Netflix's live-action One Piece has become a rare success story in the streaming giant's history of anime adaptations. With a LEGO spin-off, an anime remake on the horizon, and a third season already greenlit, the show has defied the odds that sank projects like Death Note and Cowboy Bebop. But according to showrunner Steve Maeda, the series nearly went off the rails before it ever hit screens—until creator Eiichiro Oda stepped in.
Oda, who launched the One Piece manga in 1997, has seen his creation grow into a global phenomenon. With over 600 million copies in circulation, the franchise has become a cultural touchstone. Oda's involvement in the Netflix adaptation was known, but Maeda recently revealed just how crucial that involvement was. Speaking on the Trash Taste podcast, Maeda shared that early executive decisions almost derailed the project.
Initially, Netflix ordered a 10-episode season. But when a new executive came on board, they demanded a budget cut and a reduction to eight episodes. Maeda and his team rewrote the entire season to fit the new constraints, but the result felt increasingly distant from the source material. "The fans are not gonna like this," Maeda recalled saying. "We can't afford now to do the things that we were sort of promised to do."
The rewritten script worried Maeda, who feared the show would lose its essence. "It was really getting farther and farther away from the One Piece storytelling," he said. "I was very worried that at that point, they were going to pull the plug." That's when Oda read the script and delivered a blunt verdict: "This is not what I signed up to."
Oda's intervention was a turning point. Netflix, to their credit, listened. They came back to Maeda and his team with a new offer: "Okay, we're going to give you guys the budget you need to do the version of the show that's much closer to the original source material." The result was a season that resonated with both critics and audiences, earning a 93% critics' score and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The success of One Piece has also opened doors for other projects. Maeda has hinted at a possible live-action Spy x Family, and the show's popularity has sparked renewed interest in anime adaptations. Meanwhile, fans are eagerly awaiting Season 3, which is set to continue the Alabasta Saga as the Straw Hat Pirates journey toward the Alabasta Kingdom.
For those who haven't caught up, One Piece Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Netflix. Season 3 is scheduled for 2027. If you're in the mood for more anime-inspired content, check out our list of near-perfect thriller series on Netflix. And if you're curious about other Netflix originals, don't miss our take on why Altered Carbon is the definitive cyberpunk series.
Oda's hands-on approach has proven that when creators are given the respect they deserve, adaptations can thrive. As One Piece continues to sail forward, it stands as a testament to the power of staying true to the source material.
