#third impressions

Ah, and I think it's cute that ear transponder snails were created for live action - cute and cool, but also a little creepy just imagining a snail in one's ear xD.

I really took so many Buggy shots 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

My third impressions of OPLA episode 2? I've watched it that many times, and each time I find even more things to like about it. (A more comprehensive review later, but.) There might be some things I didn't like, but for now, the things I liked:

Buggy. He was too damn great. Literally. It took me Impel Down in the manga to reallyyyyy like Buggy (who can't after seeing him interact with Luffy?) But damn it all, OPLA did it in one episode, two episodes in. He's a bit darker in this episode, but Jeff Ward does such a fantastic job at being Buggy. (And on a side note... Buggy is not supposed to look this good T.T)

Nami, Luffy, Zoro. One of the big highlights for me throughout OPLA is the chemistry of the cast. Sure, Nami and Zoro seemed to be have heaps of screen time together, but the interactions between Nami and Luffy are great too.

I did really enjoy the way Luffy's flashback was introduced in this episode. It works. Even more so when facing Buggy, of whom was once on the same ship as Shanks - the set up of this introduces a more complex backstory (manga does this too, but we're not entirely curious yet because Buggy was small fry at the beginning, and we don't see Shanks for several chapters.)

Ah, Shanks in OPLA really feels like Shanks to me. What I love in the OPLA is that there's a small scene added in the flashback where we actually see Shanks fighting. He doesn't expend much energy, compared to his crew, just throwing down a dude as easy as breathing (I might be reading too much into it, but if we were to take this fight scene as a metaphor, we can actually see the dispersion of strength in Shanks' crew.) I tried to get a screenshot (because I suck as making gifs from netflix right now...) but it's awful. I'm still including it anyway, since it'd be great to see :D. He looks a little rough, but when you see Peter Gadiot acting as Shanks, he really gives off so many Shanks vibes that I forget his hair for a few seconds xD

And an impression for the whole series, but there are some easily memorable moments from the show, which I find myself remembering at the odd time.

The screenshots (I'm also including the logo/title header for the Episode, because I paused the screen at a perfect moment):

Not just for this episode, but I loved the music. As someone who has always been primarily manga over anime, I really enjoyed the take on the music for this entire series! It's literally been stuck in my head all week... Even more, I really did enjoy the themes and motifs for each character! We even get a hint of We Are or Overtaken at crucial moments in the live action!! (One of which was the introduction to Going Merry!) It's interesting, I loved the moments when these appeared, but did not immediately catch that they were versions of the Anime OST, because evidently, I don't watch the anime as often...

Helmeppo. Have I said it yet? Even if I have, I'll say it again. Aidan Scott does such an amazing job as Helmeppo. He's a complete ass, yet he's become a likeable ass (and no!! I don't mean that literal scene from Episode 1! Some days I wonder if the choice to include was like a metaphor for his character...it probably wasn't but still!) Nonetheless, this guy has so many facial expressions and pretty damn perfect for Helmeppo. I like that we get to see more of him (and Koby and Garp) as we get to see how they grow from their roots to post-timeskip in the manga.

Nami, Zoro, Luffy. Again, Episode 3 gives us more development of their dynamic as a crew. They're still not together yet, but this is also one of the reasons I really enjoy Episodes 3 and 4. You can't have the Nami, Zoro, and Luffy of live action as they are in Episodes 7 and 8 without these two episodes. Because it's in 3 & 4 that we really get to know each one and they each get to know each other. There are so many great moments. Like when Luffy is idealistically optimistic about how to get a ship, and Nami is characteristically cynical, with Zoro totally agreeing with her. And like those two moments between the three: 1) Nami asking for Luffy and Zoro's opinion on her outfit (they just don't get it), and 2) Nami and Luffy making a bet (I love this moment because we get such a lovely conclusion of it in the next episode.)

Usopp, and almost immediately we get strong Usopp and Luffy camaraderie. Which was fantastic. You can see they're almost cut from the same cloth.

Btw, have I mentioned yet how awesome Mackenyu is at Zoro. Right from the get go, I was super happy that he was cast as Zoro (despite people's complaint that Taz's hair was too short and Mackenyu was too pretty).

Inaki is great at Luffy. His Luffy isn't exactly the same as Luffy in the manga, but we're looking at two different mediums here. In essence though, he makes a wonderful Luffy. He has all the core values of Luffy, loves and hates, and seriously, Inaki gives Luffy some really wonderful faces throughout the live action!

At first, I was a bit hmmm over Klahadore's costume. it felt a bit much. But the more I watched the actor act him out, the more I forgot about the costume and focussed on the man. And well, I can say I was fully convinced.

Kaya's mansion. I do love the idea that we see events taking place at the mansion, rather than on the hill in the manga. I mean I adore that fight in the manga too, because it has many funny moments, but the live action variation does a great job bringing a different location alive. (And I love that I now know that there's electricity in One Piece... which was a question the Production designer Richard Bridgland had asked about.) I love Kaya's wardrobe. It's insane, but so wonderful to look at. Her bedroom is adorable. Her dining room tells a story. The kitchen is definitely a kitchen. And so on.

Once again, I couldn't fit all the images in this post, so look for Part 2 here: Link

It is also an episode I really love (granted, I love all the episodes, regardless of any flaws or changes from the manga I know and love)

SO, once again, more screenshots (finally).

What I really enjoyed most about Episode 4 is:

Zoro's backstory. The flow between past and present for Zoro reached emotional heights for me. I was a little surprised that the well was actually a well (when we see it for the first time in the previous episode), but it's a lovely piece of foreshadowing (to the Mihawk encounter) and as we watch Zoro struggle to climb up, we really feel the determination and angst of his past colliding with his present. (I really did enjoy the way the screenwriters brought the backstories and present stories together to introduce our favourite characters.)

I really love the sets for OPLA, they're amazing.

I love the interplay between characters. Even though I've heard some people say some of the dialogue is cringe...and it was something I thought at times at first...no matter how many times I've watched OPLA (5x now!) it just seems to feel more and more comfortable. It's like once I became used to the tone and feel of the OPLA, it became just me focussing on my favourite characters and adoring how they're brought to life (and focussing on characters I never expected to enjoy watching).

Helmeppo. I'll say it again, Aidan Scott does such a wonderful job bringing this guy to life. I mean look at all the faces he makes!

This episode also contained a few of my favourite moments throughout the series. Luffy's interaction with Helmeppo, and later Luffy's interaction with Nami!

Ah, so I also heard the critique about how did Luffy know to go straight for the mansion after vomiting. My personal theory is that Luffy was semi-unconscious, not entirely, and he'd heard the conversation, but with the soup in him giving him something like toxic indigestion, he was obviously not capable or able to move.

At first glance of Kuro's costume, I did raise a brow. Like hmm his hair is too dark and his costume looks a little too cosplay-y however, the man can act. And I was fully convinced on his Kuro that the flaws in his costume that caught my attention at first, no longer mattered. Besides, the more I look at him, the more I think his wig is perfectly fine.

Once again, I couldn't fit all the images in this post, so look for Part 2 here: Link

A few more points to like!

It's a very key moment in Episode 3 where Zoro name drops Wado Ichimonji, the name of his beloved sword. We see why in Episode 4 (for those who aren't familiar with the manga or the anime), and we see the other end of this piece of knowledge in Episode 6. We can't have that moment without this one, even if Luffy is being Luffy and says it wrong.

I do really love the Bounty Poster aesthetic used in the OPLA.

I wanted to catch more shots from the end of the episode, but that would be too spoilery.

I forgot to add, the way they filmed Zoro's backstory, was absolutely beautiful.

The child actors throughout this show did a pretty decent job. It's always hard because they're so young, but I really did enjoy young Zoro and Kuina's acting. First, they were fabulous at the fight. Second, young Zoro is as rash and arrogant and petulant as I expected, and the interpretation was one I enjoyed. Kuina also felt more kickass in motion (granted, I only fully remember the manga version, and haven't seen the anime version for years.)

There are so many tears from the child actors in this series T.T it's beautiful.

Oh ho, and I love when Zoro finally climbs out the well. This is one of the reasons why I included the first image in the other post (though it's not very clear, and probably the image of the well from the previous episode would have been clearer!) because it's so very clear that Zoro was walking in the wrong direction. Which is, of course, so very typically Zoro!

Another chill moment for me was when Luffy says he's going back for his friends. Inaki is so very much Luffy in OPLA.

I love that exchange between Luffy and Nami towards the end of the episode, where Luffy is happy that he didn't just win a bet, but they got Merry! And Nami is just like omg...I can't believe he was right...and won the bet! So I've included the exchange for y'all (it was so interesting trying to capture each of their emotions, but I loved this scene so much!)

And wow, okay, look out for part 3, because there are too many screenshots once again... : Link

I left out screenshots of a particular scene, because no doubt that scene between Usopp and Kaya has made the rounds. So I figured it'd be fine, but I couldn't resist Luffy's reactions - even though I know this scene has been making it's rounds as well! (It's just so cute and so Luffy!)

Usopp and Luffy hugging each other was fun and totally them

And though some people complain about the final scene of this episode, I, personally was okay with it. Primarily because, a, I expected it, and b, the storyline gave me the same vibes as what we see in the manga, and c, we don't know how long the OPLA will go for (I'm seriously dying for a season 2 right now) and this is one of those things I believe should be introduced earlier, in the sense of, it gives us a further understanding of the role models he had in his life, and makes us wonder why he is a pirate.

Hopefully I can get the screenshots of Episode 5 out soon - I love that episode too!!