Matt Owens, the showrunner for Netflix's One Piece adaptation, recalls his brutally honest yet funny pitch for the series. Netflix is throwing everything they have at the new live-action iteration of the long-running Shonen Jump manga series. One Piece centers on a group of pirates led by the wily and stretchy Monkey D. Luffy as they search for the titular treasure that is highly coveted by all across the ocean. With such a lovingly adored series, Netflix is being cautious with how they approach the new show, not wanting to make another mistake like their live-action Cowboy Bebop.
To run the series, Netflix hired Owens, a writer who does not have a large resume of credits. While speaking with YouTube personality Nux Taku, Owens spoke up about his love for One Piece, which is what apparently secured him the job despite his small list of work. During the interview, in which he was subjected to clips from other failed anime adaptations – such as Cowboy Bebop, Death Note and Dragonball Evolution – he explained that as a writer, he had to focus on what works in animation and what works in live-action and try to find a balance between the two. Furthermore, he felt that due to his love of the anime, he believes he is the only person who could pull off such an eclectic show. Read Owen's comments, below:
"The thing that got me this job was when I first met with Tomorrow Studios when they had the rights, I said to them in my first meeting: 'I don’t know if this can be done, but I also know if this is going to get fucked up, I have to be the one to try and fuck it up. Cause you’re not going to meet anybody in this industry that knows or loves One Piece more than me.' That was the pitch that I made."
Can One Piece Overcome The Live-Action Anime Curse?
Owens feels that adapting anime to live-action is not an impossible task, and that simply because one adaptation failed, doesn't mean that it should never be bothered with again. When offered up the idea of a live-action One Piece series that is set in the same universe as the anime, such as a series centered on Gol D. Roger's adventures, rather than a direct adaptation of the mainline story, Owens found the idea interesting, but inaccessible. In order for the series to be a success, Owens states that doing a prequel or side series would still need to call upon the audience to know about the source material, and therefore it would alienate audiences.
Based on the observations made by Owens, it appears that the biggest mistake that most live-action anime adaptations make, besides their accuracy to the source material, is also about direction and cinematography. This was the case with the live-action Fullmetal Alchemist, which Owens had also criticized for its poor handling of the infamous Nina Tucker chimera scene. One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda will be heavily involved with the production and even has a say in how scenes are framed or performed, giving the live-action One Piece series a boost by being able to draw directly from the creator.
Owens' love of the source material and insight on adaptations makes him an ideal choice to run Netflix's One Piece. Prior to getting the job, he had worked with Marvel Television on the shows Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Luke Cage and The Defenders, showing that he can work with stories involving iconic, larger-than-life characters and special effects-laden dramas. Having excellent experience and seen examples with how a live-action adaptation can fail, Owens has the tools necessary to avoid making a big mistake with One Piece and deliver on something truly special.
Source: Nux Taku