Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, the longest-running anime and manga series, is finally making waves. After nearly a decade of anticipation, the highly anticipated series is set to premiere on August 31, 2023. The 10-episode season will cover the East Blue arc, introducing fans to the iconic characters and storylines that have charmd audiences worldwide.
The series is being produced in collaboration with Tomorrow Studios, with Eiichiro Oda, creator of the One Piece manga, serving as an executive producer. Showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens have assembled a talented cast, including Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, and Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp.
The production process began in March 2021 and was completed in August 2022, with filming taking place in Cape Town, South Africa. The cast and crew shared behind-the-scenes looks on social media, showcasing the attention to detail and dedication to bringing the world of One Piece to life.
Fans can now get a glimpse of the series with the release of several trailers and teasers. The first teaser provides a taste of the adventure and humor that the series will be presenting, while the full-length official trailer teases the treasure of legendary pirate king Gold Roger and shows Luffy gathering his crew.
A Still From One Piece Netflix (Photo: One Piece)
The series will introduce fans to several fan favorites, including Roronoa Zoro, master of the three-sword style; Nami, the crew’s future navigator who was once a thief; Usopp, a sharpshooter who is learning to be brave; and Sanji, the crew’s future chef who falls for every woman he sees. The sneak peek provided in the Netflix Geeked Week video namedropped Arlong, which means we will get to see a lot of Nami’s backstory and one of the earliest big fights Luffy gets himself into that solidifies his character, while also adding Nami to his list of crewmates.
The cast and creative team worked tirelessly to adapt one of the most popular mangas of all time to live-action, with showrunner Maeda sharing an update with fans on social media. The crew uploaded several pictures from the set, writing about their experience while filming. Showrunner Matt Owens also posted on Instagram in September about the production wrap, along with a message of heartfelt gratitude towards the cast and crew and everyone who was involved in the production of One Piece in Cape Town.
While there has been no confirmation of a second season yet, the franchise as a whole is sailing strong on the success of One Piece Film: Red. The President of South Africa released a press statement on March 17, 2022, saying, “One Piece is Netflix’s biggest production project in Africa to date – both in terms of scale and budget, covering South African labor, infrastructure, and suppliers.” With a big budget and a talented cast, hopes are high for the live-action adaptation of One Piece.
