One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has given an update about the series' live-action adaptation after its promised 2023 release date. The adventure series follows the story of Luffy D. Monkey, a young boy who sets out to become the King of the Pirates by finding the hidden treasure of the previous Pirate King. Initially a manga series, One Piece has been adapted into a popular anime, and will soon be a live-action TV show from Netflix as well.

Now, Netflix has released a statement from Oda addressing when the live-action One Piece series will be released.

Oda reveals that Netflix will not release One Piece until Oda is satisfied with the final product. The series creator also confirms One Piece season 1 will consist of eight episodes.

Can One Piece Break The Anime Adaptation Curse?

One Piece live-action cast

Live-action American adaptations of anime and manga usually haven't fared well when compared to the source material. Most recently, Netflix's attempt at a live-action Cowboy Bebop adaptation was criticized by original series creator Shinichirō Watanabe for a lack of loyalty to the source material. Cowboy Bebop was cancelled by Netflix 3 weeks after season 1 was released.

However, unlike past American adaptations of anime, One Piece will see its original creator, Oda, involved, ensuring the series is faithful to his original manga. The fact that his satisfaction is important to Netflix indicates the streaming service wants One Piece to succeed. Physical sets and careful casting choices also underscore how the One Piece live-action adaptation aims to be faithful to the original.

However, since it appears One Piece is undergoing reshoots ahead of its release, the show may not find its way to Netflix in 2023. Oda's satisfaction seems to be of the utmost importance, though, so any delays to the series will likely increase how good the final product is. Because of this, One Piece stands a better chance than other American anime adaptations at being a faithful, quality adaptation of the original.

Source: Netflix/Twitter