For years, the idea of a live-actionOne Piecewas met with groans from anime fans. Even with Netflix behind it, expectations were low.The track record of Hollywood adapting anime was legendarily bad. But when the series finally dropped in August 2023, something strange happened. It wasn’t a disaster. It was a hit. A big one. With global audiences tuning in and Rotten Tomatoes scores soaring,One Piecebeat the odds. Behind that turnaround was a secret weapon: Eiichiro Oda, the manga’s creator, who refused to let anyone get it wrong.
Oda’s influence wasn’t symbolic. He served as executive producer, but what that really meant was creative control. Netflix only moved forward once Oda agreed to oversee everything from casting to scripts to final cuts. He was all in, or not at all. “If I wasn’t going to be involved, it wasn’t worth doing,” Oda said ina 2023 Japanese interview. His hands-on approach shaped the series into something fans could recognize. In the world of anime adaptations, where source material is often twisted beyond recognition, Oda’s involvement setOne Pieceapart. It gave the show a real shot at succeeding. And succeed it did.
From Bebop Burnout to Pirate Hype
Rewrites, Reshoots, and One Very Involved Creator
Back when Netflix first announcedOne Piecewas going live-action, the backlash was swift. Fans had been burned too many times before.Dragonball Evolution,Ghost in the Shell, and Netflix’s ownCowboy Bebopall stumbled hard. The sheer scale and weirdness ofOne Pieceonly made the challenge seem bigger. Still, Netflix moved ahead with Matt Owens and Steven Maeda as showrunners, aiming for something bolder and more faithful. A fresh cast was assembled, led by Iñaki Godoy as Luffy. Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero, and Taz Skylar rounded out the Straw Hats. Hopes stayed low, but curiosity grew.
What turned things around wasn’t luck. It was Oda.From the earliest stages, he reviewed scripts and demanded revisions. Apparently, Oda was so involved he even pushed for scenes to be reshot. “There were lines I couldn’t allow,” he said. That kind of direct feedback made things tough on the production team, but they listened. The result wasa version ofOne Piecethat felt right in tone and spirit. Fans could tell it wasn’t made from a distance. Oda wasn’t just protecting the brand. He was defending the soul of the story.
The Straw Hat Scene That Wasn’t Good Enough
Why Oda Would Rather Scrap It Than Fake It
One moment tested the team more than any other:the scene where Shanks gives Luffy the straw hat. It’s the emotional cornerstone of the whole series. And in its first version, it didn’t land. “I didn’t cry,” Oda admitted. “So I asked for it to be done again.” That’s exactly what happened. The scene was reshot until it captured what Oda wanted, not just a passing of the hat but a promise. That kind of attention to emotional tone is rare in big-budget adaptations. It showed what the series was aiming for and who was steering it.
Oda explained his strict standards: “If fans watch it and feel it’s a fakeOne Piece, I would rather it not exist.” He knew the risks. He knew what it meant for fans to give this show a chance. And he knew that if the tone felt even slightly off, the entire thing would collapse. Oda’s approach wasn’t about nostalgia or control. It was about authenticity. “If something doesn’t feel right to me,” he said, “it won’t feel right to the fans.”
The Netflix Team Actually Listened
The Numbers Tell the Story
To their credit, the production didn’t resist. According to the Japanese media, the staff welcomed Oda’s input and took it seriously. They knew what was at stake. Showrunners Owens and Maeda worked closely with him, shaping scripts and performances to reflect the manga’s emotional beats. Even moments of humor and tension were reworked to better match the source material. In short, it felt likeOne Piecebecause Oda made sure it did.
Longtime fans said it felt like the story they loved, just reimagined. Newcomers jumped into anime and manga for the first time.
When the show finally hit Netflix, the response was immediate. Viewers around the world binge-watched the series.On Rotten Tomatoes, it held an 86 percent critic score and a 95 percent audience score. Social media lit up with praise. Longtime fans said it felt like the story they loved, just reimagined. Newcomers jumped into anime and manga for the first time.It wasn’t just a win forOne Piece, it was a win for anime adaptations everywhere. After years of disappointment, fans had something they could believe in, and Oda’s involvement was front and center.
Bigger Arcs, Bigger Characters, Bigger Stakes
The Future of Live-Action Starts Here
The second season of Netflix’sOne Pieceis officially underway, with filming wrapped and post-production ongoing. It’s set to launch in early 2026. The next arc will dive into the Grand Line and introduce major new characters like Chopper and the villainous Crocodile. Some familiar faces are returning, including Iñaki Godoy and the rest of the Straw Hats. One major change:Matt Owens has stepped away as showrunner. His replacement, Joe Tracz, has a solid track record. All eyes will be on how the tone evolves without Owens at the helm.
If the next season sticks the landing,One Piececould set a lasting standard for how anime is adapted in the West. Oda’s legacy is already secure in manga and anime, but now it includes live-action too. He’s shown what happens when creators are respected and listened to. He’s proven that global audiences are ready for anime stories if they’re told the right way. AsOne Piecesails forward and other series line up for the same treatment, the message is clear. Get the right team. Let the original voice lead. And never fake the feeling.
One Piece
Cast
One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
