One Piece Remake Exec Explains How They Redesigned the Straw Hats

The One Piece's character designer opened up about the Straw Hats' design process

By Nick Valdez

The One Piece is a new remake anime series now in the works from Wit Studio, and the character designer behind the new anime explained how they went about redesigning each member of the Straw Hats for the new series. One Piece recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with the announcement that it was starting a new anime project adapting Eiichiro Oda's original manga from the very beginning. This new anime is setting out to be a much different experience than the original, and will have a whole new studio and team behind it all as they ready for its release on Netflix in the future. 

The One Piece will feature Kyoji Asano as the character designer behind the remake, and during a special presentation during One Piece Day 2024 earlier this month, Asano opened up about his process in taking on the new designs for the Straw Hats. First starting with, When I was given the task to create the design, I thought I had to input Oda-sensei's way of drawing. I was determined to 'become' Oda-sensei and shut myself in for two months." Before eventually deciding on how they would look for the remake. 

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(Photo:

Concept art for Wit Studio's The One Piece remake anime

- WIT Studio / Shueisha)

The One Piece's New Straw Hat Designs

"I had to possess him in myself. So for this two months, I was determined to just draw One Piece which was why I shut myself in," Asano continud. "I've done this with other works, but you just lock yourself in a room and start off with reproduction of art. You just reproduce the art and take it in." But it turns out that the team also had to figure out which era of Oda's art that they wanted to capture for the new remake anime series as well. 

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"With One Piece continuously being published for 25 years, the drawing style of Oda-sensei changes too," Asano explained. "There was a task of choosing which type of One Piece drawings we had to stick with for The One Piece. I thought it I could take the drawing types into my head, I would manage it. There were times I was worried if we could even start."

The One Piece currently has no release window or date from the time of this publication, but will be streaming worldwide with Netflix when it finally premieres. Netflix teases their new take on the classic franchise as such, "Produced by the renowned WIT Studio (SPY x FAMILY, Seasons 1-3 of Attack on Titan) in collaboration with Shueisha, Fuji Television Network, and Toei Animation Co., THE ONE PIECE hopes to provide viewers with a fresh yet familiar experience, utilizing cutting-edge visual technology to reimagine Luffy's adventures through the beloved East Blue Saga."

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