Netflix's One Piece: Cast, Release Date, and Everything Else to Know About the Live-Action Series

Ahoy, Straw Hat pirates! We're only two weeks away from setting sail with Luffy in Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece. By now, plenty of teaser content has been released for the upcoming show. They've not only highlighted the very large cast but also included Easter eggs that fans of Eiichiro Oda's long-running series can discover.

When Netflix's One PIece was first announced in 2020, fans of the manga and anime were skeptical. And rightfully so: Successful live-action adaptations have been few and far between. But as we approach the launch of Netflix's One Piece, the company has given fans more and more reasons to look forward to the new version — not to mention the fact that Oda is heavily involved in the production of this adaptation.

Written and illustrated by Oda, the original manga One Piece was first published in 1997. Two years later, Toei Animation began to produce the anime based on the manga, and in the past two-plus decades, One Piece has become one of the most popular global franchises. Both the manga and anime series are ongoing and have surpassed a whopping 1,000 chapters and 1,000 episodes, respectively. When Netflix releases the live-action show, it will be received by a legion of fans — many of whom have been on board with One Piece's adventures for years.

The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, who is on a quest to find the fabled One Piece, which will make him the Pirate King. To do that, he assembles a ragtag bunch to join him on his nautical adventures. They include swordsman Roronoa Zoro, navigator Nami, sniper Usopp, cook Sanji, and doctor Tony Tony Chopper. Netflix has already announced the actors who will be starring as these beloved characters, as well as many other additions to the cast. 

Here's everything we know so far about Netflix's One Piece live-action series, helmed by showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens.

Netflix's One Piece latest news

On Aug. 17, Netflix dropped a series of character posters featuring the main Straw Hats. And can we just say that everyone is looking good? 

Netflix's One Piece trailer

At San Diego Comic-Con 2023, Netflix released the first full One Piece trailer, and where do we even begin? To start, the video treats us to Iñaki Godoy's Luffy, Mackenyu's Zoro, Emily Rudd's Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson's Usopp, and, of course, Taz Skylar's Sanji. But we also get a glimpse of plenty of the Straw Hats' allies and enemies. The first antagonist of One Piece, Alvida (Ilia Isorelýs Paulino), makes an appearance. We also meet Jeff Ward's Buggy, McKinley Belcher III's Arlong, and Steven Ward's Mihawk (swoon!). 

The teaser for Netflix's One Piece dropped on June 17, and it begins with Godoy's Luffy's narration: "Ever since I was a kid, the sea's been calling," he says in his signature straw hat. "So, I'm setting out to follow my dreams." And Luffy needs a loyal crew to become the King of the Pirates. 

The teaser also shows plenty of action we can expect from the series. Luffy gets ready to attack with his iconic Gum Gum Pistol move. And Zoro — who is on a quest to become the best swordsman in the world — is seen fighting with three swords. At a meet and greet with the cast on June 15, Mackenyu talked about why filming Zoro's fights was so challenging. "I was very familiar with sword action. I did this movie called Rurouni Kenshin: The Final," he told TV Guide. Rurouni Kenshin is an adaptation of the martial arts manga series of the same name, and the actor is no stranger to wielding weapons. "Up to two swords, I was very familiar with. The third sword came in and... if I didn't know what One Piece was, I would never imagine holding a sword in my mouth," Mackenyu said.

"It's just weird," he continued. "And it's so hard to fight with a sword in your mouth — it blocks your attack. And I didn't think it would until I practiced Zoro's action. It was definitely a challenge for me." Still, the actor said he had fun with the scenes. "Action sequence-wise, it's only 50 percent of what I can do, 25 percent," he teased about the show. If there is a Season 2, Mackenyu said he hopes to "show everyone more."

When is Netflix's One Piece coming out?

At Tudum: A Global Fan Event, Netflix announced that One Piece is launching on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

Netflix's One Piece cast

Expect a large ensemble in One Piece's cast. Just like in Oda's story, there are plenty of fascinating characters. But the story centers on Luffy and the Straw Hats. At Netflix's meet and greet, Godoy shared his character's impact on him. "He inspires me to be the best version of myself, to trust me and to trust others," the actor said. "It was a big challenge to bring him to life. But I think I did a pretty good job."

Rudd, who stars as Nami, also talked about what being a part of the project has meant to her. "I've been an anime fan since I was little, and it's honestly been my dream to be a part of a live-action anime adaptation," Rudd said. "Being an existing fan, I know how they've gone in the past — and so it's really lovely to be a part of one that holds true to the original so well while making it our own."

Main cast:

• Iñaki Godoy as Luffy
• Mackenyu as Zoro
  
• Emily Rudd as Nami 
• Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp 
• Taz Skylar as Sanji

Additional cast:

• Morgan Davies as Koby
• Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as Alvida
  
• Aidan Scott as Helmeppo
• Jeff Ward as Buggy
• McKinley Belcher III as Arlong
• Vincent Regan as Garp
• Langley Kirkwood as Captain Morgan
• Celeste Loots as Kaya
• Alexander Maniatis as Klahadore
• Craig Fairbrass as Chef Zeff
  
• Steven Ward as Mihawk
• Chioma Umeala as Nojiko

Netflix announced at Anime Expo on July 1 that the voice actors from the original One Piece anime are going to be a part of the Netflix adaptation, and will be reprising their roles in the Japanese dub version of the series. In a video, Godoy meets Mayumi Tanaka, who has voiced Luffy in the anime for more than two decades. Tanaka will be voicing the character once again in the upcoming series, and she will be joined by other Japanese voice actors: Kazuya Nakai is reprising his role as Roronoa Zoro, Akemi Okamura as Nami, Kappei Yamaguchi as Usopp, and Hiroaki Hirata as Sanji. 

Netflix's One Piece sneak peek

On June 6, 2022, Netflix dropped a first look video of the One Piece live-action series. The clip shows different locations from the manga being built, from Baratie Bar to Arlong's map room. And there are so many ships! 

What else to know about Netflix's One Piece

On July 21, Netflix shared a letter from Oda himself. "There were no compromises on this show!" the One Piece creator wrote. Read here for the full letter.

On May 5, also known as Luffy's birthday, Oda shared a letter to fans with an update on the series. "Considering my expected life span, I believe this is the last chance to bring One Piece to the entire world," he wrote. "If we're going to do it, I want to be able to supervise things while I'm still active. That's why I agreed to the live-action adaptation of One Piece back in 2016." 

Oda continued: "Since then, Netflix has committed enormous resources to the production. It was announced that the show will launch in 2023, but they've promised that we won't launch it until I'm satisfied."

The series creator also shared that the live-action show will contain eight episodes. 

How to watch One Piece

The One Piece anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll. 

The live-action series will be available to stream on Netflix beginning Thursday, Aug. 31.