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When Netflix’sOne Pieceremake was announced by WIT Studio, the fans hoped that the anime, this time, would be aiming to be more faithful to the manga.
Most of the fans of the series are from the anime, and missing out on major moments was not the greatest of pleasures. Until now, it can be seen that the animation of One Piece is on with renewed vigor and that it seems to be faithful exactly to the manga.
Due to this, fans have been quick to compare it with Toei Animation’s original adaptation. One major point that is being discussed is how WIT Studio perfectly and faithfully recreates some of Oda’s most iconic manga panels, whereas Toei did not and took their own creative liberties.
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However, blaming Toei for their mistakes and the parts they overlooked is not really fair. Both the animation studios had drastically different circumstances, not even mention that there is a huge gap between Toei’s adaptation in 1999 and WIT’s in 2024.
When Toei first started animatingOne Piece, the series had yet to become the best-selling manga of all time. At that point, it was just another promising series that was going to get adapted into an anime.
The studio didn’t know how many people across the world, spanning many generations, would fall in love and go through the animation they were making. They hadn’t known which scenes would become legendary and impactful.
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Even if they did, they did not possess the resources like advanced animation technology to treat each panel as sacred and important. They were working under the constraints of the time, focusing on constant releases to adapt an ongoing series.
Comparing Toei to WIT is extremely unfair
Toei did its best and showed offwhat value it could bring to the table with the Wano Arc.One of the biggest advantages that the WIT Studio has over Toei is its production model, unlike the past days when continuous releases were their norm, quantity had to be dumped, and deadlines had to be met.
Modern anime studios, especially those adapting high-profile series likeAttack on TitanorVinland Saga, operate on aseasonal release schedule to bring out the best quality adaptationsand stay faithful to the source material.
It’s important to note that Toei has evolved significantly over the years. TheWanoarc was a testament to the studio’s ability to deliver high-quality animation when given the right resources.
In the Wano Arc, not only did Toei have the right equipment and technology for the adaptation, they had time and the best of the best working on it.The emotional impact of the arc, or the fight between Luffy and Kaido, was widely praised for its stunning visuals and fluid animation.
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By contrast, modern anime adaptations likeChainsaw Man,Attack on Titan, andJujutsu Kaisenhave changed audience expectations. But one has to remember that it has been more than two and a half decades and a lot has changed since the first episode ofOne Piecedropped.
One Pieceis available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Chandra Shekhar
Anime Writer
Articles Published :856
Chandra Shekhar is an Anime Writer at FandomWire with over 800 published articles under his belt. A law student by training but a storyteller at heart, he blends his sharp analysis with a deep love for all things anime. From the old-school Yu Yu Hakusho to the eldritch horrors of Lord of the Mysteries, his knowledge spans decades and genres. When he’s not writing, he’s likely buried in webnovels, silently hoping his favorite ones get the anime adaptation they deserve.
