One Piecehas so much non-canonical material in its vast amount of content that it only makes sense for it to be reused.TheOne Pieceanime has lasted for twenty-five yearsand counting, making it notorious for its over 1,100 episode run, not to mention the numerous film adaptations and games the show has received. However,One Piece Odysseyestablished that not only could side quests and stories within theOne Piececanon be adapted into a video game, these adaptations could also receive a positive reception.
One Piece Odysseyis a turn-based RPG featuring the Straw Hat Pirates and their fearless Captain Monkey D. Luffy. Taking place post-time-skip, the game follows a completely new story, yet stops at side quests that retell certain story arcs throughout the show. For example, the World of Memories sequences allow the Straw Hats to revisit past mistakes and memories in the anime, such as the Alabasta arc, the Water Seven arc, the Marineford arc, and the Dressrosa arc. It’s easy to identify how these specific arcs intertwine with the personal feelings of specific Straw Hats, like Luffy and Marineford.
One Piece Odyssey Changes the Game
One Piece Odyssey’s strong story was a selling pointas it not only references iconic parts of the show, but treats the game’s story as though it itself were a canon arc inOne Piece. Since the game was received warmly overall, game developers can now feel more secure when experimenting and developing the anime’s non-canonical material, which has largely been untapped.
It’s best to confirm what parts ofOne Piecearen’t canon. Firstly, none ofthe existingOne Piecegamesare canon. Sure, these adaptations of the anime may feature important characters and plot points from the show, but none of the new characters or plot points introduced by the games have any impact on the mainline canon. The most memorable non-canon entries inOne Pieceare its many film adaptations. There are currently fifteen movies tied to theOne Piecename, with ten non-canonical entries, four canonical entries, andOne Piece Film: Red,which still lies in murky territory. These ten films are the best stories for game developers to pick apart, as they are the most widely accessible pieces of non-canonicalOne Piececontent.
The ten non-canonicalOne Piecefilms in chronological order are:
Declaringwhat the “best” non-canonicalOne Piecefilm iswould be impossible, as the decision would be made largely on opinion rather than concrete fact. Nevertheless, fan sentiment and critical rankings ofOne Piecefilms provide a sense of which might have the best shot at a game adaptation.
Spoilers for the non-canon films and One Piece: Red ahead.
Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island
One of the most popular non-canon films isBaron Omatsuri and the Secret Island. Considered one of the darkest pieces ofOne Piecemedia, the story’s twisted interpretation of its source material makes it distinct from the rest of the franchise. All the Straw Hats, minus Luffy, are fed to a monstrous flower, with the captain left to hear that his crew has been killed off one-by-one. While the story ofBaron Omatsuriis incredibly dark, interesting, and thought-provoking, it is notoriously terrifying and has even gained a reputation as the"One Piecehorror film.” Unless developers were willing to take a risky leap,Baron Omatsuriprobably won’t receive a video game adaptation as it would terrify youngerOne Piecefans.
Adaptations ofDead End AdventureandThe Cursed Holy Swordcould be combined to see the Straw Hat Pirates facing off against marines and ex-marines. The same could be done with theChopper-centric films likeBloom in the WinterandStrange Animal Island, featuring cozier game play to diversify the lineup ofOne Piecegames. Of course, straight adaptations of these films could work with gamers playing as the Straw Hats as they face the titularGiant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle. There’s always the option to retell a story, the same wayThe Desert Princess and the Piratesretold the Alabasta arc.
One Piece Film: Red
However,One Piece Film: Redcould take the cake as the best piece of media to adapt into a video game. As mentioned previously, the canonical status ofRedis still up for debate.Uta, the adoptive musical daughter of Red Haired Shanks, is officially considered canon, confirmed by her introductory episodes in the anime and her appearance in manga chapter 1055. Yet, the events of the movie have never been addressed in the anime or the manga.
Despite this and recency bias, Uta has already become quite a fan favorite, largely due to heavy marketing including a YouTube channel and original songs. The ability to play as Uta in aOne Piecegame could draw in players, making Uta and her story one of the best non-canonical pieces ofOne Piecemedia to adapt into a video game.
One Piece Odyssey
WHERE TO PLAY
A new RPG from the hugely popular manga and anime series ONE PIECE, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the series!The famed pirate, Monkey.D.Luffy, better known as Straw Hat Luffy, and his crew the Straw Hat Pirates, are sailing across the New World in search of the next island and the next adventure that awaits them.But during their voyage they are caught in a storm and shipwrecked. They find themselves washed up on a lush tropical island surrounded by constantly raging storms…Separated from his crew, Luffy sets off on a grand, new adventure to find his friends and escape the island!Dangerous new enemies, terrifying forces of nature, and more await them!Play as various members of the Straw Hat Pirates in a classic RPG set in the world of the popular ONE PIECE anime!
