In a statement posted on Netflix's Twitter account, One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda acknowledged the challenges and cultural differences that have arisen during the production process, noting that, "we have different codes, skill sets, and aims." Oda expressed his concerns, stating that it seemed like everyone was trying to reach the same destination, but they were not on the same wavelength. Nonetheless, with the series in its final stages, Oda revealed that Netflix had committed to only launch the series when he is satisfied with the outcome.
Weekly Shōnen Jump's Live-Action One Piece Plans
The announcement of the live-action adaptation of One Piece was made in 2017 as part of the manga series' 20th anniversary celebration, in collaboration with Shuisha, Tomorrow Studios, and Netflix. Oda will serve as the executive producer of the show, while Matt Owens and Steven Maeda will be the showrunners, writers, and executive producers.
One Piece's Live-Action Cast
The cast of the live-action series includes Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, Taz Skylar as Sanji, and Peter Gadiot as Shanks.
One Piece's History in Weekly Shōnen Jump
One Piece has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since 1997 and is one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies in circulation as of August 2022. The manga has inspired a highly successful ongoing anime series and fourteen animated theatrical films. Its latest film, One Piece Film: Red, broke box office records and became the fifth highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. Despite its enormous popularity, this is the first time in its 26-year legacy that a live-action series has been produced.
The eight-episode One Piece live-action series is set to air on Netflix in 2023.
