'One Piece' review: Netflix does the impossible

When it comes to live-action adaptations of anime and manga, Netflix's track record is less than stellar. Look no further than 2017's widely panned Death Note , or 2021's Cowboy Bebop , canceled after one season.

One Piece, a new series based on Eiichiro Oda's bestselling manga, is the streamer's latest attempt to break its live-action anime curse.

Netflix's take on One Piece is an unabashedly fun watch — and that's not just because it outdoes prior live-action anime and manga attempts.

One Piece actually delivers on the promise of its source material, thanks to big stylistic swings and an instantly memorable crew of characters.

Whether you're a diehard One Piece fan or a novice like myself, you'll find something to love here. Heck, you may even start to have more faith in live-action anime and manga adaptations.

One Piece welcomes us to a world of pirates. Here, daring crews roam the globe in search of the One Piece, a treasure hidden by the long-gone King of the Pirates, Gold Rogers.

None of these complications will deter Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young adventurer determined to be King of the Pirates.

Despite his steadfast belief in himself, there's no way Luffy can make it to the One Piece without a crew. Enter the Straw Hat Pirates, named after the very important hat Luffy wears everywhere.

These views, along with Rudd's more grounded performance and Mackenyu's angsty deadpan, make the perfect foils for Godoy's animated approach and balance out the initial core crew of the series.