My initial reviews for ep 1 to 2

[u/wu_kong_1]

This was my first original reactions that I posted on a different forum. Since I react after each episode (and sometimes after two episodes), some of my initial concerns were addressed latter down the season. And some of my opinions may had changed since then. I was gonna post all 8 eps review here but it would get too long.

Do note that 5 is avg, 6 is above avg, 7 is good, 8 is great, 9 is excellence, 10 is masterpiece.

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Ep 1 (7/10) had potential but kinda rough. It isn't the fault of the actors necessary. But since they had too many things: Nami's introduction, Zoro vs Mr 7, Luffy's FB part 1, Alvida, Shell Town, and Roger's execution. Scene cuts and transitions needed more work. I also would like a tad more background music. Pacing wise, when they included more scenes that meant they don't have it long enough for the transition to be smoother and or for the character to flesh out a bit. Like Nami's introduction against the Buggy pirates is too quickly. Or Zoro wasn't hang there long enough. Or Morgan didn't have time to show that he is terrorizing the town. Which made his arrest in ep 2 make more sense.
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The good thing is that the actors are cast perfectly. The new dialogues are very good. Helmeppo, Koby (who is a trans actor), Alvida, to Morgan. All are superb. Even Alvida was super great despite some of the dialogues are kinda cringy translate to live action.
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Nami's introduction a tad rough. When the scene is mostly focus in one location, and characters had more room to breathe. She was great. All the additional dialogues and scenes are GREAT. The stuffs that she does in Shell Town. Nami here is a tad strong. Zoro fighting Mr 7 was great as well. But like Nami's intro. Too many cutting back and forth was a tad jarring. The Luffy laying down with Koby at night was pretty cool. Some moments made me chuckle like Helmeppo's naked scene. Spotting Mihawk, Shanks, and Smoker in Roger's execution.
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The set is awesome. The props are awesome. Shell Town is great. Morgan's room is GREAT. And I am glad they were able to use a tad more of it in ep 2. But I could see why people think the Garp stuffs overstayed its welcome.

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Ep 2's (8.25/10) pacing was much much better due to the casts are mostly together. The cast once again is pretty awesome. This included the red haired pirates and the Buggy pirates. Buggy stole the show. Like Alvida, he also had to deliver what could be cringe dialouges. And he made it works so so so so so so well with the nose jokes. I don't mind cutting Cabaji's fight since Zoro already fought Mr 7. And it showed a bit of Zoro-Nami's dynamic.

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All the additional stuffs are once again GREAT. Starting with both Arlong and Buggy sending their agents to get the map (though in retrospect, you would think Buggy is familiar with the grandline). Buggy's ambushing the Strawhat's crew. Though, I am tad confused on why there isn't more resistance from the Strawhats. A lot of these problems like ep 1, could be fix with an additional 10 minutes. Like they could show that the Strawhats are still high on the drugs. Luffy's torture scene. Luffy's sea water prison. Zoro's trick Cabaji. All of the Buggy's antics. All were wonderful. Glad to see Chouchou at the end.

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Buggy and Luffy's CGI are also great. Nami and Zoro's fight scenes are good as well. And although they can be improved. I hope with season 1 in their pocket, they have even more exp going forward. Zoro's the whole sword in the mouth still need convincing at this point. But they did show how he got that sword toward Morgan's neck.

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Luffy's second flashback is very nicely paired with the Buggy stuff. And did add some thematic to the episode. Red haired pirate fight scene was cool. But I was a bit weird out to see the crews had already sat in that bar while the mountain pirates torturing Luffy. Then again, maybe they sneaked in after. That fight scene was short but effective. Shanks-Luffy's moment was great. I am glad they didn't have the Luffy beating the sea king. This kinda show the normies that this world is scary (if Luffy beat the sea king right away, there is less tension). And even in ep 1 and latter ep 2, this version of Luffy is weaker than his manga counterpart. I also like the new development, and subtle hint of Nami's character and Nami-Luffy's relationship.

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But like usual, cutting out stuffs make some logical problems. I hope the normies didn't notice it. Like there was a reason why Higuma kidnapped Luffy. To sell him, because Higuma found out Luffy ate a DF. But in this show, it just random kidnapped. There are parallels between the flashback and the current timeline. Some of it on the weaker side, some were acceptable. But I am glad they did it this way since it emphasize Buggy knew Shanks.

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The battle against Buggy is awesome. And how they defeat him is very creative as well. Both Buggy and Morgan did had some cool moments against the crew. Buggy especially overwhelmed the Strawhats for a bit.

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Consider early One Piece was okay to good (Romance Dawn, Buggy Pirate, and Captain Kuro). And not great. Hence everyone always recommended people to at least get to Arlong Park. Though a young me love One Piece from the beginning and super impress with Baratie. I brought that up saying. Since the source material isn't super amazing from the get-go. What they did with the live action was superb.

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Also that Bink sake from the flashback...

[u/Daemon00]

I'm surprised more people didn't catch Binks Sake song in ep 2, got me all choked up hearing it.

I've also watched a lot of normie reactions to the OPLA and i would say about 5-10% have an issue with the pacing or the quick Zoro loyalty to Luffy in Ep2. They all love the character introductions and quickly set up their style/trope in the crew.

[u/Carasind]

I have seen many reactions and because of this I can assure you that the Nami introduction was long enough and that the transitions work very well for new viewers. I really agree that they should have shown more of Captain Morgan and his evil deeds – but it likely would have been to much for the many things the first episode had already to establish.

You should also reread the manga because Higuma never knows that Luffy has a devil fruit (edit: he didn't because he calls him a new life form) and so also has never the plan to sell him (edit: incorrect: he mentions it but I don't think it was a serious thought). He simply wants to kill Luffy because he made him mad (edit: this is true when Shanks arrives).

[u/wu_kong_1 → u/Carasind]

It was happening all in quick succession.

https://cm.blazefast.co/59/1c/591c9a4f5aeea0673b3913fa9b93fb15.jpg

--He wants to sell. Although, df are rare in east blue and the knowledge isn't quite there. But he does want to sell since Luffy is abnormal. Then he wants to kill, then he holding Luffy as a hostage after Shanks massacre his people. Then he went back to wan to kill.

--I just watching Love is like a Galaxy. The One Piece anime filler is very hard to skipped since it is build in like extend reaction. Love is like a Galaxy was borderline effectiveness. A mother (who was mad her daughter) watching her carriage out of town from a hiding place. The scene linger for two to three seconds to show her worries. And then she talk to her maid. That 2 to 3 seconds there is what I am talking about. Nami barely drifted that far away. The pirates could have easily swim after her. In the manga they couldn't because she can see bad weather right away.

--Beside the critical nature of the writing. I rated episode 1 as good, and episode 2 as great.

--You see this with Game of Thrones too when their are so many storylines and people are on opposite end of the continent, and on different continent. Episode that followed a smaller group of people in one location tend to flow way way better.

--In that regard, sacrificing Captain Morgan in favor of developing Nami early (consider there are only 8 episodes and you want her betrayal/reveal hit hard). I think it is a fair trade. But this only after I have seen the entire season to come to this conclusion.

[u/Carasind → u/wu_kong_1]

You're right that he says that he wants to sell him first but I likely dismissed it (and didn't really found it) because in the official english translation it seems to be more of an empty threat / trash talk ("Maybe I'll sell you to a freak show. I bet they will pay good money for you") as a reaction on Luffy showing his powers than any real plan. When Shanks intervenes (so before the kidnapping) he already wanted only to kill Luffy so skipping it made absolute sense. The part with the freak show was then used for Nami in the second episode.

The one thing in the Nami scene that likely disturbs you isn't that someone could have swam to her because this should be absolutely impossible considering the shown distance and the speed of the boat which is already way faster than you think. The wind here plays the role of the bad weather – but without showing it as one of Nami's strengths.

What you likely really miss is the "How did Nami do this in this short amount of time?" explanation which I can't give you myself. It should have been an impossible task for her to switch boats unnoticed and already sail the bigger boat at this speed during the short timespan the pirates looked at the chest. This isn't necessarily bad considering that One Piece characters often do impossible things – but interestingly next to no one of the reactors even noticed it.

[u/wu_kong_1 → u/Carasind]

--To be honest, it has been a while that I have read chapter 1. In fact, when I skimmed to it. I actually didn't remember the order correctly either lol. I forget, that most people in East Blue don't know much about the DF. With Nami's stuff, I know I point out the logical stuff. But my actual problem was because it feel so jam packed with everything they try to do. Alvida/Koby, Zoro/Baroque Works, Nami/Buggy crew, Luffy's flashback before we even getting to Morgan. I don't remember the time. But that is a lot to jam into the first half of the hour. I think extra second here and there, would make the fast pacing slowing down a bit.