Netflix is Making Live Action TV Series:
After tying up with Studio Ghibli for exclusive rights to 21 movies form their library, Netflix has decided it is going to take one more step to conquer the anime world. Netflix had already tried their hands in bringing the Japanese anime industry to the world with a live-action twist with Death Note. They failed miserably in that aspect. But they are not going to go down without a fight. If The Witcher is of any indication, sticking to the source and playing it by the rules does indeed give results. With the recent announcement that Netflix is going to make a live-action One Piece TV Series, they might be aiming for yet another home run.
Netflix has ordered a live-action adaptation of the popular anime show One Piece. One Piece is an immensely popular manga and anime that has been so famous within the anime lovers circle. The source for the new show will be the magna instead of the anime and Netflix has even joined forces with Tomorrow Studios and Sheishua for a ten-episode series that will be released soon in the near future. Netflix has already started work on it Cowboy Bepop live-action show, another popular anime classic. The Studio they have contracted to work on the Cowboy Bepop show is the same one that is also working on the One Piece adaptation.
Matt Owens, who was associated with Luke Cage and Agents of Shield, is set to be the executive producer of the show. He will also be writing the script for the show. Steven Maeda of the x-Files and Lost fame will be the showrunner for the series. The most important fact is that One Piece’s legendary Creator Eiichiro Oda is actually going to be a part of the crew this time so there will be a little chance of the entire project going downhill like with Death Note. Becky Clements and Marty Adelstein of Tomorrow Studios will also be a part of the project which was announced way back in 2017 but Netflix only revealed they were a part of the project a few days ago.
Netflix’s tweet came at a time where the fans were genuinely curious as to what Netflix is up to this year. The announcement was a pleasant surprise:
This is what the official tweet by Netflix said:
“I know I announced the production of this back in 2017, but these things take time,” Oda says in a handwritten note posted to Twitter. “Preparations have been slowly progressing behind the scenes, and it seems that I can finally make the big announcement: Netflix, the world’s leading streaming entertainment service, will be lending us their tremendous production support! This is so encouraging! How far will the story progress over the 10 episodes of Season 1? Who will be cast?! Please be patient a little longer and stay tuned!”
Netflix is known to dabble in the most unexplored and unknown parts of pop culture. They are known to give the much-needed R-Rating to their productions and most Netflix Originals end up becoming cult classics. If the new One Piece and Cowboy Bepop live-action shows are of any indication, it is that Netflix is trying to get out of its shell of only adapting proven concepts and actually embracing foreign art and talent to expand their own as well as their viewers’ horizons. Let’s see how they fare on this one. Fingers crossed!!!
One Piece is a Japanese Manga series written by the legendary Eiichiro Oda. The manga has also been adapted to an anime series of critical acclaim and of the same name. The official synopsis for the story of One Piece reads:
The series focuses on Monkey D. Luffy, a young man who, inspired by his childhood idol and powerful pirate “Red-Haired” Shanks, sets off on a journey from the East Blue Sea to find the famed treasure One Piece and proclaim himself the King of the Pirates.
