‘No one in Japan could name a successful example’: ‘One Piece’ creator Eiichiro Oda on defying a ‘history of failure’

Eiichiro Oda said that he changed his mind about whether his manga could get a live-action adaptation after technology advances and watching ‘Shaolin Soccer’

‘One Piece’ creator Eiichiro Oda, who is the executive producer on Netflix's adaptation set to drop on Friday, August 31, said that he changed his mind about whether his manga could get a live-action adaptation after technology advances and watching ‘Shaolin Soccer’. The Japanese artist recently opened up about Stephen Chow’s 2001 comedy inspiring live-action adaptation of ‘One Piece’.

Netflix's live-action adaptation of 'One Piece' is set to drop on Friday, August 31 (Netflix screenshot/YouTube)

“When I first started, I didn’t think there was any point in drawing a manga that could be remade in live-action,” Eiichiro said in an interview with The New York Times. “But when I saw the movie [Chow’s] , it felt like a manga-esque world brought to life.” He explained that this is when he decided to change his 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,” Eiichiro said.

‘There was a history of failure’

Netflix’s live-action interpretation is a unique attempt, as creators who made similar attempts with ‘Ghost in the Shell,’ ‘Cowboy Bebop’ and ‘Death Note’ have garnered little appreciation. “Various manga had been made into live action, but there was a history of failure; no one in Japan could name a successful example. Would fans of “One Piece” — and viewers who don’t know the manga — accept it?” said.

Eiichiro has reportedly been careful about how he brought his fans’ beloved characters to screen in the live action adaptation. “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,” he said.

“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.