One Piece Season 2 Comparisons

 Comparisons

Continuation: A little more than two years ago, the first season of the live-action version for One Piece premiered on Netflix. It was then I decided to take upon myself to write a comparison article. The details were rather in-depth and probably a bit confusing to take in unless you were familiar with the material. Netflix just released the second season, and things do divert away from both the animated and manga versions. What surprised me was how extensive the episodes in the animation strayed from the original source material from the get-go. 

The Loguetown Arc is the sixth arc and last story of the East Blue Saga. Only the first live-action episode takes place here, with anime from Episodes 45 - 53 and the manga Chapters #96 - 100. 

• The anime extends the manga with full-fledged filler episodes with barely anything from the source material. Episodes 46 and 47 follows the manga covers as Buggy's crew mourn his death, compete over who will be captain, gets captured by a tribe, and rescued by the two devil fruit eaters. In the 50th episode, Usopp duels with Daddy Masterson when her daughter refuses to give up the goggles from the shop. He later has a flashback with a touching encounter with his father years ago. Note: The 4Kids version skips this episode entirely. In the 51st episode, Sanji has to join a cooking competition to win the prized fish and competes against Carmen who has been training for a decade ever since their encounter on the boat. 
• Why the crew chooses to visit the island is slightly different in all three versions. In the manga, the island is pointed out from a distance and they choose to go there. The live-action version shows some lengthy deliberation process before choosing to visit the island before it even comes into view. The anime actually has two scenes: one where Luffy wants to eat meat and points out the island on the map and another when the crew decides to visit there for supplies when it comes into view. 
• Luffy listens to a story from a bartender that shows more of Captain Roger's past in the anime. It is interesting to note that he was struck by two swords, not a guillotine like some might expect. Luffy's enemies spend way more time searching for him in the town, even bumping into him accidentally without knowing on some occasions.  
• Tashigi shows her skills off from a couple of random characters in both the anime and manga. There is an extended sequence in the anime where Zoro accidentally breaks her glasses and has to work at the Marine base to pay her back before the officers recognize him. 
• There is an entire sequence in the anime where the ship Going Merry is under attack by pirates and then the marines. Nami forces the ship away after they start firing cannons, and only by Luffy's stretch-rocket technique does the crew fly over as it departs. 
• All three versions copy various details such as the clothes seller have a hanger in his hair, the way Smoker says that his pants ate the kid's ice cream, how Nami lends money away and notices the change in air pressure, and the way lightning saves Luffy from being executed. 
• All three versions have Matsu, the weapons shop owner, try to have Zoro sell his sword and get interrupted by Tashigi. Zoro throws the sword up in the air to test his luck with his arm. The swords are also identified and given to Zoro. Curiously, the anime version has what appears to be his wife come out after he gives away the family sword. 
• One thing that the live-action version changes is the type of fruit Alvida ate for her powers. The Sube Sube no Mi is called Smooth-Smooth fruit instead of Slip-Slip fruit. Instead of Luffy's fist, the manga has an entire top portion of a fountain slide off her body when thrown at her. The actress clearly could not undergo the drastic slim change in the source material. 

The Reverse Mountain Arc is also known as the Laboon Arc for its short story about a giant whale in the second episode of the live-action version. The Manga Chapters are #101 - 105. Episodes 61 - 63 covers the source material. 

• The anime adds a ton of events before they even reach the whale in its own original Warship Island arc from Episodes 56 - 61 where they find a missing girl, battle against someone with the Sickle-Sickle Devil Fruit, and escort a dragon to the nesting grounds. The only parts that are both in the anime and the manga is when they enter into the Calm Belt and the Sea King giant monsters (or Neptunians in the manga) appear. The live-action version only references its existence in the first episode.
• The introduction of the Baroque Works in the live-action version came much earlier than in the series. The 4kids animated version edited the Smoker character by removing the cigars in his mouth, on his outfit, and changing his name to Chaser. The live-action retains these features.
• The events in both the manga and anime were drastically different than the live-action. Inside the whale's mouth is a facade of the outside with the roof of his mouth painted to look like the sky, the lighthouse keeper living inside a small house on an island on top of an iron ship, and the exit being a giant door. The sedative is given in all three versions, but it had to be launched in the live-action version since they kept the lighthouse keeper outside the whale. 
• The entire crew encounters the lighthouse keeper as he tells his story of the giant whale. The live-action version added the tale of the violin-player and the song. The manga and anime setup a sort of rivalry between Luffy and the whale instead. There's also some added scenes with Luffy finding the Log Pose from Wednesday and No. 9.

The Whisky Peak Arc is when the crew, along with Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday, travel to Cactus Island. The third episode of the live-action version covers Chapters #106-114 of the manga and Episodes 64 - 67 of the animated version.

• The manga and anime follow closely together other than the censorship of the alcohol drinks. The color of the drink, how it is identified, and what it is poured into are all different depending on the version. The 4kids version even modifies the name of the town from Whisky Peak to Misty Peak.
• The dance that paralyzes Zoro plays out different in all three versions. The manga has him hypnotized from the black spiral pattern on the dress, the anime has her using a special perfume in her hand, and the live-action has the mayor play music from his saxophone on Luffy. 
• The events of the island is retold in the 8th movie of Episode of Arabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates with the additional character of Chopper already being part of the crew.
• The live-action version cuts the severity of the weather changes and only shows the head of Usopp's snow structure compared to the whole thing in the other versions. Nami suddenly reversing course after checking the Log Pose is also cut. 
• The live-action extended Zoro fighting against the 100 bounty hunters quite a bit. They added his inner-dialogue with the haunting of Mihaw and counting the exact number of enemies defeated. Most of the events in the manga and anime take place outside and on the rooftops of buildings. They immediately start using guns against him instead of the brawl depicted inside the bar.
• The fantastical elements of the Unluckies as messengers for the Baroque Works and Vivi's mountable duck were removed in the live-action version. Though, Vivi does mention about Karoo in the fourth episode and the messengers appear in the fifth episode. Surprisingly, the dessert vehicle was only in the live-action version.
• Mr. 8 uses his saxophone as a gun way more in the manga and anime. The live-action also didn't include the anime's moment where Mr. 8 tries to sail away as a decoy only to be immediately blown up. 
• The live-action version also added the entire subplot around discovering the bodies of Tulip pirates being moved. They were introduced much later in the manga on the cover of Chapter #151.
• The live-action forgoes the little kid used as a decoy before the Nun sprays the gas. The tactic doesn't faze Zoro in the manga or anime versions. 

The Little Garden Arc is a little longer with the 4th and 5th live-action episodes, Chapters #115 - 129 of the manga, and Episodes 70 - 77 of the anime. 

• Episodes 68 and 69 of the anime highlights the "Diary of Koby-Meppo" events on the cover of the manga. It tells a story of how Koby and Helmeppo cross over to the Grand Line under the leadership of "Garp the Fist" at headquarters. As little pertains to the Straw Hat pirates, the live version skips over most of this other than showing them in the earlier scene of the 3rd episode.
• The wildlife of Little Garden island was streamlined in the live-action version. The manga and anime had much more shown like a giant bird, sabre-tooth tiger, and living ammonite. Luffy actively swings around while fighting against a herd of brontosaurus, Sanji defeats a triceratops, and Zoro takes down a T-Rex. Luffy does not bring Vivi on top of the dinosaur. Nami and Usopp never leave the boat before meeting the giant and learn a little more about where they are after finding a book about the island.
• The live-action version changed quite a bit in the battle scenes. The manga and anime had one giant play an active role next to the wax cake scene and the other was not turned into wax. Usopp managed to melt the wax cake with a giant flame while Miss Valentine increased her weight while sitting on him. The live version changed this with her steadily increasing her weight as she punched him until ultimately cracking open the wax.
• Miss Goldenweek had entirely new scenes in the live version. Instead of luring the crew with fake wax figures and immediately placing them on the cake, an entirely new sequence was made where Miss Goldenweek played with their emotions and had them placed inside the white house. The first time she did anything in the manga was after drawing a trap on the ground while the crew was being turned into wax. Luffy was not ordered to walk into the water.  
• Mr. 3 was also changed. His house was much more elaborate than the block of wax in the manga. His weapon was real instead of made of wax. There was a scene where he creates a giant wax robot, and surprisingly Luffy was able to know immediately which wax figure wasn't real in both the anime and manga. 
• The live-action version squeezed the events with the giants into a single battle and had Broguy fall instead of Dorry. How the fight originally started was only shown in the manga and anime versions.
• The dialogue between Sanji and Mr. 0 on the Transponder Snail was altered slightly between all three versions. The live-action version does not include any internal monologue but does add new scenes where he finds reports with drawings the Unluckies made on Cactus Island. Sanji was able to fool Mr. 0 entirely in the anime and manga version. A giant pet crocodile instead of decal is shown too.

The Drum Island Arc has a lot of backstory, covering the last three live-action episodes, Chapters #130 - 154, and Episodes 78 - 91.

• The anime abbreviates the sequence of Smoker and Tashigi after bringing Mr. 11 back to their ship. The live version extends the snail phone interception at a communications outpost on Renaisse. While we know Miss Thursday was Mr. 11 partner, there was no appearance or mention of her abilities in the manga or anime.
• Only the live version shows King Wapol obtaining his Munch Munch Fruit powers. The anime and manga has him much more involved meeting the Straw Hats on his ship and various times on the island. He is seen eating all kinds of things whenever he is hungry such as the side of ships and buildings. He seems to turn his body with various weapons only in the live-action version, but he does transform into a giant factory and merge both his henchmen together in the anime. The warriors that attack the village in the live-action version is completely new and not in the manga.
• The live version skips over the span of the kingdom. There are actually several villages with people living normally like any other island. There is a Hiking Bear the villagers respect when he passes by. A number of animals are shown helping out villagers. There are a number of events that show Luffy passing by Lapin rabbits and army officers before he reaches the mountain. 
• A lot of events are accurately repeated in the live version but occur in different settings. Luffy and Vivi both bow at the villagers, but this happens on the boat when they are surrounded. Hiriluk gives his last stand in front of King Wapol outside in front of his castle, not inside the throne room. The two doctors converse on top of the bridge, not below it. The pirate flag is flown outside in front of the castle, instead of hanging high up in a room.
• Flashbacks of stories are selective depending on the medium. The anime alters the order in which they show Vivi with the mayor and the meeting of the government. The anime shows the gondola that the live version only mentions in passing. All of Chopper's backstory is shown in the anime from being shunned by his fellow reindeer, shot by humans, how Hiriluk treats him in the snow, and his trek to obtain the mushroom.
• Although the gold orbs were teased in the live-action version, the Rumble balls are shown in the battle for the anime and manga. There are minor details that were changed in the live-action version like how Nami received an IV drip of antibiotics instead of a shot. In the anime, Nami suggests he wears her outfit instead of Luffy just taking it without permission.

The soundtrack is pretty incredible with some unique songs playing at the end of episodes.