Netflix’s One Piece Execs Share an Insider Look at Casting the Series

The executives behind Netflix’s new One Piece series shared an inside look at their process for casting the new live-action outing for the franchise! First announced to be in the works some time ago, Shueisha, Netflix, and Tomorrow Studios are collaborating on a new live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s long running manga franchise. While the series has been coy about its production, fans were taken by surprise when Netflix finally announced the first five members of the cast filling out Monkey D. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats. But it was as tough of a process as you would think. 

Showrunner, Writer and Executive Producer Steven Maeda and Writer and Executive Producer Matt Owens opened up about finding the cast and shared an insider look at how it came together with, “We are so excited to set sail with this amazing and talented cast! Finding the right people to pull off the looks, emotions, and actions of the iconic Straw Hats was a long and challenging (and fun!) process,” They began before continuing with, “Much like the search for the One Piece itself. But we have finally found the perfect fits! They have already begun working very hard to bring these characters to life. You will come to know and love them just as much as their manga counterparts. All of us can’t wait to show you what we’ve come up with! Onward to adventure!”

Original series creator Eiichiro Oda also opened up about finding the new Straw Hats, “How many years has it been since it was announced, right? I know, I know! But rest assured we’ve been making steady progress all along!” Oda began. “It’s not easy when you’re working with people from different cultures! But it’s precisely that process that can yield something special! For now, we’re able to announce the main cast! Rather, we need to hurry and announce it or else it’ll be leaked, apparently! Hilarious, lol,” Oda continued. 

Praising the cast they’ve found so far, Oda says, “Their face, the size of their mouths and hands, their aura, the way they carry themselves, their voice, their acting skills, their height, the balance amongst the Straw Hat Crew, etc…! We decided on this cast after numerous discussions involving people around the world!!” With one final update, Oda had one final message to fans, “These are the people who will be our Straw Hat Pirates! It’ll take a bit more time to get this show done, but we’ll continue to do our best to deliver a show that we’re confident will be enjoyed by everyone around the world! Look forward to more updates in the future!”

How do you feel about the cast for Netflix’s new live-action One Piece series so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!