It looks like some small news is trickling out for the live-action Netflix adaptation of One Piece. Matt Owens and Steve Maeda have been busy bringing one of manga’s most iconic stories to life. with the uncertainty surrounding past adaptations, it’s no wonder that some are cautiously optimistic but the set videos and castings have been quite promising. We knew that a shorter runtime would lead to fewer stories being included but it does seem like we’re definitely going to get a flashback for Usopp and the iconic battle of Syrup Village.
As first shared by @OP_Netflix_Fan first, actress Bianca Oosthuizen has seemingly revealed that she will be taking on the role of Sham, a member of the Kuroneko Pirates. The character might not be as memorable as the many others we meet along the Strawhat’s voyage, but it definitely confirms that we’ll see the Kuroneko pirates make their live-action debut in the series. That is not all, as Chanté Grainger has also seemingly been confirmed as Usopp’s mother, Banchina.
It should be noted that Oosthuizen also notes that she worked on an episode directed by Emma Sullivan. This reveal adds an interesting question, as we know that she was responsible for the Baratie episode as well. It does seemingly hint that these two arcs may take up an episode each. We don’t know if Baratie could also get split up into two episodes due to how much it covers but we’ll probably have to wait quite a bit longer before we find out.
As such, it’s safe to say that Syrup Village will be given some time during the show’s runtime. It does make you wonder how they might adapt some elements of Usopp’s origin and how he joins the crew, as it’s one of the lesser liked arcs in the storyline. Still, their addition does keep us tied until we get some more official news whenever we get our next major casting announcement for some big roles.
Source: Pursch Artistes, Spotlight
