The One Piece live-action series surprised many by being one of the best anime adaptations to date. Usually, even the biggest and most popular anime experience massive failures when they are adapted into live-action.
One Piece live-action broke all of these ideas as when it aired; it became the most-watched series on the platform in the second half of 2023. Oda himself is working with the live-action team so that we fans get the best adaptation possible. Most live adaptations are unable to do this because they need extensive resources to match up to even a bit of what the original conveyed.
Matt Owens steps down as co-showrunner
One Piece did the unbelievable, and even the most veteran fans loved the concept and execution (most of it faithful to the source). A large part of its success was due to Matt Owens, a devoted fan who understood the heart of One Piece and worked closely with creator Eiichiro Oda.
The medium is completely different, and doing inhuman stunts, having magical powers and unbelievable physiques is not ordinary or something that is easy to replicate.
Matt Owens has decided to step down as co-showrunner of the live-action ‘ONE PIECE’ series
“The last 6 years working on the live-action One Piece have been a life-changing journey. A dream come true. It’s also been A LOT. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break &… pic.twitter.com/mgm7g4ObEF
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 21, 2025
does this affect the direction of season 2, or is the core team still locked in?
— Debayo 🌱🤖 (@debayo_xx) March 21, 2025
Netflix live-action adaptations have a bad reputation as they tend to make the execution of the narrative in a skewed direction. But Matt Owens was one of the people who did not let the ship of One Piece lose its course.
Matt Owens posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had a fun time making the live-action, but he needs a break to recharge himself and focus on his mental health.
Could Owens’ departure affect the quality and release of Season 2?
Owens did his best for six whole years as the co-showrunner and a member of the core team when it came to the direction of the show. His recent announcement about stepping down and taking a break has left the fans shattered.
This is undoubtedly a good thing, and no fan would deny the hard-working man his rest, but coming at a point when the fans eagerly await the second season, there is a question of whether it will be able to continue the level of quality and faithfulness as the first one.
Quite sure buddy had to fight tooth and nail to keep Netflix from ruining it. A break is well deserved.
— The Digital Ronin (@BruceReign) March 22, 2025
This reminds me of Miguel Sapochnik steps down as Co-Showrunner ahead of House Of The Dragon Season 2 and we know how that season turned out. pic.twitter.com/5PbEFY1k5b
— Neil (@Entmt_clips_X_) March 21, 2025
Oh my god …….he’s the only guy who stopped Netflix from making the OPLA a shitfest. With him being gone …….
— 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐲 🎩 (@Shelby_Messi) March 21, 2025
One of the biggest worries among One Piece fans is that without Owens, Netflix could shift the show in a direction that strays from Oda’s vision. The epic saga is just beginning and there are already obstacles in its way, the only thing the fans can hope is that the core team will not be shaken by any external influences.
This has happened far too many times, and the interest that One Piece has reawakened for the live actions will fade into nothing if the show deviates. Owens was a rare case of a genuine One Piece enthusiast in a key creative role, ensuring that changes made were respectful and that all of the important elements of a scene or an arc were adapted properly.
Will Season 2 be fine? Will there be any delays? We can only wait and watch.
One Piece Live-Action is available to watch on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
