One fateful day in 1997, Eiichiro Oda would go on to shake up the world of manga. Taking his hand-written and illustrated work to the Weekly Shōnen Jump on July 22, 1997, the creator gave birth to a new sensation in the form of One Piece. Ever since the story of the Straw Hat Pirates has managed to draw a large readership. Soon after, in 1999, Toei Animation brought the story to the screens with an anime that still airs. Finally, Netflix joined the bandwagon with its live-action remake on August 31 and is now willing to remake the anime.

The streaming giant recently unveiled its plans for an anime re-run and announced its collaborators for the same.

Netflix joins hands with popular animation studio to remake One Piece anime

To aim for higher than the skies looks to be the streamer’s motto. Long after sailing past its records with Stranger Things and Wednesday, it begs to further enrich One Piece. In a recent post on X, formerly Twitter, Netflix announced its plans for the Eiichiro Oda anime remake alongside Wit Studio as its animation partner. The aforementioned animator is a powerhouse when it comes to popular animation having projects such as Attack on Titan and SPY x FAMILY. Combining it with Netflix’s recent prowess in revitalizing content for good reception makes a formidable production on the way.

Netflix plans the One Piece anime to run parallel to the existing one from Toei. Moreover, the plans are for newcomers to soak in the legend from the very start without having to rewind from 1999. The roadmap also mentions cutting-edge graphics and a more modern take on the classic while retaining its originality. However, did Netflix just not serve the very same purpose with its live-action?

The very question begs an answer. Turns out, there’s some rationale in backing up the live-action with an anime reboot.

1. Time is money and so is content

The original One Piece anime has already aired well over a thousand episodes and counting. To get right up and acquainted with the content, audiences who have never read the manga need to have a look at the original anime for a deeper backstory for the live-action. However, at present, including every filler content, the total run-time stands at a staggering 437.26 hours. To put it simply, one needs to dedicate about 18 whole days without any break to catch up with the latest anime content.

In the meantime, while the live-action serves that purpose, it can barely tap into the surface. The first season’s episodes stood condensed into a somewhat manageable run-time at the cost of lore intricacy. Thus, an anime from the start, right from the East Blue saga, would give fans insight and backstory into the happenings of the live-action in tandem.

2. The scope is limitless and boundaries are none

A key hindrance in making live-action is the binding chains of realism. Even though Monkey D. Luffy is a character with elasticity, there are limits and constraints to its depiction on-screen. Moreover, even characters such as the upcoming Chopper, who is a human-deer hybrid, have to undergo careful thinking on prosthetics and CGI to mark an appearance. However, that factor stands as a boon for animators.

In a world of limitless possibilities, Wit Studio can unleash all its creative endeavors in serving justice to One Piece’s original theme. Even so, scenes such as Zoro’s fighting, which required actor Mackenyu, to train for long hours for the live-action can be depicted in full glory and without any bar on physical realism.

3. Cut the fluff

The current run of the One Piece anime can make do with at least about 50 hours worth of content cut. Stories of the likes of Warship Island arc, Foxy’s Return arc, and G8 arc are some examples of what fans deem as filler content. While maintaining the narrative, the content serves little to no purpose for the main plot. Thus, an anime from the ground up can avoid covering these tracks and expand on lore that is condensed to just the right size as per the demand.

The result would not only result in a more binge-worthy anime but would also reduce the burden on show-makers. Meanwhile, transition arcs between the live-action and the anime can be easily addressed with teases and cliffhangers.

4. A creative playground

A lot of speculation rode behind the One Piece live-action in the months leading up to its release. Given the recent failures of adaptation, such as Cowboy Bebop, apprehensions were high. A lot of pressure ran among the creators, yet thanks to Eiichiro Oda, much-loved content came out of the factory. However, with plans for six long seasons which can even see the number shoot to 12, quality stands tantamount. Thus, to test if the next arc or theme would fit viewers, Netflix can first test its likeness in the anime before going full-steam with the live-action.

The resulting co-dependence would serve both shows in the long run while saving Netflix from critical messes. Additionally, the cost and burden of reshoots, training, and behind–the–scenes budget could get better utilization where most needed.

5. Consistency is key

A factor that corresponds more to the original anime than the live-action, an upcoming anime reboot could fix the graphical quality. Stemming from 1999, the anime has kept its animation style of the time with technological ingress visible in each season moving ahead. A viewer would be subject to changing themes, music styles, and animation over the years. However, the new reboot could serve one cohesive quality securing its future viewability. In the meantime, the refined anime would then serve as a starting ground for newcomers to the show who could then delve right into the live-action.

Striving to uphold its quality as a content maker while serving fans with the best, Netflix may once again strike gold with its One Piece anime reboot.

What do you think of the rationale behind it? Let us know in the comments below.