One Piece is undoubtedly one of the most iconic pieces of fiction in existence. While an astronomical number of fans are waiting to witness the day Luffy becomes the Pirate King, many anime fans who wish to enter the world of One Piece are held back only by its length.
Given that the series is nearing its end and the anime is more popular than ever, one question prevails. Can a One Piece Abridged version be possible? Let’s find out.
Surface Level Trimming
To create One Piece Abridged, the first step would involve removing all non-canon material that was not present in the manga. Over the course of its long run, the anime adaptation has incorporated filler episodes and arcs, which can be excised to streamline the story.
- All of this extra content would have to be indiscriminately removed, no matter the quality of it. While it might sound cruel, the preservation of canon material should be the top priority of an abridged version.
- Unofficial projects like One Pace have already demonstrated success in this regard, meticulously editing episodes to remove unnecessary recaps, repeated flashbacks, and other content that slows down the pacing (Long Ring Long Land arc?).
- These initiatives provide a blueprint for how an official abridged version could be approached, ensuring a more focused storytelling experience.
Shrinking Canon Material
In addition to eliminating non-canon material, shrinking the canon content itself would be necessary to create One Piece Abridged. One aspect that could benefit from reduction is the length of the series’ fights.
- While epic battles have become a signature of One Piece, they are occasionally drawn out to a truly frustrating degree, often repeating the same sets and frames of animation over and over again.
- By condensing fight sequences, removing excessive repetition, and focusing on the core narrative beats, an abridged version could maintain the excitement while moving the story forward more swiftly.
- Another consideration would be the exploration of insignificant side characters and their stories. Although Oda has a penchant for expanding the universe by delving into the lives of even minor characters, some of these detours can distract from the overarching narrative.
- In the One Piece Abridged version, trimming these secondary storylines to focus primarily on the core cast and their contributions to the main plot would help streamline the series without sacrificing its essence.
Potential Abridged Length
The length of One Piece Abridged would depend on the extent of trimming applied. By removing filler episodes and arcs, condensing fight sequences, and streamlining character-focused detours, it would be possible to significantly reduce the overall length of the series. Some arcs might even go down by several dozens of episodes.
However, it is important to note that the length of the abridged version should not compromise the coherence and depth of the story. Retaining Oda’s constant input and involvement in the creation process would be crucial to ensure that the essence of the original story is preserved and that the abridged version still captures the spirit of adventure, camaraderie, and exploration that defines One Piece. To that extent, Oda’s involvement is unavoidable.
Conclusion
Given that the end of the series is still a good five years away, which pushes the end of the anime even further back, we might not be getting a One Piece Abridged anytime soon. However, future fans who wish to experience the legendary tale of Monkey D. Luffy would benefit from a shorter, streamlined version or remake.