News culture Netflix One Piece: this character from the series present much later in the manga proves the good quality of the adaptation
The anchor is lifted. The adaptation of the One Piece manga into a live-action series by Netflix has been broadcast, on demand, since this morning. In addition to the general quality of the show, several question marks remain before the release. Among them, the presence of Vice-Admiral Garp in the cast. A choice not so trivial but which had the merit of answering several questions at once.
{{article_encart|title=Warning, spoilers|text=The following lines deal with advanced scenes from the One Piece series by Netflix. If you are not up to date in the series (at least episode 5 included), nor in the manga (volume 45 included) nor in the animated adaptation (episode 313), it is not recommended to read the article if you wish to keep the surprise of the discovery}}.
Summary
- A character present late in the manga
- In the spotlight much earlier in the One Piece series by Netflix
- A treatment that sums up the good adaptation by Netflix
A character present late in the manga
Present in the casting of the One Piece series by Netflix, Vincent Regan plays the role of Garp: a vice admiral in the Navy, the main military force of the government. A position but above all a rank which inspires respect since only admirals and the chief admiral have a superior. On paper, he’s the kind of soldier that no pirate wants to crosswhether for the most seasoned or even for the main character of One Piece that is Luffy.
It is probably for these reasons that in the manga and the anime, Garp is not present anytime soon. If he initially appears in volume 11 and episode 92, it is only through mini-adventures. Additional drawings to tell the continuation of the journey of two characters met at the beginning of the story. We then have to wait much longer to see the vice-admiral in the spotlight. It is precisely in volume 45 (episode 313) that we see “the hero” of the Navy. And since then, he has taken an increasingly prominent place in the manga.
In the spotlight much earlier in the One Piece series by Netflix
In summary, Garp is constructed as an important character remaining secondary in the manga. This is not at all the case in the adaptation made by Netflix. He is present from the first seconds of the series since he is the one who oversees the execution of Gol D. Roger. Something coherent when you know the manga but which could have stopped there and served as a simple wink. Except that we see the vice-admiral again. And rather ten times than one.
In the series, it is Garp who serves as the head of the Navy on the East Blue Sea. A not particularly illogical state of affairs : in the manga, its first appearance occurs in the mini-adventures of Kobby and Hermep. However, the three come from the region: the first wants to enjoy his freedom in a quiet corner of the globe while taking care of his grandson; the second was kidnapped by Alvida; while the third is the son of Morgan (military leader of the Navy of Shells Town). So obviously, as a patroller of the Eastern Sea, the emergence of new formidable pirates always makes his ears ring.
Throughout the first episodes of the series, Garp is therefore presented as an antagonist. Anyone who doesn’t know who he is sees him introduced as the great Navy soldier, who would serve as the final boss of season 1 for the Straw Hat crew. A rather strange construction as a villain for those familiar with the original work. Quite quickly (much earlier than in the manga), the silence is lifted: Garp is Luffy’s grandfather. The most conservative may have difficulty with the use of the character as, on several occasions, it does not respect the original work. But I like to think it was done for several reasons besides being well done.
A treatment that sums up the good adaptation by Netflix
Some might be frustrated to see revelations this early because “it’s just not like the manga”. But I, the first to have been reluctant to this idea, resolved to it. And I have to say that after some thought, the idea is not that problematic.
On paper already, it does not seem to be a problem for the future of the series if it were to continue. The revelation of blood ties between Garp and Luffy so early in the story is not a problem in itself: it does not have its share of consequences in the original story even if its impact remains significant today. It’s also a question of medium: it’s the type of twists and turns that always have more flavor when reading. The dialogue bubble freezes the revelation for a moment. It remains stuck in our eyes and it is up to us to turn the page or not. However, animated and live action by their nature cannot stop time during a revelation of this type since the dialogues must follow one another.
Nevertheless, it is true that this sequence can be problematic. If it becomes known in the live-action that Garp is Luffy’s grandfather, this could be a blow to the fidelity compared to the original work of this one. But there are already several ways to get around this problem: consider that the family relationship is not heard across the seas, or play on it to offer new scenes.
This is all the merit of the four producers (Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Matt Owens, Steven Maeda) with the presence and construction of Garp. First of all, the adaptation speaks to the initiated by integrating moments from the start manga popular. Enough to grab their attention while managing to land on their feet. Season 1 concludes in a fairly coherent manner in this regard (not everyone is in the same boat unfortunately, we will have time to come back to this in the coming days). Furthermore, I can’t help but think that Garp and his new recruits should show up more quickly than we think. Maybe it’s just a fantasy on my part. A confirmation of Netflix’s success in having managed to surprise a One Piece reader.
In addition to convincing long-time One Piece enthusiasts, Netflix also hooks viewers who are new to it. Garp is a bit the only antagonistic character (like Buggy) who acts as a common thread during the eight episodes. Again, this helps introduce suspense into the series. This one can not afford to extend as much as the manga does, she had to cut some passages in the quick. Just shortening each story arc and pasting them into a series would probably have been boring for the viewer: he would have just seen Luffy and co. crossing the islands quickly, triumphing over every local bully. A linear journey without twists and turns that would have lacked flavor. At least, the possible meeting with Garp serves as a link each time and makes you want to see what will happen. To support this statement, he continues to display a certain vehemence towards his grandson despite the “public” declaration of his relationship with him. Enough to wonder, temporarily, about the source of his anger
Finally, this special treatment of Garp allows something more general. That of identifying the Netflix series as a true adaptation, with scenes deleted, modified but above all added. Like any fan, I was apprehensive about their treatment of certain sequences (eight, which I talk about in this article). If there are sometimes things to complain about (especially on the direct transposition of certain scenes), having integrated Garp at the start of the series despite his big difference was superbly done. A perfect example of an adaptation that delivers its side of things while remaining consistent with the original material while trying to attract a new audience. Enough, for my part, to await season 2 with interest.
