Netflix's One Piece Live Action invites controversy over Alabasta's casting even before announcing Vivi's actor

Netflix's adaptation of One Piece is already facing backlash with the announcement of its second season's cast, particularly over the choice of Sendhil Ramamurthy for the role of Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta.

The followers of the series are expressing their discontent since this Indian-American actor Ramamurthy is highly different from the presentation of the character in the original manga, which presents an old, Middle-Eastern, or Arab man.

Thus, the concern for representation and authenticity in live-action adaptations of the thrilling anime series continues. Also, while Netflix navigates these criticisms, the attention now shifts to revealing the cast of other major characters like Nefertari Vivi.

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Controversy ensues over the actor playing Nefertari Cobra in second season of the One Piece Live-Action series

On August 22, 2024, Netflix announced the cast of the second season of One Piece Live-Action which included Indian-American actor Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta. The casting announcement was initially met with excitement but quickly became controversial among the show’s devoted fan base.

Nefertari Cobra as shown in the anime series (Image via Toei Animation)

The core of the issue is the difference between Ramamurthy's character from Eiichiro Oda's original manga, that Nefertari Cobra is depicted as an older, middle-aged man with a clear Arabian look. Many fans believe that, despite being a talented actor, Ramamurthy is too young and has no similarity with the ethnic characteristics of Cobra.

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How the One Piece fandom reacted to this inaccurate casting

Sendhil Ramamurthy's announcement as Nefertari Cobra has incurred disappointment within the One Piece fan community on social media platforms.

"Guess no Arab actors available," a fan said

"I thought Cobra was Egyptian, he’s Indian," another fan said

"I guess Indians will be the main actors of Arabasta. That’s fine, I’m sure they’re great, but I bet a lot of Arabs wished for their representation. (I say Arabasta not Alabasta, because in Japanese: R & L are the same letter, so both are correct. But the Manga calls it Arabasta)," according to a fan

Additionally, numerous concerns have been put forward, citing that the casting decision is an opportunity that has been missed to faithfully depict the character and the cultural nuances of the Alabasta arc.

"Should have been a middle eastern charecter," said a fan

"I’m sorry but alabasta is based on Arabic nomadic culture, he’s a good actor but he’s an American/Indian actor, why not cast an Arabic actor or an American/ Arabic like come on it’s in the name of the country alabasta/arabasta," according to a fan

"It is kind of dissapointing that the entire arc can be so heavily influenced by Egyptian culture, the the entire alabasta cast is just Indians. They’re all so clearly Egyptian but.." another fan said

As the live-action adaptation is still in the process of making, it remains unknown how Netflix will react to the rage of fans regarding the Nefertari Cobra casting. The streaming powerhouse has previously undergone comparable indignations due to improper casting in other adaptations, and the fanbase has shown readiness to vocally promote changes they find essential to keep the source material's integrity intact.

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Final thoughts

A snapshot from the anime series (Image via Toei Animation)

The controversy over the casting of Nefertari Cobra in the One Piece Live-Action series illustrates that the accurate representation of beloved source material is paramount. It is still uncertain if Netflix will address these concerns and adapt the characters to ensure a more accurate and reflexive portrayal of the One Piece world.

The live-action adaptation might not be successful if it does not find a good creative path and recognize the original work. It may not succeed in meeting the expectations of the passionate fan base.

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