'One Piece' Creator Reveals Why He Approved Hollywood's Live-Action Adaptation

Hollywood may not have the best record with anime, but the industry isn't keen on abandoning the medium any time soon. Over in Japan, anime and manga bring in billions of dollars thanks to their worldwide success, and Hollywood hopes to cash in on those stories. Last year, it was announced that One Piece is getting a live-action take from the US, and its creator just opened up about the surprising decision.

Recently, Eiichiro Oda spoke with reporter Katsuya Terada for a brief interview. The conversation saw Oda touch upon his current work on One Piece, and the artist took time to acknowledge its live-action plans.

According to translators, Oda said he's starting to wonder how many more years he can dedicate himself to One Piece. His uncertainty about such is the main reason he approved the live-action adaptation in the first place. Oda said he believes this is his "final opportunity" to make the project happen because of his waning stamina.

The creator still have plenty of story left to tell with One Piece, but Oda doesn't know if he would be able to work on its live-action plans if he got much older. The man admitted he probably wouldn't have the stamina to attend "complicated meetings with foreign" companies about the series in another 2-10 years, so he wants to get the process started now.

So far, there have been few details released about One Piece and its live-action plans. Fans are interested to know that Oda has sat in on meetings about the project, giving them hope the series will turn out for the better thanks to his involvement. Last December, fans were told the adaptation would begin by bringing the 'East Blue' saga to life. The arc is the very first one of the manga, and it introduces Monkey D. Luffy to the world as he begins rounding up his Straw Hat crew.

Aside from its story, fans have been left in the dark about the adaptation. The series was announced last fall when Tomorrow Studios confirmed it was working on the project. Producer Marty Adelstein is overseeing One Piece as its executive producer, but there is no word on when or where the adaptation will air.

Do you have hope in this One Piece project? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!