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With the announcement that Wit Studio will be remakingOne Piece, starting with the East Blue Saga with the potential to adapt more, there is increasing discussion around what other series might deserve a similar treatment.One Piecestarted airing over 20 years ago, and has been running nearly non-stop since, so it is in a unique position to be able to “remake” a show that is still running.
With so many other classic anime from the same period that have long since stopped airing, there are many potential candidates that deserve the opportunity for a remake. However, without careful consideration, there is the potential to disturb the reputation of some classic series.
Making the Case for One Piece
Does One Piece Really Need This New Adaptation?
Some people might think that the Wit Studio remake is already an unnecessary breach against a classic series. After all, the show it’s remaking is still running and some people even prefer the esthetics of the show in its classic era. But the Wit Studio adaptation may reveal itself to be more of an inspired approach than it appears at first glance. WithOne Piecebeing around so long, there is a lot more that the animation team will know about the story, and how it will progress. There is more funding and hype around the series than ever, and presumably they will be given as much time as they need. This means that they will be able to make the most of this classicOne Piecearc. Whether it be offering new moments of foreshadowing for characters, expanding fights and cinematic moments, or even giving characters that have become beloved over time a renewed chance to shine even earlier on.
One Piece’ssuccess is an incredible feat, and perhaps in no small part due to the fact that it has been running so consistently for decades. But the weekly schedule can also weigh heavily on the adaptation of a story in order to keep it running smoothly. With this new approach from Wit Studio, they have the opportunity to let earlyOne Pieceshine like never before.
What Series Should Not Be Remade?
There Are Some Classics That Don’t Need the Remake Treatment Just Yet
While the East Blue Saga is a good experiment in remakingOne Piece, there are a lot of other classic anime that should not look forward to a remake, at least for the time being. But finding that perfect candidate for a new adaptation can be tricky. Most anime fans can probably list on one-hand the remakes that they actually appreciate, if any at all, and what exactly makes them successful can be hard to nail down.
That being said, most adaptations appear to try and address a few common things:
With these goals in mind, there are a few classic series that should probably be taken off of the remake list for the time being:NarutoandDragon Ball.
ForNaruto, while a long time has passed since the series first aired, it really only recently ended in the grand scheme of things (the last episode of “Shippuden” aired in 2017). But even beyond that, a remake should look to provide something new, different, or offer an improvement over the original. While people may lament the filler-heavy portions ofNaruto, the anime is still absolutely a classic. The animation has aged well, with a style that not only embodied the time period in which it began, but also managed to keep pace with its contemporaries as it aged. The vocal performances are great, and fights stand out as much as they need to. While there has been talk of remaking earlier portions, ultimately it is not as necessary as it could be for other series.
Dragon Ballis another series that often receives whispers of a remake. While there are obviously tons of spin-offs and extensions of the originalDragon Ballstory, with new stories being produced regularly, for many fans nothing will reach the original highs of the “Saiyan Saga”. But does this mean that a remake would recapture or even improve upon that original experience? One major issue is thatDragon Ballis popular arguably because of its artifacts from the golden age of anime. With all of its audio and animation quirks, earlyDragon Ballappears as a sort of time capsule of its period, and it really adds to the charm of the series. Trying to “update” the series for modern times may actually take away from the elements that made it so popular in the first place.
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One Piece
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One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
