Netflix's One Piece faces backlash for changing plot - Here's what mangaka Eiichiro Oda said

Eiichiro Oda, the mangaka behind One Piece, initially had reservations about a live-action adaptation but ultimately greenlit the project.

One Piece finally made its way to live-action television after seven years of production. Upon its release, the show quickly skyrocketed to the top spot in 84 countries, outperforming even Netflix's hits like Stranger Things and Wednesday.

Netflix's One Piece adaptation excels globally but disappoints creator Eiichiro Oda with plot deviations.(One Piece )

Eiichiro Oda, the mangaka behind One Piece, initially had reservations about a live-action adaptation but ultimately greenlit the project. He serves as the executive director, ensuring every detail aligns with his imaginative world. “When I first started, I didn’t think there was any point in drawing a manga that could be remade in live-action. But when I saw the movie “Shaolin Soccer,” it felt like a manga-esque world brought to life. I changed my mind. I realized times had changed, and there was technology available that could make a live-action “One Piece” happen. So I shifted to finding the right partner to bring the manga to life,” he told The New York Times in an interview.

While many fans have voiced concerns about the series' deviation from the manga's plot. Oda who is quite happy with the live adaptation stated, “A live-action adaptation of a manga doesn’t simply re-enact the source material on a one-to-one basis: It involves really thinking about what fans love about the characters, the dynamics among them — and being faithful to those elements.”

"A good live-action show doesn’t have to change the story too much. The most important thing is whether the actors can reproduce the characters in a way that will satisfy the people who read the manga. I think we did it well, so I hope audiences will accept it," he added.

Fans of the original manga and anime have been vocal about their issue with the plot deviation, noting that while Netflix's adaptation stands on its own merits, it introduces significant changes that detract from the source material's essence.

One notable change revolves around the character Merry, who in the Netflix version becomes a financial advisor rather than a butler and meets a different fate at the hands of Kuro. Such alterations have left fans puzzled and disappointed.

Another instance of divergence involves Nami's interactions with her village. In the manga and anime, her sacrifices are acknowledged by the villagers who are forced to pretend otherwise. However, the live-action adaptation portrays Nami as greedy, leading to awkward scenes that fans find out of place.

Despite these concerns, Netflix's One Piece adaptation has streamlined the narrative to make it more accessible to newcomers. While slight deviations from the source material are expected in adaptations, the Netflix series has faced criticism for unnecessary changes that alter the core story.

As fans eagerly wait for more details about the second season they can catch up on the manga and the anime adaptation. The script and cast are ready, and producers hint at a new season within 12-18 months.