For those who don't know that's a reference to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Swedish novel. Worth a read but after they kept the series going past the author's death due to an explosion of popularity it became unabashed shit.
Buggy's providing navigation for the Straw Hats, somewhat poorly given he apparently meant the other starboard. With this depiction that could be being deliberately difficult rather than stupid, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Usopp lets himself be intimidated by a severed head and Zoro comes up to threaten the clown. Apparently Buggy's been reading the thread but he opts to give a shanty concluding in a review of Nami's ass rather than her tits. Given the age gap there should be there it comes off a bit creepy. I smell a Netflix decision.
Sanji's teaching Luffy fishing as a poor metaphor. Sanji at least is consistent with basically assuming a woman can do no wrong and Zoro continues to treat him as the waiter while telling him to belt up. Sanji works in the "mosshead" insult and the subs leave it out because no matter how well some people are trying others need shouting at. Luffy at least is in character with the attitude that whatever her choices are he needs to know that for himself.
Title card this week is Nami themed and we get to see young Nai and Nojiko. It's okayish. They make pinwheels out of tangerine skin and...oh no. Bell-mère is on screen and this does not look like the source material. I can't put my finger on it but it feels low energy, though this of course is whimsical slow-mo flashback land. We cut from a family game of cards to Nami in the current time gambling with the fishmen. She's accused of cheating after winning a hand, which of course she is later confirmed to have. Nice scene, Nami around them with the confident attitude works and it's a humanising element to them thus far.
And Arlong Park is a park. Hence the swimming pool, various attractions including shooting galley stands, Shark Attack" and similar. Having it be an abandoned resort could work as a change if it is worked into the plot but unless I have blocked it from my mind that never is mentioned. Buggy's body is one of the prizes hanging on the wall alongside cuddly toy and that is funny at least.
Inside the main building is the map room, complete with child sized manacles. Nami traces the charts and we get a flashback to child her leafing through a book of them, the rest of her family come home and her mother catches her with the book and confirms it was stolen. We get a bit of character building here and with Bell-mère bragging about having day old biscuits about the financial situation and bless them, they keep up the stuff about Nami being bitter about being poor and throwing the "not a real family" line. I don't like the fact that Nojiko here is basically a non-entity, in the manga she gave as good as she got in those arguments and felt a lot more real. They also ditched Genzo being the one trying to rein both her and the rest of the family in as well as the fact that he paid for the book, he's not even in the scene.
We now fit in the flashback of Bell-mère finding the two girls while still a Marine. Again rather than go with what the original had, her turning up at the island still in Marine attire and passing the children off to Genzo to get a doctor while refusing medical treatment we're just largely told she was injured as she finds them. Large amounts of blood even on clothing is apparently a no-no.
Back to present day Arlong interrupts Nami's reminiscence and praises her work documenting Marine locations in East Blue. It's a decent scene, especially so when you know he's screwing her over. Arlong waxes about how he's going to lead a fishman takeover of the seas, crushing the Marines as he goes which in the manga would have seemed possible because we still knew little about them at the time but here seems plausible because they come across as not especially threatening. Garp's early introduction makes them seem weak and ineffectual.
Arlong waxes on about humans as animals that have grow wild and need to be brought under control, with a not at all subtle hint that he includes Nami in that. The actress does sell a very Nami like attitude in this and Arlong's actor comes closer than ever in his laugh to that one. He then really doubles down the asshole behaviour by telling her to go get the tribute from Coco village, ignoring her objections. It's a short but good scene for both.
Garp at the Baratie. Okay. Fishman maitre de is just having the worst few days. Helmeppo drops in another nice reminder that Morgan was a shoddy parent, apparently he dined at this place all the time but never took his son. Garp and Zeff have an exchange where he fails to make a convincing sell that he knows nothing about Luffy but does offer some steak to Garp which he accepts as the stalling tactic it is.
Straw Hat crew make it to Coco village, completely with reasonably good flipped house. Buggy's commentary is not wanted here, kills some decent tension. The villagers are gathered collecting the funds, we finally get Genzo on screen and Nami rocks up to collect. Having the crew here at this point is going to hurt everyone's depiction I am sure. A lot of this part is out of order, has characters present at events they were not previously and is skipping some great scenes of the original. It's hard to say who got screwed the worst in the adaptation, Usopp or Nami.
In this version at least in this episode Nojiko either does not know or is playing along with Nami's plan given she's just as unhappy to see her as the rest. And she has a broad accent (South African I believe) which no-one else in the village has and is really off-putting. I know as an orphan she could have acquired it before being taken in but it feels wrong.
Finally a flashback to Genzo. He's benevolently taking the book from Nami and asking her never to steal again while saying she's not a bad kid. I miss the man who yelled at everyone involved in that family but no time for that, the Arlong pirates are here. While Arlong flipping the house is a decent scene all the fight in the village happens here, not later on in the exchange. Back in current time Nami takes the cash off Genzo while telling him if they lack the money they need to find it.
She goes to tell the Straw Hats to shove off, admitting she stole the map for Arlong and Luffy does not believe the answer. Actress does okay as she left, managing the look of someone holding it together but getting close to her limit at this point. Problem is unlike the manga where she goes home and trashes the house she never gets as good a release in this.
Sanji: "You don't know women, they never say what they mean." I give the writers some credit, Sanji's double standards are done very well. Usopp however has swallowed the lie and is sold that Nami is the villain. Luffy has his doubts and calls out to...scar guy. I missed this up till now but Genzo's pin wheel is completely gone. I know they shifted it to be a thing Nami's family made from tangerine peel but given that was the first thing Luffy noted about him in the manga hearing him call Genzo scar-guy sucks. Though not as much as Zoro claiming they're pirate hunters and Luffy not correcting him, though insistent they want to talk with Nami. Genzo's not impressed with them but sends them the way of Nojiko's home so that suggests he's still got hope these are people that could help.
Oh look, Nojiko's come out with a rifle. Remember how it was a big thing in the manga that the villagers were not allowed weapons because Arlong treated it as a sign of rebellious intent? Fuck that, just wave them in the face of anyone who knocks on your door. At least Nojiko provides a review of her sister as a shameless crook and dear Lord, Sanji is going to talk their way in. Sorry Usopp, Nami got your scenes with Kaya and looks like blondie is going to get the crew this plot dump. At least Sanji plays to his strengths by offering food.
Speaking off back to Garp going through some T-Bones while Koby and Helmeppo look on with horror. Bogard (the name was anime only but he's in the manga and has been here the whole time, he's just done very little) remarks that this sight is worse in a curry house. Problem is we then got a wider shot as Zeff joins him at the table with a bottle and it's nowhere near as bad as it could be. Quite literally all they needed were some mostly empty plates with bones on to sell the scene but no, just one plate. Effort, you lazy swine. Zeff bitches about the food on Marine vessels (brig of course) and Garp indicates for the cadets to fuck off while he talks shop for real. Bogard actually gets an exchange here noting Zeff's on the right side of the law to which Zeff dismisses the side debate instead saying it was time to stop and he instead he has chosen to accept the rise of the new generation. Garp dismisses that while Zeff makes an aging metaphor using the wine, sipping lightly to which the Vice Admiral replies by downing his and saying he could just serve whiskey instead. It's a good scene, I could have bought it in the manga though I'd have wanted it to feel more over the top on Garp's dining habits.
Arlong Park at night, shitty music playing, someone's in the pool with a rubber ring and I wish they had said something about it being like an abandoned tourist resort or something. Choo shows off his spitting skills with a torch and a bottle of spirits while Nami rocks up to a cheerful Arlong to try to talk about Coco village but they are interrupted by Captain Nezumi, silly ears on his hat and all. He's here to talk about recent reports of fishmen causing trouble to which Nami opens the box of taxes she's gotten from the villagers and Arlong passes forwards a handful of notes at the Marine. Nezumi's pushing for more this time though. Unsurprisingly Arlong is not pleased and invites them inside to discuss business, asking Nami to join them.
Back at Nojiko's dinner is served and Sanji is smug to have a satisfied customer even as he presses for information. Flashback time as the children are hidden while Bell-mère
bursts through the door as Arlong knocks on it and shoves the rifle down his throat waits for him to force his way in as he absently shoves the rifle up and away from him. You didn't think we'd actually get an impressive scene for a woman kept in this did you, progressive Netflix is not into that shit. Turning over the 100,000 Berry for an adult to Arlong at this point the extra places at the table are noted. Unsurprisingly Genzo does not play a role here trying to help cover but at least they keep Bell-mère admitting to the existence of her daughters. There's also a weird scene clip where Arlong seizes her throat then as the children emerge from their hiding place between cuts he lets her go.
Child Nojiko gets next to no dialogue. I bet the actress lacks the accent of the adult actress so was told not to talk because it would seem weird.
Parental death without even showing the bullet into the skull. What rating is this?
Back in the present the Straw Hats are processing this story. Usopp states the obvious surprise that Nami would work for the fellow that killed her mother while Luffy goes for a sulk on the roof while Zoro follows to sit with him. Pretty cute set, the tangerine grove is neat. Zoro points out Nami told them to leave to which Luffy's response is the swordsman told him the same while hanging from a cross. The captain's attitude is he has made the right call with every crew member (Zoro continues to doubt the choice of the waiter) and believes he is still right with Nami.
At the Arlong/Nezumi price negotiation continue and it's time for an overly wrought attempt by Arlong to act the victim because of his species. Now while Arlong is the person claiming that enslavement of the fishmen is a World Government policy here and he is a biased source Nezumi confirms it. So either he has no clue that slavery was not a fishman only issue (possible, East Blue is a less informed section of the world) or they made a shitty change to pretend that only fishmen were enslaved because they're trying to make a shit metaphor about American history. Given this is Netflix I know where my money goes. The dialogue only supports it but at least we get a Jinbe name drop, much to Arlong's annoyance.
Arlong basically guilts Nezumi into accepting the usual price because "racism." I do love Arlong throwing the "you're smarter than people give you credit for" line Nezumi used on him back in his face. As the Marines leave Nami asks about the village again and Arlong confirms as long as he has full payment no problems. As Nami heads out Arlong sends Kuroobi to call Nezumi back, with anime/manga fans already knowing why.
Koby and Helmeppo are drinking and purple hair spills the truth about Luffy and Garp's relationship. We see some element of how Helmeppo thinks Garp is, believing his is more of an absolute justice type with no acceptance of anyone breaking the laws. While they talk about Luffy the bartender spills the beans for a price about him and where he is going. Meanwhile Zeff is telling Garp stories about his pirating days including a Jaya name drop while discussing fighting a wild boar. Naturally the conclusion is "and then I ate it" because he knows his audience. While Garp looks like he's falling for it he then brings it back around to a hunting metaphor. Zeff goes for the big guns and compares Luffy to Gold Roger (yes, this show is call him Gold not Gol D. )Luckily they are interrupted by the cadets with their news. While the exchange between Zeff and Garp has been and remains good it still suffers from this terrible attempt to make this seem like Garp's main concern is keeping his grandson in the safe confines of East Blue. It's not, at this point of the plot at least he doesn't want Luffy out and about because, as demonstrated by Smoker, as soon as he crosses paths with a serious member of the Marines he'll lose and likely get executed. Which the live action fails to really make clear despite Garp mentioning how Roger went.
Buggy is fucking with Usopp as he prepares his smoke stars. Credit to him, messing with Usopp while noting he poses no threat to fishmen is suitable. Sanji gags him a tangerine.
Elsewhere Nami is digging up Bell-mère's grave and yep, Nojiko is not in on the truth because we get the reveal now. For those who forgot child Nami got Arlong to agree she could buy the village. Flashback there shows off her ability to draw charts and Arlong acknowledging her worth. Present day Nami confirms she has the cash and I really dislike them changing it to craw in Nojiko finding out about it just now. It weakens her relationship with someone who should have known her well enough to have picked up on this over the years. Luckily here comes Nezumi to interrupt things and confiscate the loot. The reveal and theft of her money is crammed into less than five minutes and Nami sprints for Arlong Park where the current owner is giving a "fishmen are the rightful owners of the seas" address. It's delivered well honestly though I do wonder if he does this every night. Also as a fine source material refence he blames this on their leaders, even specifically mentioning efforts towards peace and unity. My main objection is he is talking about leading them to the Grand Line proper which is not in the manga unless I misremember. Seizing East Blue should have been stakes high enough and, given Arlong knows about Jinbe and others, should never have been on the agenda. Any of the current run of Warlords could handle his entire crew as an annoyance and while I could see Arlong pretending they were going further it feels more like Netflix trying to do the same thing as with Garp. Make things feel bigger than they need to be, he's already planning to do the equivalent of seizing a country (like the next big villain Crocodile in that regard) and going further plays down the scale of what is to come.
Nami halts her sprint before reaching Arlong Park...damnit. I already mentioned this up thread but I hate this a lot so will repeat it. They do a massive amount of things out of order and so they lose their impact. At this point she is meant to be running to stop the attack on the village but she stops part way. I think this is supposed to be her unable to run any further but apparently neither the actress nor the script were told.
Most of the last few scenes have happened at night by the way unlike the manga. I don't know if it's a set saving thing making it harder to see but it's distracting.
Nami picks now to have her breakdown where she stabs at her Arlong tattoo. I've said "unlike the manga" too much at this point so fuck it, here's the relevant chapter.
This is not occurring in the village. It is not after any of the revelations in the manga. Let's go.
She stabs at her arm, whatever rating their are currently on means blood is bad so it's pathetic but at least Luffy grabs her hand to stop her.
Looking up to him she turns away at first, eventually dropping the knife as she tells him to leave. They add a musical sting because neither of the two performers is good enough to sell this but honestly I think Nami does better as she asks "help me" finally.
"Of course I will" he says after giving her his hat. Still sucks because he says it/ As the chapter shows he gives her the hat, walks away and then bellows agreement. This live action version has him agree, delay, repeat that he will, delay again and then finally then yell it. You do not write better than Oda, you do not storyboard better than the anime lot Netflix. Get sacked.
I wish I knew which musical sting they were trying to use as he walks to the rest of the crew. It feels like another Netflix one, as though it's something I should know. It does not feel like One Piece especially since they had an excellent choice of music for this point. Of course given their dramatic advance to Arlong is immediately stopped because the village is being attacked is the cherry atop this sundae of fail.
Despite claiming they are going to wipe out the village the fishmen do not do so. Spoiler for next episode but given the current one tried to make a big deal out of it I might as well note that now.
