May 5, 2024

One Piece Live Action Still

People have been skeptical about the much talked about the development of the One Piece live action adaptation that Netflix will be bringing to screens, and much has been said about the possibility of all of it going wrong considering the history of the live action action adaptations of iconic anime. However, it seems that the One Piece adaptation is headed to a new direction because the original creator of the manga series, Eiichiro Oda has given a glowing statement of approval for the upcoming series. 

What Does The Creator Think of Netflix One Piece Adaptation?

Oda’s Wall of Messages

The One Piece live action adaptation from the still-ongoing manga will star Inaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, and Emily Rudd as Nami. Developed by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda for Netflix, the series will be premiering on August 31, 2023. With the constant lukewarm response to live action adaptations as seen in the case of Death Note, Cowboy Bebop and a few others – with the creator of the second being so disappointed that he refused to watch it – the general mistrust around the production is not uncommon, and definitely not unexpected.

However, Oda has shared his opinion regarding the same, asserting that he had never believed that One Piece could ever be adapted into live action, but he has been extremely  surprised and impressed by Netflix and everyone behind this show. Oda wrote in a long message, translated by a Twitter user,

“The requirement for choosing a Straw Hat crewmate is not strength. Luffy knows what is important. I used to think it was impossible to make a live-action, but with today’s technology, it can be done. We must express the cruelty of the wide ocean. We just have to aim for an unprecedented blockbuster hit. Believe in the story. Focus on whether it is interesting rather than on film technique …

It’s very interesting, but you can make it more interesting. Words with no sense of will are unnecessary. The action is much more powerful. I’m glad the staff understands the characters. The TV drama is becoming good enough to be released to the public. It is many times better than I imagined. I was surprised that my Luffy, whom I thought did not exist, exists in this world. It created an impression that only live-action could do. I am happy to see the love for One Piece scattered in every corner of the screen.”

We have to wait till August 31 to see if Oda is right about the movie, and form our opinions. If you have any questions regarding One Piece, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!