While Netflix’s “One Piece” takes Usopp and Kaya’s relationship a step further than fans may have expected, the creative decision has been met with little-to-no negative pushback. That’s because the two characters’ connection, which begins when Usopp starts telling Kaya certain tall tales in order to make her feel better while she’s sick, has long been viewed as a romantic one by fans. The fact that their romance had never been explicitly confirmed prior to the premiere of Netflix’s live-action “One Piece” adaptation didn’t stop many readers and viewers from viewing it through that lens, either.
As Redditor u/HfUfH bluntly put it online, “Their ship was basically an aircraft carrier[.] I see no issues with confirming it.” In the same Reddit thread, u/ TRI_Spaceman similarly wrote, “Usopp and Kaya’s relationship was pretty blatantly romantic even though they didn’t kiss in the manga, this [scene] just felt natural and was [a] nice cap-off to Usopp saying goodbye to Syrup Village to join the Straw Hat crew.” Generally, fans seem far more upset about the fact that the version of Usopp on Netflix’s “One Piece” doesn’t have the character’s signature long nose than they are about his undeniably noteworthy kiss with Kaya.
There have, in fact, been multiple Reddit posts about the show’s decision to give its iteration of Usopp a normal-sized nose. Ultimately, all those posts prove is that longtime fans of a property will almost always find certain things to criticize about even its most successful adaptations. That said, the “One Piece” creative team can rest easy knowing that Usopp and Kaya’s kiss hasn’t been received poorly by most of the show’s viewers.
