One Piece Creator Reveals How Long He Spent Perfecting His Live-Action Pitch

When it comes to One Piece, the franchise has grown a life all its own, and it is only thriving from here on out. If you did not know, the series is living a good life. These days, fans are all caught up in Luffy’s adventures as he travels Wano in an attempt to free the nation. Now, Netflix is ready to get work underway on its live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s story, and the creator has made it clear the project has been far from easy.

If you are new to One Piece or its live-action prospects, the whole thing dates back years. It was announced some time ago that Netflix was working on its take of One Piece, and Eiichiro Oda was the first to hype fans for the project. It was during the manga’s 20th anniversary that Oda spoke about the issues in adapting his story for live-action, but he said those stresses eased after finding the right partner.

“I received numerous offers for live-action adaptations of One Piece. Three years ago, I finally decided to take a step forward on a live-action adaptation,” the artist said.

“After twists and turns, I met the right partner,” Oda continued. “The first condition I presented [to the team] is that the live-action [show] will be faithful to the fans who have supported One Piece for 20 years. I expect to hear worries from fans, but more than that, I’m looking forward to hearing the excitement.”

Even at this time, Oda knew there would be pushback against the One Piece live-action adaptation, and he was right. Anime doesn’t have the best reputation with Hollywood, and global live-action adaptations have been hit or miss. Now, it seems Netflix is ready to get to work as the show’s official logo was shared weeks ago. So if fans are lucky, we will learn the actor who is playing Luffy before much longer!

What do you think of Oda’s live-action troubles? Do you share his faith in Netflix’s adaptation of One Piece? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.