Matt Owens, the series creator for the upcoming live-action Netflix adaptation of One Piece, assures fans that the show will remain faithful to the original anime.
It is usual for anime fans to be skeptical about live-action adaptations of popular animes, as it is difficult to preserve the essence of the original source material in live-action versions. Although it is difficult to transfer the visuals of an anime with utmost accuracy in another medium, one could still expect that the atmosphere and style will be retained.
There are many adaptations of animes that turned out to be completely different from the original. Two important examples are Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Death Note, which tried to change the protagonist’s motives drastically, and Dragonball Evolution, which stripped the anime of its fantasy elements.
Despite its past failures, Netflix wants to redeem itself with One Piece. Showrunner Matt Owens has reportedly already spoken to Nux Taku about his plans to remain as faithful as possible to the original anime.
The casting has already received acclaim from fans for sticking to the ethnic appearance of characters, as imagined by the creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda. Owens also confirms that there will not be any forced romantic relationships in the show, as it “kills the characters.” Here’s what he said-
The Straw Hats if you want to qualify their relationships in any way, are all siblings. It’s a family. There’s no romance between Straw Hats.
Matt Owens
The original creator, Oda, has previously confirmed that he sees the Straw Hats Pirates in One Piece as a family. He even went on to explain who is the designated father, brother, mother and sister of the group.
Despite Oda’s claims, one particular character in One Piece, Sanji has been known to be a big womanizer. Sanji is seen flirting specifically with two female members of the group, Nami and Robin.
Showrunner Owens explains that though Sanji will stick to his traditional womanizing ways in the Netflix version, it will not be over-the-top. Though there have been incidents of romantic intimacy between the crew members in One Piece, it has always been from a humorous point-of-view. Proper romance has never been a part of the anime.
Thus, it seems to be a good decision on Owens’ part to keep the Straw Hats as no more than a close-knit family. When Owens was asked whether any of the Straw Hats members were in love with each other, he explained that all of them love adventure more than anything else.
The essence of One Piece lies in the Straw Hat Pirates’ passion for adventure and their will to find the greatest treasure on Earth. As an admirer of the manga and the anime, Owens understands that and he hopes to stick to the same vibe.
Owens’ promises about the live-action version of One Piece being as faithful as possible to the original anime make it one of the most anticipated releases on Netflix. All reports about the series so far seem to be promising.
Hopefully, the live-action adaptation will appeal to both hardcore anime fans and new admirers. Let’s hope for the best!
About One Piece (Netflix Series)
One Piece is a television series, serving as a live action adaptation of the ongoing 1997 Japanese manga series of the same name by Eiichiro Oda. It is produced by Tomorrow Studios and Shueisha (who also publish the manga) and premiered on Netflix. It features an ensemble cast starring Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero Gibson and Taz Skylar.
The series follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they explore the oceans in search of the “One Piece”, a fabled treasure that will allow Luffy to become King of the Pirates.
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