One Piece's Creator Is Totally Sold on Netflix's TV Series

It is hard to believe, but the time has come for One Piece to enter a new era. In the past month, headlines have honed in on One Piece as its manga and anime have dropped truly impressive updates. Now, it is Netflix's turn to surprise. The company is slated to bring One Piece to life shortly with a live-action TV series, and in a new letter, the manga's creator is throwing his full support behind the adaptation.

Over in Japan, subway lines across Tokyo have been lined with One Piece ads. In one station, a billboard can be found displaying a message from Eiichiro Oda himself. It is there the creator of One Piece hypes the long-awaited adaptation, and he wants the world to know.

"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," Oda shared (via sandman_ap).

"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. There is a trust between me and my fans, and I can't lie to them. You can't call something interesting if it isn't interesting. It lacks power and interest. It's not inspiring at all because it's not well prepared. First-time viewers won't find it appealing as it is now. There could be the worst case scenario."

Continuing, Oda went on to say that it fell to him to approve Netflix's TV show for release. The adaptation wasn't going to go live without his say-so, and Oda was happy to gift his seal of approval after years of hard work. "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," he explained.

Obviously, Hollywood's take on anime has not gone well in the past, but it has had moments of success. Netflix's One Piece hopes to turn those tides entirely with help from Oda himself. With a dedicated cast and a crew attached that loves One Piece, all the right ingredients are here for success. Now, we just have to wait until the drama drops on August 31st to see if One Piece sinks or swims.

What do you think about this latest comment by Oda? Will you be watching One Piece when it drops? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!