How Eiichiro Oda is Saving His One-Piece Legacy from Netflix’s Mediocrity

After multiple failed attempts in this genre, editor Eiichiro Oda reveals that he forced Netflix to refilm many of the show’s live-action sequences. 

One Piece is one of the most popular anime for the otakus out there and has been running forever. Starring the aspiring pirate Monkey D, the anime adaptation has been running for almost 24 years and is nearing 1100 episodes!

Netflix’s live-action show will mark the second adaptation of the manga, and Eiichiro Oda has been at the helm of it all due to his perfectionism.

In concurrence with the San Diego Comic-Con 2023 panel for the show, Netflix released an emotional letter from creator Eiichiro Oda talking about the upcoming show. Read it below:

As we can see from the snippet above, Eiichiro Oda mentions that he forced Netflix to reshoot some of the scenes because he thought they “weren’t good enough to put out into the world.”

The creator also praises Iñaki Gudoy and the other cast members for their performance and contribution toward keeping this classic series alive.

The upcoming live-action will be Netflix’s third attempt to adapt a manga for the English audience. However, the first two, aka 2017’s Death Note movie and Cowboy Bebop show, paint a sorry picture at best.

Both adaptations lacked clarity and a certain finesse, thus proving to be significant failures for the streaming giant. 

Even though the former garnered a little viewership and was granted a sequel, the latter had to endure the wrath of COVID. Moreover, the filming occurred during the peak COVID, and the reviews were not welcoming, which ensured a massive decline in viewership.

However, One Piece has a significant edge over other live-action anime adaptations as Oda is working closely with Netflix to ensure that the show is perfect, even if it means reshooting some scenes. 

Cowboy Bebop’s faulty production also forced anime director Shinichiro Watanabe to join the team. However, subsequent reports downplayed his involvement. 

Death Note’s movie didn’t have any input from its original authors either, but they said they liked how it was both loyal and different from their manga.

Oda admits that he can’t guarantee that his involvement in the One Piece live-action show will make it an instant hit. Netflix has a reputation for messing up anime adaptations, so some fans might be wary of giving this one a chance. 

However, if Oda can impress the skeptics with the first season, he could get some good word-of-mouth PR and turn the tide for Netflix as a whole!

About One Piece

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.