Netflix’s live-action One Piece series is on its way, with the Straw Hats setting sail in 2023. Netflix has released its first poster for the adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga, which has also been adapted into a popular anime series. With the One Piece creator’s involvement, the Netflix series is looking to be one of the first successful live-action adaptations of a high-selling manga.
Oda’s long-running manga series began in 1997, with the anime adaptation airing only two years later in 1999. Both series are still going strong well over two decades later. Thus, it comes as a surprise that One Piece had not received some form of live-action adaptation until now considering its immense popularity among anime fans. However, countless poor adaptations of other famous manga and anime series could have potentially been a factor in waiting this long to do a proper adaptation. With Oda’s involvement with the series, there is a good indication that Netflix’s One Piece show could succeed where others have failed.
What Eiichiro Oda’s Involvement Means For Netflix’s One Piece
Oda’s involvement in Netflix’s One Piece means a lot for the series, but a big part of his involvement is in the casting. While it may be hard for some One Piece fans to see new actors take up the mantles of their beloved Straw Hats, they can rest easy knowing that Eiichiro Oda had a hand in casting the lovable pirate crew for the Netflix series. While not the casting director himself, Oda has expressed his approval over the cast on Twitter and the direction that the series has taken as he has worked with the Netflix crew to keep the show on track. This gives the new cast some much-needed credibility as they jump into their portrayals of these iconic characters.
Another aspect of the show that Oda was involved in was the writing process. Series writer Matt Owens has been vocal about the One Piece manga author being involved in the writing process. According to one report from ComicBook, Oda has given the American staff many notes on the series’ outlines and scripts to keep the new adaptation in line with his vision. This is yet another strong indication that One Piece can break away from the trend of most live-action anime adaptations being lackluster.
Eiichiro Oda Separates Netflix’s One Piece From Other Anime Adaptations
Oda’s involvement in Netflix’s One Piece show sets the series apart from many failed Hollywood adaptations of other popular anime and manga before it. Most anime adaptations have either lacked the support of the original creator(s) or had very little involvement from them. Examples of this include the likes of Dragonball Evolution, Death Note, and Attack on Titan, which all failed to live up to their original source material due to a lack of creative involvement from their original creators. Netflix’s own Cowboy Bebop series was the most recent casualty of this trend, with Deadline reporting its original creator “couldn’t bear watching [it].”
Without hands-on involvement from their creators, many Hollywood anime adaptations have ultimately fallen flat, with only a few exceptions like 2019’s Alita: Battle Angel. Without direct involvement from their creators, many of these adaptations have simply failed to capture what made the anime or manga series beloved as they are by fans. Thankfully, Eiichiro Oda’s hand in Netflix’s One Piece is an indication that the Straw Hats will get the treatment they deserve as they jump into live-action for the first time.
