Netflix’s One Piece film did not return to the story in Loguetown after Gold Roger’s execution, in order to create an emotional and memorable ending.
Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation finally breaks the curse of previous anime adaptations, setting a new standard for bringing anime to life with real sets and real effects international. However, some changes had to be made, such as reducing some of the ambitious visual effects in the original One Piece anime and even skipping some scenes. All of this was done to maintain the series’ fast pace, even when having to cut out key scenes like Loguetown.
Loguetown only appeared once in the Netflix series One Piece as the site of the execution of pirate captain Gold Roger in an intro, while Loguetown was the location for a short storyline in the original anime. Longtime One Piece fans may not like to see such a short but memorable storyline disappear, but it’s good in many different ways. This helps the series stay focused and end on an emotional high, to continue making new fans eagerly await season 2.
What happened in the original Loguetown story arc?
In the original One Piece manga and anime series, the Loguetown storyline serves as the final storyline in the East Blue Saga. Although there are no decisive battles, this plot offers many small meanings that add up, making Loguetown a worthwhile plot, demonstrating the storytelling elements that make One Piece compelling.
In Loguetown, Monkey D. Luffy’s group of Straw Hat pirates explored the city at their leisure, each member getting something different from the adventure. Luffy went to the place where Gold Roger was executed, while swordsman Roronoa Zoro went to a sword shop and met Tashigi, a Navy officer. Additionally, Loguetown introduced and reintroduced notable villains, such as Buggy the Clown and Lady Alvida, who teamed up to defeat Luffy. And Admiral Smoker, who is trying to capture the Straw Hat pirates. The situation became dangerous until a sudden storm occurred, helping the Straw Hats escape danger. In the end, Luffy’s father, Monkey D. Dragon, helped the Straw Hats escape Loguetown.
Although there are no decisive battles and the world-building is not too complicated, the Loguetown plot achieves many indirect goals. It serves as a descending arc in the East Blue Saga, and introduces and teases characters such as Dragon, Smoker, and Tashigi, who would go on to appear in subsequent storylines such as Alabasta and Punk Hazard. Loguetown made fans feel that the world of One Piece was much larger and more dangerous than what was shown in East Blue, and sealed the end of this Saga, setting the stage for a war. Endless adventure on the Grand Line, where anything can happen.
Why did Netflix skip the Loguetown scene in One Piece?
The live-action One Piece series on Netflix shocked everyone when it was announced that the Loguetown storyline would be removed from the project. This decision was made due to budgetary issues and the film’s speed. This project required a large financial resource and a complex production process. Adding the Loguetown storyline would have extended the time and increased the budget, putting undue pressure on the production team. Therefore, the producer decided to remove this plot to ensure the project was still completed on schedule and did not exceed the initially determined budget.
However, removing the Loguetown storyline was not an easy decision. Loguetown is located in an important location in the story, marking the place where the Straw Hat pirates began their journey and where Luffy discovered the secret of his powerful father, Gol D. Roger. The producer explained that the goal of the project was to focus on the most important elements of the story and characters, while creating a neat and attractive version. This means that removing Loguetown will help focus on important battles like Arlong Park and important characters like Captain Kuro and Dracule Mihawk.
However, the removal of the Loguetown storyline is still controversial in the fan community. Some people believe that toning down important storylines like Loguetown would take away from the detail and complexity of the One Piece world. Finally, even though Loguetown does not appear in the live-action One Piece series on Netflix, fans still hope that the project will be successful and bring an interesting and memorable experience about the pirate world.