One Piece live-action fans hating Vivi's actress goes against the very message of the show

The One Piece live-action series has been embroiled in serious controversy recently with the announcement that Indian-British actress Charithra Chandran will play the beloved princess of Arabasta, Nefertari Vivi.

Although many have voiced their support for the casting decision, given Charithra’s proven track record in shows such as Bridgerton, a part of the fandom has displayed severe disappointment, believing that it is a forceful “race-swap” meant for the sake of including diversity.

One Piece is a series rooted in celebrating the differences between people and standing up against oppression and hate, making the negative responses to Charithra Chandran’s casting as Vivi contradictory to the series’ core themes.

Why Nefertari Vivi’s casting in the One Piece live-action deserves praise, and not hate

The One Piece live-action is a surprising hit that has resonated with viewers through its bold reimagining of Eiichiro Oda’s world. In a teaser for the show's upcoming second season, the fan-favorite Princess Vivi, played by Charithra Chandran, was revealed. However, there was a shocking amount of hate toward the decision.

The most common complaint amongst these viewers was that Vivi was notably light-skinned in the anime, while the anime went for a darker skin tone. Given that the general perception toward live-action remakes currently is negative due to complaints about race and gender swaps, the mob ended up attacking Charithra.

However, in an inspiring move, co-stars such as Emily Rudd and Rob Colletti, who play Nami and Wapol, voiced their support for her while also condemning the racist insults that were unjustly hurled.

musashi

@Suraj_Moretti

Vivi’s live-action actress (Charithra) is receiving racism and harassment.​It’s a shame that an anime like One Piece, whose whole theme is against racism, has fans who act like this 💔.

While it is too soon to tell how much justice Charthira Chandran will do to the role of Princess Vivi, fan reactions to her casting decision are entirely unfair, with most missing the mark of what One Piece stands for. Firstly, Oda is known for his close involvement in the live-action project and has picked Charithra himself for the role.

Additionally, Arabasta is a desert kingdom, making it entirely consistent for a resident to have a tanned skin tone. Although the anime chose a different route for Vivi’s design, Charithra as Vivi confirms that Oda believes her to be a canonical version of the character.

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Most importantly, every arc of One Piece preaches about standing against prejudice, choosing empathy over hatred, and showing compassion to people from all backgrounds. Luffy’s journey across the seas follows him forming a close bond with Fish-Men, Giants, Marines, and even notorious criminals, without caring about anything apart from the intention behind their actions.

These emotional and motivational themes make One Piece a big hit with a large fan base. As a result, hating Vivi’s live-action actor simply because she doesn’t look like the anime version, when close to nothing is known about how well she will play the role, goes against everything that Oda tries to convey through his story.

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