesting, with all the figureheads of the ships, I couldn’t just copy them straight out of the manga and make them in real life, they would look kind of goofy. I had to create a credible real-life version of them. So, what was apparent to me from going into the manga was that all of these figureheads were actually kind of symbols for the spirit of that character.

    Richard Bridgland

    There have been some jokes online about the Going Merry ship looking a bit creepy with the goat face screaming based on some behind-the-scenes images. Yet, once the poster was released the way they brought the figurehead into live-action highlights the “merry” part of Going Merry. So, it’ll be quite exciting to see the other ships brought to life.

    Source: Collider

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Composers Wanted to Showcase Series Diversity in its Music

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Composers Wanted to Showcase Series Diversity in its Music

    One highlight throughout the promotion for Netflix’s live-action One Piece was the energy that composers Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli brought to the table. As it turns out, they actually wanted to work on the show when it was announced and as they were fans, gave it their all to join the project by creating an entire concept on the “One Piece music universe” that consisted of “different themes and instruments we would assign to each one of our characters.”

    I think it was December 2021. I think you’re right. So it was so long ago by now, and that video got everybody really excited. And from there on, we were immediately on board. But funnily enough, all those concepts that we outlined in that video and the themes that we came up with, because we actually even wrote specific themes for the video and performed that theme on different instruments, representing our characters, all those concepts, now that we are done with the soundtrack, it’s about to come out. They all remained 100% true in the final product

    Sonya Belousova

    Luckily, their work paid off and they got the chance to create the iconic score based on one of the biggest mangas out there. Their biggest mission was to ensure that the music in the live-action also reflected the diversity of the series. The world of One Piece even just in the East Blue consists of different types of islands that bring something different to the table.

    The score for the live-action universe is very diverse stylistically because the whole universe is so diverse and our straw heads are so diverse within their roots and backgrounds and also their diverse and unique personalities and fighting styles and skill sets. So the whole concept of diversity was really something that was very paramount to us when building this music universe, and the score ranges stylistically from epic swashbuckling orchestra to songs featuring incredible artists such as Norwegian art-pop sensation Aurora, to hip hop featuring an amazing artist, Flawless Real Talk to rap to folk to big band jazz funk fusion.

    Sonya Belousova

    We got a few glimpses of the music, such as Luffy and Gold Roger’s theme. There was also the theme for Nami that was also sung by Norwegian pop star Aurora; adding quite the star power to one of the most important arcs in the first season. So, it’ll be exciting to see all the diversity they are teasing from the entire series that we’ll be able to witness as it releases on Netflix tomorrow.

    Source: What’s on Netflix

  • ‘One Piece’: Netflix Head Can’t Promise a Season 2 Yet

    ‘One Piece’: Netflix Head Can’t Promise a Season 2 Yet

    One Piece’s promotion so far has probably been the biggest we’ve seen from the streaming service. They are going all out with fan events, tie-in merchandise, and so much more. It truly feels like they believe this has the potential to be on par with their other projects like Stranger Things.

    Sadly, it seems that Netflix’s head of US and Canada scripted series, Peter Friedlander, can’t promise an early renewal for the series just yet like they did with The Witcher (though nothing got that treatment since then) but believe their track record with other IP-based adaptations will prove there’s a good chance for this adaptation to do the same.

    You can’t get it right every time. You hope that with creative passion and storytellers that you do. And that’s what I’m here for, is to support the storytellers and how they interpret and adapt and experience an IP. And I think we’ve had a pretty impressive run when you think about just within the last year with ‘The Sandman’ and ‘Wednesday.’ And I do think we are able to adapt some of these IP into something that’s extraordinary and unexpected, and still truly honor what it is.

    Peter Friedlander

    It truly is a shame they haven’t renewed it yet given how big the fan reception has been, and the way they are handling it does hint that they believe it’ll be a success. Unlike Cowboy Bebop, they aren’t rushing it out to the streaming service without much fanfare. We’ll see if perhaps the promotion of this first season also shows them the importance of actually promoting their shows as well as future seasons.

    Source: Variety

  • Netflix Head was “Stunned” by Reactions to Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    Netflix Head was “Stunned” by Reactions to Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    If there was one thing that makes One Piece stand out has always been the way it became one of the biggest-selling mangas in the world. The series missed its opportunity to establish itself in the States but ended up becoming a major franchise in Japan, France, Brazil, and a variety of other markets.

    Netflix Head of U.S. and Canada Scripted Series, Peter Friedlander, shared that they were “all stunned, truly stunned” at just how big the reception was when it was first unveiled at their TUDUM event. It definitely was an emotional moment for the cast that made their big debut.

    I think we were all stunned, truly stunned. We knew that there was a big fan base, but to watch those actors step out onstage, you could barely hear anything. They could barely get words out, and it was really an emotional experience just watching the actors.

    Peter Friedlander

    They also were excited to see the early reception to the series going by how viewers reacted to the teaser and trailer. The initial look did have some people a bit optimistically nervous but reactions continued to get more positive as time went on.

    It’s heartening to see the early reaction just to what we’ve shown. With the teaser and trailer, we’ve put out, we were trying to show the fans we’re loving on this IP, we are loving on this show and we hope you see that. I feel very hopeful and confident going into this.

    Peter Friedlander

    Netflix is certainly all-in with this adaptation given just how much merchandise they are already preparing to release by the time the series releases. They know what they have in their hands with the adaptation and its already massive built-in fan base. If the fan events are something to go by, there’s a lot of potential for this series to make a big bang for the streamer.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘One Piece’ Creator Was Stumped by One Question from Live-Action Team

    ‘One Piece’ Creator Was Stumped by One Question from Live-Action Team

    Richard Bridgland was given quite the challenging task of bringing the iconic world of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece to life. There are quite a few questions that could change the way they tackle the world-building that Oda is famous for and it seems that one question managed to surprise even the creator of this series.

    In an interview by Collider’s Mike Thomas, Bridgland revealed that they managed to stump Oda with a simple question and that was if “there was electricity in the world.” What seems like a simple question would’ve defined the set design for their adaptation but it seems that Oda never gave that aspect a thought.

    I remember one of the big things was about whether there was electricity in the world. It was really interesting because I needed to have electricity in the world for lighting because otherwise everything was gonna be candlelight and fire and everything, and it was gonna be so it could get very one note like that. And it was interesting because he came back, and he said, “That’s such a good question.” He’d never really thought of it in such a bold way.

    Richard Bridgland

    He was also asked if they may have included a power system that wouldn’t become relevant until much later. Yet, it seems that Oda didn’t want to spoil that quite yet and keep it for later, as it is more a defining trait of a major character and simply stated: “Look, don’t use the cola power. That’s something that appears later in the story arc, but let’s say, yes, there’s electricity.” So, it seems that we will have to wait a bit until we get to witness One Piece’s true power system.

    Source: Collider

  • ‘One Piece Director on How They Found Their Buggy

    ‘One Piece Director on How They Found Their Buggy

    Buggy might be one of the more challenging adaptations in One Piece’s first season. While it’s not easy making the Fishpeople look realistic in live-action, it’s something different when you have to convince the world that this pirate world also includes a guy who just casually runs around dressed as a clown with a realistic giant red nose. In a way, Agents of SHIELD alum Jeff Ward is the perfect choice to play the character.

    In an interview with Collider, director Marc Jobst shared how they found the perfect Buggy and it turns out Ward just showed up in make-up and made sure that he left a memorable performance. Even early trailers, Ward’s Buggy was a standout for many even when there was some concern early on with the first teaser, but the director highlighted that he “grabbed you by the throat” which sold them on his role.

    When Jeff Ward auditioned for us, he was wearing makeup, and he leapt out of the screen in his audition and grabbed you by the throat, so we knew we had our Buggy.

    Marc Jobst

    The director also goes on to highlight that the biggest challenge for him as a director was definitely trying to film in a giant tent. However, it seems their decision to add Jeff Ward as Buggy pushed the sequence to new heights, especially in how the interactions of Inaki Godoy’s Luffy and Buggy kept elevating the sequence going by his interview.

    When we stepped onto the set, and we shot with him on his day one, it’s this enormous huge tent. It’s just a vast set all made out of old canvas sails, and everything, stitched together. We must have had, I don’t know, three, 400 extras in that, and it only just took up about half of the tent, it’s huge. Jeff walked onto that stage, and he roared, and it was beautiful. He owned that stage, and he owned that floor, and it was like, ‘Wow! Now let’s see how Luffy reacts.’ And of course, what was great is that Jeff sort of devoured his words and owned that space, which also made Luffy work harder. So you had this magical thing of Luffy, who’s saying this is fun, and Buggy saying, ‘I’m gonna eat you up,’ and that makes it really electric. And the fact that Luffy wasn’t scared by Buggy’s biting and roaring, and all the rest of it, just made Buggy more angry, which then becomes really dramatic

    Marc Jobst

    It definitely makes you excited to see the clown pirate in action and raises the question if we’ll get more sequences of him. Buggy is a major character in the franchise with somewhat of a recurring role. It would be a shame not to make good use of Ward’s performance and depending on where they wrap up the first season they may still be keeping him for the second season potentially if it gets renewed.

    Source: Collider