Netflix Adaption of ONE PIECE Has Begun Filming!
There has been a lot of talk surrounding the upcoming adaption of Eiichiro Oda’s worldwide smash hit One Piece by Netflix. Fresh in the minds of many is the narrative surrounding previous Netflix attempts at adaption, including the recent Cowboy Bebop (you never gave it a chance, internet, and you know it) and Death Note (this one I get a bit more), so to say there is some skepticism is putting it mildly. Check any Twitter thread on the show and you’ll find quite the blend of thoughts being expressed. However, to say that this cast and crew are not excited or dedicated would be an error of the highest order.
Recently, it’s been confirmed that filming has begun, with the Netflix Geeked Twitter account recently sharing some photos of some of our Straw Hat Crew! Among the photos we find Emily Rudd (Fear Street), our Nami. We’re also treated to a behind the scenes look at our Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji: Inaki Godoy, Jacob Romero Gibson and Taz Skylar. Taz has even been spotted cooking up a storm, just like his character Sanji does on the Merry!
Also confirmed for the show is Mackenyu (Ruroni Kenshin: The Final, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Diamond is Unbreakable Chapter 1) as Roronoa Zoro. Notably, Mackenyu is a veteran actor, and is the son of world famous actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba. I believe his experience in the live action space when it relates to adaptions of anime will go a long way for Mackenyu here, and I’m eager to see his take on Zoro. We’ve covered him previously on the site, which you can check out here. I’m personally looking forward to Knights of the Zodiac!
Executive Producer and Writer Matt Owens (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Luke Cage) and Executive Producer Steven Maeda (Lost, The X-Files) have also expressed their excitement for beginning filming, eagerly posting their personal chairs on social media.
While the internet still seems out on if this show will be smooth sailing or choppy waters, I have a lot of faith in the cast and crew. It’s confirmed that original writer Oda is on board, and while he does not have final say in the show, I have faith that the people in charge, including Owens himself, have the best interest of the show and the adaption of the series at heart. Owens has been engaging the fandom as a fan for years, and as recently as 2020, even made appearances on podcasts to talk about the inner workings of the show such as this one from 2020 with Mugiwara Desnes, a One Piece focused creator. Everyone involved seems to have a reverence for how important this show it to so many people, and I’m willing to give them all a shot.
If nothing else, I leave you with these words from Oda-sensei himself in a 2017 Variety article.
I received numerous offers for live action adaptations for ‘One Piece.’ Three years ago, I finally decided to take a step forward on a live-action adaptation. After twists and turns, I met the right partner. The first condition I presented is that ‘the live-action will be faithful to the fans who have supported ‘One Piece’ for 20 years.’ I expect to hear worries from fans but more than that, I’m looking forward to hearing the excitement.