The One Piece remake is real! 2023 etched itself into the One Piece hall of fame. Firing on all cylinders, from the manga to the anime and even some mobile games, the series was everywhere. Most recently, the hype surrounding Netflix’s live action adaption is ever present. We’ve covered that in house as well. Be sure to read Michael Murphy’s review to catch up on the debut eight episode season of the One Piece TV series.
Even with the conclusion of the Wano arc and the climax of Luffy vs. Kaido, the hype didn’t end there. In the final segment of the Jump Festa 2024 event, a teaser trailer was shown to fans in attendance. Titled very eloquently, “The One Piece”, Wit Studios will be in charge of bringing this newest rendition to life. Wit Studios is no stranger to the anime scene and their resume has seen loads of success. The studio worked on the earlier seasons of Attack on Titan and most recently Spy x Family.
While there is little information out regarding the project, speculation leads one to believe the anime will hit the screen sometime in 2025. At the moment, there are more questions than answers given the teaser included no new content save for a singular concept image. The leading question being: Why?
Don’t worry, there are plenty of good reasons. Let’s dive in.
Why does One Piece need a modern remake?
Pacing
It’s hard to justify a remake of an ongoing anime. There’s still a sizeable chunk of story left as the Strawhats approach the final island. At the core of all the confusion is a resounding “why?”. With such an easy question, the answer doesn’t have to be so difficult either.
A lot of the series’ charm is on full display early on. From the growth of characters that any fan can identify with to the heartfelt sense of adventure. The series has a lot to offer. Luckily, we’ve covered the magic of pre-time skip One Piece here before. Sadly for those who take on this 1000+ and counting behemoth series, most of it fades as the series progresses.
Series often struggle when they catch up to their source material. Remember the dive that Game of Thrones took in its final seasons? One Piece is also a victim. What are the two likely things to falter when an anime series is airing weekly? Production and pacing in turn. Even though the Wano arc was undeniably stellar, what came before highlights a glaring difference. Not all episodes leading up to Wano were shown the same love as the episode before in the simplest terms of animation.
As the series marched forward, pacing issues were ever present. Prior to Wano sitting at roughly 185 episodes, the longest arc was Dressrosa at 118. Even the longer arcs before the time skip never had a sense of overstaying their welcome.
A New Perspective
In case you’re unfamiliar with the longevity of One Piece, it’s important to note its a veteran series. The manga-turned-anime created by Eiichiro Oda just celebrated its 25th birthday. With the changes and advances in animation over the course of two decades, One Piece can use these tools in a new light. Think of how brilliant the first arcs of One Piece were. Now imagine them with the quality and beauty seen in Wano and Egghead.
From the iconic Walk to Arlong Park to battle scenes like those in Impel Down and Marineford. Modern animation tools can give new life and quality to a series so deserving of a modern remake.
Confirmations and Unknowns of “The One Piece” remake
Of course, some of this is wishful thinking at the moment. Much of the future of this project will depend on the success of the first season. If Netflix handles the remake with care like they did with the live action, there’s no reason to be afraid.
Currently, the series has been confirmed to cover the scope of the East Blue saga. With the start of the Romance Dawn arc, the series first season will around Luffy’s battle with Arlong and his brief stay at Loguetown. Fans can expect the season to end as Luffy encounters the Grand Line for the first time.
Its a massive amount to cover. The approach to the pacing is still unknown. It’s hard to say how many episodes the first season will have, but having multiple cours can be a viable option. The remake is still in the early stages and its bound to be clouded in mystery. What is presented so far is enough to warm the heart of any One Piece fanatic.
Are you looking forward to it?
