The eagerly anticipated journey across the Grand Line is almost upon us: Netflix has at last provided a sneak peek and disclosed the launch date for the live-action adaptation of One Piece. The series is set to premiere on the streaming giant on Thursday, August 31.
The live action adaptation of the most popular manga in history, written by Eiichiro Oda is finally here. ONE PIECE sets sail on August 31st only on Netflix. #TUDUM pic.twitter.com/5i2oJpislM
— Netflix (@netflix) June 17, 2023
First made public in January 2020, the live-action One Piece from Netflix is, naturally, inspired by the widely popular manga and anime crafted by Eiichiro Oda, who actively participated in the series’ production. The series was brought to life by the duo, Steve Maeda and Matt Owens.
The scale of the original anime, boasting over 1,000 episodes, leaves us speculating about how much Netflix’s One Piece will condense into its 10 episode run. Nonetheless, we can predict that we’ll witness Monkey D. Luffy (portrayed by Iñaki Godoy) pledging his determination to seize the title of the pirate king and unearth the mythical One Piece treasure, all while recruiting his Straw Hat crew. This includes the triple-bladed swordsman Roronoa Zoro (played by Mackenyu, known from Netflix’s live-action Ruroni Kenshin film), the navigator Nami (Emily Rudd), the charmingly flirtatious cook Sanji (Taz Skylar), and the seemingly timid slingshot expert Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson). Regrettably (or perhaps fortunately), the characters of Chopper and Nico Robin will not be featured in the series.
Before unveiling the teaser, Netflix transported the Going Merry – an actual ship constructed specifically for the series – all the way to Sao Paulo, Brazil, the location hosting Tudum this year. The primary cast also replicated a photo of their respective characters.
One Piece Live Action strawhats finally all together #ONEPIECE pic.twitter.com/YPqJsnwPff
— -Sid- (Commissions Open) (@Sidmurphyx) June 14, 2023
Netflix’s record with live-action anime adaptations has seen its highs and lows, with Cowboy Bebop being one of the recent disappointments. One Piece is being developed by the same production house, Tomorrow Studios, leading many to keep their fingers crossed that this adaptation lands in the successful column.
For a comprehensive review of all the announcements during Netflix’s Tudum event, check out our summary.
