REVIEW: LEGO ONE PIECE’ Playfully Recaps The Live-Action

LEGO ONE PIECE sets sail to retell Eiichiro Oda’s iconic shonen series, with a few courtesy of Straw Hat’s most reliably unreliable narrator, Usopp. The original live-action cast reprises their roles and lends their voices, with Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, Taz Skylar as Sanji, and Colton Osorio as Young Luffy.  

In LEGO ONE PIECE, Usopp regales Chopper with his propulsive storytelling and dramatic license to retell how the Straw Hat crew came together. In the two-part animated LEGO special, the crew makes their way into the treacherous stretch of ocean in the world, the Grand Line, in search of Gol D. Roger’s legendary treasure, the One Piece. Along their journey, the crew explores islands full of danger and fun adventures. They face off against crazed clown pirates, Marines, Fishmen, and a secret criminal syndicate. 

The LEGO ONE PIECE adaptation cuts out a lot of the story from the live-action adaptation, which is to be expected. Granted, the two-episode series is adapting two full seasons into two 33-minute episodes. Since this version is aimed at a younger audience and meant to recap the live-action series, there is no need to pace the special beat-for-beat in a different medium. 

LEGO ONE PIECE makes quick work of summarizing the live-action into two episodes.

Unfortunately, because of the special’s brisk pacing, it has to cut a considerable amount of the original story, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. Although it would have been great to see some of the omitted parts of the series adapted into LEGO form, it is understandable why certain moments did not make the final cut or were changed completely to fit the tight storytelling formula. Nonetheless, the show does its best to hit the series’ big emotional moments while establishing the story and its characters for new audiences. 

The tone of the special is even more playful and goofy than the original live-action adaptation. This is a major strength. The LEGO aesthetic and creativity really shine over the course of two episodes, allowing the characters and story to lean into more over-the-top physical comedy, cartoonish action, and visual humor. Certain scenes also help incorporate LEGO’s visual language while remaining visually engaging to advance the story.

Additionally, the expressive LEGO designs of the characters and the world of One Piece make the special shine. The special understands how to make the sets in the scenes, and the characters interacting with them, feel alive, much like they accomplish in many other LEGO animated projects. Some of the special’s most exciting moments are the action scenes. One that stands out in particular is the scene between Zoro and Mihawk. The action sequences of Zoro’s fight with Mihawk are animated fluidly while capturing the intensity of Zoro’s sword strikes. 

The action scenes make up some of the most exciting moments in LEGO ONE PIECE.

LEGO ONE PIECE is clearly meant for a younger audience, but that doesn’t mean adults can’t find some enjoyment in the special, too. Especially since the special combines two interests that many adults love: LEGO and One Piece. The special event includes some interesting jokes that only adults pick up on. Not to mention, it offers a lighthearted chance to revisit the Straw Hats and revisit some of their earlier adventures in the East Blue and Grand Line. 

The original cast of the One Piece live-action return as voice actors is a great and welcome touch. Including the main cast in the special further connects the two adaptations. This makes the LEGO special feel more like an extension of the live-action adaptation rather than a standalone project. The main cast’s involvement also gives fans of the live-action another reason to watch the special. Having the crew’s familiar voices and chemistry helps maintain the characters’ chemistry and personalities that audiences have come to love. 

It is fun to see interjective commentary between the live-action Usopp and Chopper throughout the special. Including Usopp as the narrator and Chopper as his audience further cements the special as an extension of the live-action series. Chopper and Usopp’s involvement also elevates the story from a simple retelling of the adventures.

Usopp’s penchant for embellishing stories is especially fitting for the special, since one of his defining traits is his love of storytelling and lying. Meanwhile, Chopper, the newest member of the crew, brings excited reactions and a fresh perspective to Usopp’s stories.

Usopp and Chopper are a match made in storytelling heaven.

Usopp is known for telling exaggerated retellings that paint him in a more heroic light than he is in reality. This makes having Usopp be the narrator a clever choice that plays to the source material’s character dynamics. It also lets the special take creative liberties and acknowledge that the story Usopp tells takes certain “dramatic license.”

LEGO ONE PIECE offers a great introduction to Eiichiro Oda’s beloved series for younger audiences. The special uses the imagination and fun of LEGOs to wonderfully match One Piece‘s playful energy. While its quick pacing and condensed format don’t allow it to include everything, it still does a great job of establishing the story and characters. The action sequences, storytelling format, and voice acting from the original do not disappoint, as the special puts in the care and effort to capture the same chemistry as the original series.

LEGO ONE PIECE truly feels like an extension of the One Piece live-action, which offers some lighthearted entertainment for audiences of all ages to enjoy. 

LEGO ONE PIECE is now streaming, exclusively on Netflix.