I went into Netflix’s new live-action series “One Piece” thinking I would last five minutes. Fast forward to the end of the episode and I was hooked — anxious to watch the next episode.
The intense but catchy soundtrack played over pirate battles and sword fights immediately pulled me in, and the colorful costumes, unique hair colors and strong personalities built a crazy world that still managed to feel real. It was a very stimulating watch to say the least, which is perfect for someone like me who can’t sit through most series.
The show starts off with the main character, Luffy, stranded in a sinking boat in the middle of the ocean. We learn that his lifelong dream is to become a pirate so he can find the ultimate pirate treasure: The One Piece. With each episode, Luffy is able to add to his crew and defeat other pirates standing in his way of finding The One Piece.
Although the show was mostly full of action-packed scenes, there were some heart-wrenching moments that revealed a character’s backstory and motivation which kept me rooting for them from beginning to end. Each episode ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger that kept me binging until late at night. I wanted to see the characters succeed and watch them battle it out using each of their particular abilities.
With all this said, being such an over-the-top action show, it did come with some ridiculously cliché and drawn-out fight scenes. Some of the villains could have killed everyone within seconds but just had to get their life story and some maniacal laughs in, causing them to wind up defeated. The series also came with a fair share of cheesy dialogue that made me squirm in discomfort, such as Luffy’s infamous “Gum Gum Wip!” but both these complaints of mine did add to the suspense and heartfelt nature of “One Piece.”
Overall, this series completely blew past my expectations. It was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I am glad I decided to give it a try. I even got my dad hooked on it, which might be the greatest compliment I could give to “One Piece.” I will be checking the dates closely for season two — I can’t wait to devote another night to the next season of this amazing show!
