For quite some time, the Netflix cast has been quite open about the involvement of Eiichiro Oda in the live-action adaptation of the classic manga series. He even stated recently that he has the final say if the show is allowed to release, which highlighted that they are respecting his involvement. Yet, it turns out that he did quite a bit more than one would think.
Netflix’s Director of Original Series Ted Biaselli offered some insight in an interview with The Mary Sue, where they highlight that they have a lot of respect towards Oda. They stated that he would regularly give notes to the series, but even the shape of storyboards. That sounds a lot like how he handled the movies but it would be amazing to get one’s hands on scenes of the live-action crew being showcased in his iconic art style.
He went on to highlight that Oda is “brilliant.”
I don’t throw the word ‘brilliant’ around very often, but he is brilliant. He is a master of the pop culture zeitgeist. He’s well-versed and articulate about music history … He has a playlist in his mind every time he writes.
Ted Biaselli
They also seemingly made sure to inform Oda of any changes they made early in the scripting phase. Sometimes they would get “Try it out, let’s see” statements that would lead to him getting screenings to evaluate how it turned out. Not just that, it seems he got pretty much everything screened and teased he got “misty” during one scene in the end-of-season screening. This was also highlighted by Emily Rudd, who plays the role of Nami.
They also highlighted his involvement in the casting process. One part was that he actively praised Rudd’s work and spent time with Iñaki Godoy, who took on the role of Luffy. Here’s hoping all his work comes to fruition with this live-action adaptation breaking the curse that others have seemingly had over the years.
Source: The Mary Sue
