Audiences tend to learn lessons about what works much faster than Hollywood. Fans used to be overjoyed to hear of a live-action adaptation of their favorite anime. With several terrible examples released directly into the garbage, that reaction faded. Most devotees are dismayed to see a series they love reach for a new medium.Avatar: The Last Airbenderis up for its second attempt, but Netflix’s recent take onOne Pieceshould allay some surrounding fear.
M. Night Shyamalan’sThe Last Airbenderis popularly considered one of theworst big-budget films ever made. It’s an abomination with few redeeming qualities. Its tragic fate would have been a minor blow, as almost all of Shyamalan’s films are terrible, but it was considered an attack on the legacy of a beloved cartoon. The idea of trying again is almost universally despised. It’s happening despite fan outcry.One Piecemight help them see the potential upside.
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Netflix’sOne PieceBeat the Odds
Netflix announced a live-action adaptation ofOne Pieceshortly after thefailure of theirCowboy Bebop. That terrible attempt was canceled after 20 days of concentrated backlash.One Pieceseemed like a much more demanding project. TranslatingCowboy Bebopinto live-action requires plenty of work, but it’s a relatively grounded sci-fi series.One Pieceis drenched in cartoon logic, bizarre character designs, and unfilmable scenes. This assumption, though correct in many ways, failed to consider the possibility that the failure of Netflix’sBebopwas based on spirit rather than setting. The writing, characterization, and style were all wrong.One Piecewould be seen as a success as long as it captured some of the fun of the original series. Now that the series is here, it has demonstrated it can do just that.
One Piecetakes the wisest possible approach for adaptations of this sort. Instead of fully retelling every detail of the story, the series gives a kind of greatest-hits showcase recap of the anime. Itrecreates iconic moments fromthe anime’s early days, often shot-for-shot with carefully composed cinematography. Almost every episode features a shot or a scene that thousands ofOne Piecefans could have drawn from memory. It’s not perfectly faithful. Not everything makes the cut. Some creative changes will hurt the audience. However, it’s more concerned with paying tribute to the source material than attempting to replace it. It would serve as a standalone piece for newcomers, but the series is best seen as a loving homage to art that inspired it. Netflix’sOne Pieceis as different as possible from theirDeath NoteorCowboy Bebop. It knows what it wants to do and accomplishes its goal. That simple achievement is all it needs to provide. It can also stand asproof that Netflix coulddo it again.
Netflix’sAvatar: The Last AirbenderMight Understand the Assignment
Avatar: The Last Airbendercomes somewhere betweenCowboy BebopandOne Piecein terms of difficulty. It’s set in a world of wonder and mysticism, but it doesn’t feature anything as unabashedly silly as a man made of rubber. With some production value,Avatarcould be a spectacular sight to see. The architecture, natural landscapes, and magnificent animals could be beautiful.Avatar’s action scenes wouldtranslate beautifully to live action. Bending is based on existing martial arts. All they would have to do is hire talented martial artists and add excellent effects to their movements. These elements could make a live-actionAvatarworthwhile if they can stick somewhat to the source material. They don’t need to show every detail or keep every narrative beat.One Piecedemonstrates that they just have to capture the spirit and nail a few key moments.
Animation is and will always be the best medium for these stories. There’s nothing the live-action adaptations can do to supplant the works that inspired them. Though Hollywood hates to admit it,animation is an art formwith different strengths and weaknesses. The best way to deal with that truth is to acknowledge it openly. Studios frequently pretend that the addition of blockbuster film elements has finally made the story worth watching. That disdain for the original medium can be felt in every moment ofDragonball EvolutionorCowboy Bebop.One Pieceknows that it’s a party to celebrate the material. The fact is, even if it can never be as good as the original, it’s fun to see a life-size real version of the Going Merry unfurl its tangibleStraw Hat Pirates Jolly Roger. That’s all anyone wants fromOne Piece.The Last Airbenderjust has to aspire for the same goal.
Avatar: The Last Airbendercould still be a failure, but it doesn’t feel as doomed as it did beforeOne Piececame out. There’s no way of knowing whether the creative team will learn the lessons of its predecessor.One Piecefelt like a gamble as it was playing. Any moment could have overturned the goodwill it earned.Avataris still one badchoice away from widespread derision, but the blueprint is present. Like Aang,One Piecemight be the hero that saves the world.
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