Fans are excitedly discussing their hopes and dreams for the One Piece live-action Netflix series on social media now that the official release date has been confirmed for 2023. Many seem encouraged by the fact that the series has been worked on by genuine fans, hoping that this translates to a level of quality that transcends previous general live-action adaptations.
The animanga's fans are also feverishly discussing what they expect the first season of the One Piece live-action series to cover. While no trailer is available as of this article’s writing, fans do know that the first season will consist of ten episodes altogether. Similarly, set leaks from the show's filming process provide an indication of how far into the source material the first season will delve.
Combining these two gives fans not only an idea of what material the first season will cover but also what a potential second season may cover based on the adaptation rate. Follow along as this article explains in detail what the first season of Netflix's One Piece live-action adaptation will encompass.
Disclaimer: The following article is based on the writer's opinions.
One Piece live-action adaptation likely to adapt vast majority, if not all of series’ East Blue saga
Since the One Piece live-action Netflix series was first announced, exactly what the series will cover has been a major topic of debate amongst the series’ fanbase. This wasn't helped by the fact that each fan seemed to have a different idea of where the series should end, which also influenced how much time was spent on each arc.
Many fans, for example, argued that the finale of the Arlong Park arc would be a good place to stop for the first season. This would allow season 2 to begin by adapting the Loguetown arc, likely going through the Drum Kingdom arc, and introducing fan-favorite character Tony Tony Chopper in the process.
Others argued that the series should move incredibly quickly and end with the Whiskey Peak arc, allowing the second season to begin the Alabasta arc in its final episodes, most likely ending with Luffy's first fight with Crocodile. This would allow the series to set up a climactic third season as the finale of the Alabasta arc, as well as leave fans on a cliffhanger with Luffy’s apparent death.
However, such opinions were mostly formed before the One Piece live-action set leaks began coming out en masse. Fans slowly watched as iconic locations such as Foosha Village (Luffy’s hometown), Syrup Village (Usopp’s hometown), and the Baratie (where Sanji was introduced) were built and leaked to the world. Especially telling was the construction of Monkey D. Garp’s ship, which indicated one of three production choices.
The first is that the live-action series will reorder certain canonical events. For example, Garp’s Marine ship isn’t first seen until after the Whiskey Peak arc, specifically episode 68 or chapter 92 of the anime or manga, respectively. Considering the Loguetown set was leaked, but no Whiskey Peak set was leaked, this indicates a reordering of events.
To further note, the second is that the One Piece live-action series will be adding in some original live-action scenes centered around Garp, and likely Luffy as a result. While it is certainly an interesting choice that may earn the production staff the ire of fans, such an addition can be done tastefully if implemented in the right way and focused on the right interactions.
The third and final option is that the Whiskey Peak set simply did not leak, for whatever reason. While unfortunate, this is also something that occurred with the Arlong Park arc set, which fans are confident will be adapted into the series’ first season given the Loguetown set leak. Thus, it could just be that the Whiskey Peak set is one surprise the production team has managed to keep under wraps.
In summation
All that being said, it seems there are two likely ending points for the One Piece live-action series’ first season. The first likely ending point is the Loguetown arc’s conclusion, setting up the second season to adapt from the Reverse Mountain arc through the Drum Kingdom arc. And, the second likely ending point is the Whiskey Peak arc’s conclusion, setting up the second season to adapt from the Little Garden arc through the beginning of the Alabasta arc.
Be sure to keep up with all One Piece anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.