Key Takeaways:
– The One Piece Ice Show starred famed retired Japanese figure skater, Marin Honda as Vivi.
– Honda started her skating career at two and retired in 2024, soon after she was cast in the anime-inspired ice show.
– The 2023 One Piece Ice Show was a tremendous hit, which led to its second run in September 2024.
– Despite her retirement from professional skating, Honda enthusiastically reprised her role as Vivi in the second run.
Marin Honda Blazes on Ice as Princess Vivi in Successful One Piece Ice Show
Marin Honda, the retired figure skater, wowed fans in her role as Nefertari Vivi in the 2023 One Piece Ice Show. While ice shows typically feature musical or dramatic performances on ice, this rendition of “One Piece” brought Eiichiro Oda's manga series to life in an innovative ice-skating production. Adapted from the Alabasta Arc, it was well-received by eager fans, leading to its return in September 2024.
Honda's Journey from Championship Ice to Anime-Inspired Ice Show
Honda's skating career took off when she was just two years old. It's rather incredible that, at a period when most children her age were causing chaos, she was already beginning her journey in the ice skating world. From first appearing in the ISE Junior Grand Prix in 2015-16, Honda managed to bag the gold in her second JGP season despite missing the title the first time by a mere 8.06 points. She retired from professional skating early in 2024 but stayed true to her love for performance by stepping into the role of Vivi.
Honda's Commitment to her Character Shines Through
Honda's commitment to her role was undeniable. She went above and beyond to depict Vivi as a caring, selfless character who prioritizes her friends' well-being over her own, despite her own insecurities about whether she would be able to portray the princess accurately. Honda put everything into her performance so that audiences saw her as Vivi, not as Marin Honda, the figure skater. Evidently, her performance in 2023 was well-loved as she was asked to return for the second show in 2024.
Champion Skater Returns to Rerun of Alabasta Arc
Fans were thrilled when the official account of the One Piece series announced the Ice show's second run in April 2024. The second run, however, was not a new chapter, but rather a rerun of the popular Alabasta Arc. Even so, Honda was just as excited to reprise her role in the revered animated show turned ice skating spectacle. It's a testament to the show's popularity that a skating champion like Honda was keen to join the cast. And whether Eiichiro Oda knew about this incredibly significant casting decision, fans can only speculate.
Fans can continue to enjoy One Piece in various forms, whether it's the manga on Viz Media or the anime streaming on Crunchyroll. With such enthusiasm from the cast and continued love from the fans, it's not surprising that One Piece remains one of the leading titles in the Shonen genre. All eyes are now on what more the One Piece franchise has in store. With the extraordinary adaptation onto ice, who knows what platform or performance style One Piece could take on next? Just as Honda said, as long as people want to watch, the show will go on.
