The live-action adaptation of One Piece, developed by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda for Netflix, premiered on August 31, 2023, to widespread acclaim. 

What is One Piece? It is a Japanese comic and anime series made by Eiichiro Oda., in case you didn’t know. In the world of manga and anime, it is one of the most well-known and significant franchises.

The original manga creator, Eiichiro Oda, served as a key creative contributor.  The popular Straw Hat Pirates are played by Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skylar in the series, which is co-produced by Kaji Productions and Shueisha.

The episode follows their deadly search for the fabled “One Piece” treasure in an effort to declare their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, the “King of the Pirates.” Notably, the performances, storytelling, visual effects, and accuracy of the source material all won appreciation. 

“I love the casting that they did for the characters, the actors really fit the role they played, especially Iaki Godoy, he looks exactly like Luffy,” says Henriana Barthelemy, Freshman.

With an average episode price of $17.27 million and a debut season budget of $138 million for its 8 episodes, One Piece is a high-budget production. This demonstrates Netflix’s commitment to providing an incredible adaptation of the well-liked series.

In its debut, it achieved remarkable viewership milestones, ranking first in 84 countries on Netflix, surpassing previous records held by notable series like Stranger Things and Wednesday. 

The overwhelming success led to a swift renewal for a second season which was announced on September 14 and is currently in development.

“This is a very high bar to meet, to basically take a storied manga and deliver it in English-language, live action,” the exec said. “Pretty much all the haters are out, looking for a reason to hate you for it. To be able to deliver it and have it be massively popular and successful around the world is amazing to see,” says Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters. 

The series represents a significant stride forward in Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations, gaining recognition as one of the best in the genre.