One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has issued a letter to fans that summarizes his journey towards the creation of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of his beloved story. In it, he says that while the show is set for a 2023 release, it “won’t launch until I’m satisfied.”
In the letter, published today to mark main character Luffy’s birthday, Oda said: “Considering my expected life span, I believe this is the last chance to bring One Piece to the entire world. If we’re going to do it, I want to be able to supervise things while I’m still active. That’s why I agreed to the live-action adaptation of One Piece back in 2016.
We are in this together. Thank you Eiichiro Oda, for your trust. We can’t wait for the world to see what we’ve created. pic.twitter.com/WAox5bc4P2
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 4, 2023
“Since then, Netflix has committed enormous resources to the production. It was announced that the show will launch in 2023, but they’ve promised that we won’t launch until I’m satisfied.”
Elsewhere in the letter, Oda explains that the different cultures involved in the creation of the live-action show and their differing opinions and skill sets meant that “sometimes it could be frustrating for both sides.” However, Oda feels that the production team has finally found the united ground it needs. “Each and every entity involved is working in sync. We’re finally here!!” he wrote.
One Piece Netflix – Official Cast Gallery
Very little has been revealed about the live-action One Piece. Earlier this year we had a new poster that showcased its iconic heroes in silhouette, and we also know the principal cast (headlined by Inkai Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy) and the name of its first episode. For more, well, let’s hope Oda is happy for it to release on schedule later this year.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Features Editor.