LEGO One Piece Review
You know what I love? LEGO! I’ve been a fan of LEGO ever since my parents bought me LEGO ISLAND when I was a little boy, and I have seen many amazing themes over the years. BIONICLE, Star Wars, Ninjago, Monkie Kid, and more. But I thin one of the most recent themes that I’ve enjoyed seeing has been One Piece. Based on the Live-Action Netflix adaptation of the legendary anime, the Netflix series has been a surprising hit for both newcomers and longtime fans alike. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Netflix and LEGO teamed up to make us a two-part special. The result was something that I enjoyed just as much as I thought as I thought I would. And I thought that I would enjoy it a lot.
One Piece, But With LEGO
The framing of this two-part special is that Usopp is telling Chopper about the adventures the Straw Hat Pirates had before they met Chopper. Well, it’s more like Usopp is trying to tell the story in a way that makes him look cool. Because if there’s one thing that Usopp is known for besides being a master marksman, it’s telling tall tales. Though tall tales seem like a bit of a stretch in this case, as it should be noted that the LA Netflix series tends to tone down the more outrageous aspects of its cast. It’s less Netflix trying to make the story feel more grounded, and more about them accepting the fact that there were things from the series that are physically impossible to recreate. So, even when Usopp is embellishing the Straw Hats’ adventures, it’s not by much.
The good news about being animated like its anime counterpart, One Piece is able to unleash its full creativity in LEGO form. And considering how good LEGO has gotten with these stop-motion-inspired specials over the years, it’s safe to say that our heroes were in good hands. As an added bonus, the softer and lighter tone that LEGO naturally brings to the field means that the series can more fully indulge in the comedic aspects that are a big part of the franchise. This aspect becomes more noticeable if you watch in Japanese. The seiyuu sound far more energetic compared to when they’re dubbing the live action. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, it feels like a good cure for the withdrawal fans are feeling since the anime is on break until next year.
This was good stuff
The best way I can summarize these specials was put by someone from Gizmodo in his review: it’s like looking at how YouTubers like to abridge series, such as the famous TeamFourStar with DBZ Abridged. It keeps the general story beats intact but makes them funnier for the sake of entertainment. Which isn’t that hard, because, again, One Piece is an inherently funny series. Still, it did surprise me that LEGO would agree to make these specials. One Piece is already famous around the world, but the Star Wars shows and specials gave me the impression that they only did this with themes that are super popular. Then again, I’m pretty sure a big part of the reasons the sets have sold so well is because of the established fan base. Not that I’m complaining. I want more LEGO One Piece, and for LEGO to try their hands with more anime.
Which reminds me…
WE ARE GETTING A LEGO DRAGON BALL SET
This is not a joke. This is not a fake or something made by some AI prompt. There is, in fact, going to be a LEGO Dragon Ball set coming in November. The fact that cast members from Dragon Ball as well as the big anime fans out there were reacting to this pretty much confirmed it. I don’t know if I’m going to get it for myself as I already have an abundance of LEGOs in my house, but I think it would make a good stocking stuffer for Christmas this year. If it does well enough, maybe we’ll get more!
