(490-word review) I only read up to 185 chapters in the manga a few years ago, and that was done casually, while I've been reading the recent ones as they're being released for months now or maybe closer to a year: still done casually. Either way, even if the opposite was true and I have read all of it, in addition to reading it week-by-week, I'm not in the position to have an appropriately concrete opinion on whether or not this show is a faithful and well-done adaptation because of the casual, skimming-through nature of reading it.
I can, however, from viewing it as itself, say it's great on every front. As long as you're not hastily judgemental about the initial appearance of the opposite, at least on a surface level, you can tell they put money into this show, minus the spectacle and spectacularity with its presentation you could potentially be accustomed to and likely expected from this show - the world they've built/the worldbuilding that's been done already is noticeable and remarkable, most notably through the sets and set design, and the practicality of constructing/building the ships; more importantly, you can see the effort that went into this, and you can feel the palpable genuity of care and passion that those involved with its creation (and bringing-to-life of everything) possess.
The script/pacing was straight to the point but plentiful with a good amount of stuff happening at all times, nicely compacted and efficient; most of the characters and their characterizations, especially all of the Straw Hat crew, were great, further complimented by the performances of those particular characters, though some of the other performances were weaker; the cinematography was consistently excellent, while the various instances of VFX and CGI looked flawless enough at first glance (the bounty posters - which were a fantastic addition and I hope that continues - the stretchiness of Luffy's powers, and the sea beast, stood out the most) was the same way. And, of course, the score was outstanding.
If this level of quality is maintained with the next season and, hopefully, seasons more concerning these angles and aspects, topped with the return, and hopefully lasting involvement, of Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli, as their score was phenomenal and contributed significantly to every scene (their departure from The Witcher was crazy; there's no way they made that decision themselves - whatever happened behind the scenes, especially if they were replaced with intention/fired - only someone like Lauren Schmidt Hissrich would do that with composers of their skill - better not happen here), that's about the best sign possible of the continued up-and-coming success story of this show. Netflix could have something special on its hands for the ages, a flagship series, provided they take a leap of faith with it - the ball is in their court. It's now a matter of playing their cards right: making beneficial and correct decisions.
Here's to the second season and beyond!
I can, however, from viewing it as itself, say it's great on every front. As long as you're not hastily judgemental about the initial appearance of the opposite, at least on a surface level, you can tell they put money into this show, minus the spectacle and spectacularity with its presentation you could potentially be accustomed to and likely expected from this show - the world they've built/the worldbuilding that's been done already is noticeable and remarkable, most notably through the sets and set design, and the practicality of constructing/building the ships; more importantly, you can see the effort that went into this, and you can feel the palpable genuity of care and passion that those involved with its creation (and bringing-to-life of everything) possess.
The script/pacing was straight to the point but plentiful with a good amount of stuff happening at all times, nicely compacted and efficient; most of the characters and their characterizations, especially all of the Straw Hat crew, were great, further complimented by the performances of those particular characters, though some of the other performances were weaker; the cinematography was consistently excellent, while the various instances of VFX and CGI looked flawless enough at first glance (the bounty posters - which were a fantastic addition and I hope that continues - the stretchiness of Luffy's powers, and the sea beast, stood out the most) was the same way. And, of course, the score was outstanding.
If this level of quality is maintained with the next season and, hopefully, seasons more concerning these angles and aspects, topped with the return, and hopefully lasting involvement, of Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli, as their score was phenomenal and contributed significantly to every scene (their departure from The Witcher was crazy; there's no way they made that decision themselves - whatever happened behind the scenes, especially if they were replaced with intention/fired - only someone like Lauren Schmidt Hissrich would do that with composers of their skill - better not happen here), that's about the best sign possible of the continued up-and-coming success story of this show. Netflix could have something special on its hands for the ages, a flagship series, provided they take a leap of faith with it - the ball is in their court. It's now a matter of playing their cards right: making beneficial and correct decisions.
Here's to the second season and beyond!