One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda ‘very, very happy’ with Netflix live-action adaptation – manga artist chose Hollywood for its high production values

‘The biggest challenge for me was not to disappoint the expectations of existing One Piece fans,’ says manga artist Eiichiro Oda of the new Netflix show

After years of saying no to Japanese offers to make a live-action series, he decided ‘Hollywood would be able to do justice to the world that I had drawn’

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Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, Emily Rudd as Nami, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy and Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro in “One Piece”. Eiichiro Oda, the artist of the manga orignal, is very pleased with Netflix’s live- action adaptation. Photo: courtesy of Netflix

Published: 7:15pm, 6 Sep 2023Updated: 8:33pm, 6 Sep 2023

Manga and anime fans all over the world have been waiting for this day for a long time: the legendary pirate adventure One Piece by the Japanese manga artist Eiichiro Oda – the bestselling manga series of all time – has been adapted by Netflix into a live- action show.

“The biggest challenge for me was not to disappoint the expectations of existing One Piece fans,” Oda said ahead of the show’s launch.

The most important thing was that the show’s characters made the same impression as the ones loved by fans of the manga series, which started in 1997, he said. “And I think we’ve managed to do that.”

Launched on Netflix at the end of August, One Piece is an adventure that takes place on the high seas in a fictional world.

From left, Emily Rudd as Nami, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy and Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro in “One Piece”. Photo: TNS

Monkey D. Luffy (played by Iñaki Godoy) is a young adventurer who has always had a desire for freedom. One day, he turns his back on his village and embarks on a dangerous journey to find the legendary treasure of pirate king Gol D. Roger, the “One Piece”, and become King of the Pirates.