Netflix’s surprise win with its live-action remake of One Piece is the talk of the town, as anime fans react to the platform’s first successful adaptation in… ever?
You all know how I feel about Netflix’s adaptation efforts, at this point. I’m hugely disappointed by the majority of what the platform puts out, these days, but its those adaptations — more than anything — that get my blood boiling. Somehow, the curse was (mostly) broken with One Piece, and the result was a charming, humorous, and truly delightful fantasy series that, for the most part, maintained the heart, soul, and storyline of the original.
We’ve got heaps to say on the topic, from which newcomers we’re looking forward to meeting in season two to how we’d match up the Straw Hat Pirates against their MCU counterparts (I know, we have a problem). And that’s all before we even pivot to anything else, like the latest Harry Potter star to join the Doctor Who anniversary special, or the iconic Lord of the Rings quotes that bought real estate in our heads years ago and refuse to move out.
One Piece breaks the Netflix curse — mostly
Unlike so many failed attempts that came before, Netflix’s One Piece is actually good? It somehow managed to depart from the trend set down by previous failures like Cowboy Bebop and rose to unprecedented heights following its release on the streaming service. The series gets a shocking amount right (and a few things wrong) and is carried along by a wonderful, engaging cast and surprisingly stellar effects. It’s not easy to make Gum-Gum powers look cool, but good on you Netflix. You did it.
All that One Piece success got our Marvel experts thinking… how would the Straw Hat Pirates square up against Earth’s Mightiest heroes? I know, we talk about the MCU a lot, but come on — you know you want to know. You might think you’ve got Luffy’s stretchy counterpart nailed down, but you’re dead wrong — and you can’t tell me you’re not curious.
There’s far more where that came from
We already gobbled up season one of One Piece like Luffy at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and the first season’s popularity already earned the show a second. Now that season two officially has the green light, we’ve got some predictions about which fan-favorite characters will join the Straw Hat Pirates on their adventures next. We probably won’t be meeting Luffy’s hot brother for a few seasons yet, but there are plenty of dynamic characters to choose from One Piece’s lengthy tenure.
Yet another Harry Potter alumnus signs onto the Doctor Who anniversary special
David Tennant is far more tied to the world of Doctor Who than he is to that of Harry Potter, so no one was surprised to see him added to the list of stars participating in an upcoming Doctor Who anniversary special. Far less expected, however, was the addition of another Harry Potter favorite: Miriam Margolyes, who’s best known for playing Professor Sprout across the series of films. She’s set to bring the iconic Beep the Meep to life in the upcoming special, and Whovians couldn’t be more thrilled at the news.
We’ll never forget these iconic Lord of the Rings quotes
The Lord of the Rings is never far from our minds or hearts, in this house, so we’ve got dozens of cherry-picked quotes to choose from when tasked with producing a favorite. This is likely true for almost any major Tolkien fan, but I’d bet only a few of them join me in having those quotes printed as wall art around their homes. You almost certainly have one or two outliers, but I’d bet anything that you’re in agreement about at least one of our picks for the most memorable Lord of the Rings quotes of all time.