One Piece (Live Action)
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One of the central concepts ofOne Pieceisnakama, a word that has come to represent the entire story.
Literally, it means something akin to comrade or colleague someone close to you in a group.
Like, say, a crew of pirates.
Fans have made it out to be more than that, however.
The Straw Hats arenakamarather than just crew, and the word means a bond greater than family.
For Luffy, its to defy all odds and become the King of the Pirates.
This episode, we find out what makes the crews angstiest boy, Zoro, tick.
Director Emma Sullivan delivers some fantastic Wuxia-inspired swordplay, the choreography and stunts living up to Zoros reputation.
And yet young Zoro is nothing like that, losing every time.
But Kuina has more on her mind than a petty rivalry.
A skilled one, sure, but one just surviving rather than thriving.
The two have big dreams and are discovering just how different their ideals are from reality.
Helmeppo doesnt care about Usopps calls for help.
Hes here to bring Luffy in, not help people.
(Possibly out of fear of Zoros swords more than anything, but still.
Thankfully, Zoro and Luffy arrive at the scene just in time to save the rest of the crew.
But Luffy pays him no mind.
It is a ridiculous move that translates surprisingly well to live action.
Its the one Luffy fell in love with, which was designed by the sheep guy, Merry.
The ship, which Luffy names theGoing Merry,is more than just a boat or even a home.
Its an essential member of thenakama.
Now we have a crew, a map, and a ship.
(an instrumental version of course).
It is an iconic theme for an iconic character.
Instead, he intended this to be a lesson for Koby to always have a backup plan.
Like, for instance, easily catching up to the Straw Hats brand-new ship and opening fire.
The episode ends with the grand reveal that Garp is none other than Luffys dear old grandpa!
Dont you hate it when my grandparent shoots cannonballs at you?
The scarcity has the upside of making it a cool and memorable finishing move, at least.
Since shonen manga is notoriously lacking in romance, this is an extremely welcome addition.
The Garp twist arrives much later in the manga, one of Odas many recontextualizations of past events.
It also gives the audience a personal connection to care about the Marines side story.
Some purists may scoff at the idea, but so far its been an entertaining addition.
