This episode is all about one scene, right at the end. It's a famous scene from the anime, and I take the point that there are other ways it could have been played in the live action.
But this isn't the anime, it's a condensed version of it, made for binge watching, and necessarily a little louder and quicker.
So what I'm basing my rating on here is that I went into this show with no knowledge of the source, bringing a lot of cynicism for Netflix adaptations, and primed to not like it.
And in episode 1, I very nearly bailed. I found Luffy to be overly trite, and Nami was introduced as a Rey-style cocky, independent, self-assured grrlboss with nowhere for either character to go.
Wow, was I wrong. Over the episodes, we got backstory, motivation, development, examination, deconstruction, and interactions that led to a beautifully acted, character based payoff that left me in floods of tears.
That's a very rare thing, and even more remarkable in a show that initially promises nothing more than fantastical pirates. I never expected this much depth or nuance, and it was a very welcome surprise indeed.
