One Piece's Creator Already Has A Response For The Netflix Adaptation's Haters

Netflix has dabbled in live-action anime adaptations before with "Cowboy Bebop" and "Death Note." However, the streaming service is heading toward its most ambitious adaptation to date with the first season of the incredibly popular "One Piece." This particular anime has been around for decades, producing over 1,000 episodes. Netflix will release the first season, consisting of eight episodes, on August 31, and it's safe to say many fans have their doubts and expectations perched precariously.

It does appear Netflix tried to be faithful to the source material (both the manga and anime). In a post published on Facebook, "One Piece" creator Eiichiro Oda noted how he was heavily involved in the live-action series. The show's been seven years in the making, and he knows there are plenty of people out there waiting to tear it apart. While he likes to think such comments come from a place of love, he explained how adapting a story in a new medium calls for some changes, "Even after the shoot was over, there were numerous scenes the production agreed to re-shoot because I felt they weren't good enough to out into the world." Adapting "One Piece" was a learning process for Oda, too, and he simply hopes people give the new show a chance before judging it.

It should come as a good sign to fans that Netflix was receptive to the idea of reshoots that Eiichiro Oda asked for. It might be for this reason the live-action "One Piece" is one of the most expensive TV series ever made, with a reported budget of $18 million per episode. Hopefully, the finished product justifies the cost, but fans should be able to rest easy knowing Oda was heavily involved in the production. 

He went on to write about how just because something works in a manga or anime, that doesn't necessarily mean it'll translate to a live-action setting. He continued, "There were also some lines that I thought didn't feel like Luffy on paper... but when I saw the filmed scenes, I went 'It works when it's Iñaki performing it as Luffy! As a matter of fact, it works great!!' (Iñaki is the actor who plays Luffy.) There were so many things that had to be done to keep things from looking too unnatural in live action." He was also complimentary toward the crew, saying how many were "One Piece" fans and knowledgeable about the lore. 

It's understandable certain aspects of "One Piece" have to change; that's the case with any adaptation. As long as it maintains the spirit of the original story, there's a good chance viewers will embrace the new series as part of the fandom. It's unlikely the Netflix series will ever get to 1,000 episodes, but if received well, it might just stick around for a while.