Although May 4th has become closely associated with Star Wars thanks to the pun “May the Fourth/Force”, fans of manga and anime view it in a different way: as the eve of Luffy’s birthday. The A piece character was canonically born on May 5, and this year, to commemorate the occasion, creator Eiichiro Oda released a very welcome update on the upcoming Netflix live-action anime adaptation. True to the spirit of the mangaka, the note is headstrong and blunt.
“I’ve been working with Tomorrow Studios and Netflix for quite some time,” Oda writes in his new message to fans. “Even though they understand each of the characters, we obviously come from very different cultures, so when it comes to entertainment, we have different codes, skills and goals. Sometimes it can be frustrating for both parties. It felt like, ‘We’re all trying to get to the same place, so why aren’t we on the same wavelength?’ There was even a time when I thought: ‘Is a foreign production even possible?!’”
Oda’s sentiment is likely shared by fans of the A piece manga, which has been running since 1997, and anime, which recently eclipsed more than 1,000 episodes. While Netflix has gobbled up anime properties with every kind of adaptation in mind, few have hit as hard as the source material. A 2017 Obituary movie is barely remembered in the collective consciousness and many wish they could forget about the live action of 2021 Cowboy Bebop series. So there is reason to be skeptical about whether the A piece show will clear the bar in fans – especially if you’re Eiichiro Oda. But he assures fans that it’s going smoothly and that he’s fully invested in getting it right in whatever time he’s still on this planet.
Since the beginning of our partnership with Eiichiro Oda, we’ve worked closely together to bring the ONE PIECE live action to you — we welcome everyone to this adventurous world! pic.twitter.com/Woki8YZ27H
— Netflix (@netflix) May 4, 2023
“Given my expected longevity, I think this is the last chance to bring A piece to the whole world,” he writes, perhaps nodding to his own various health problems over the years. “If we’re going to do it, I want to be able to manage things while I’m still at it. That’s why I agreed to the live-action adaptation of One Piece in 2016.”
Oda says all units of the production eventually synced up to deliver his vision for a live action A piece to life, and that “Netflix has committed huge resources to its production.” While the show is slated to premiere in 2023, the creator also insists that the streaming service will not launch the show “until I’m satisfied.”
Netflix kept most of it A piece under guard. The streamer released a short teaser for the series in late 2022 and showed off some character/cast shots earlier this year. As for when the eight episodes of Season 1 will actually premiere, it’s anyone’s guess, but it sounds like Oda gets to make the last call. He says fans don’t have to wait at long.
“We will set sail very soon!!” he promises. Happy Birthday to Luffy and everyone who celebrates.