Netflix knows the stakes are high on One Piece Live-Action

Ted Biaselli is an important voice in Netflix original projects. As director of the original series service, he led the onslaught of the ratings giants and experimented with different genres. Not everything is up to par, and Biazelli acknowledges how significant One Piece could be for future live action projects.

First of all, Biazelli has to deal with the difficulties that come with these high-profile series. “The pressure of live anime has always been a disaster and I don’t want that on my record,” he told the Gayest Episode Ever podcast (via cinema blend). Responding to criticism that Netflix does not understand manga and anime, the original series director was keen to express his appreciation for the source material. “I want to be the guy who understands what they are doing and the intent behind the source material and how we translate and bring it to life,” he added.

One of his main intentions seems to be to avoid the obvious pitfalls of adapting. He mentioned that he avoided these frame-by-frame remakes, which Cowboy Bebop famously achieved in the opening sequence. Byasilli also avoided the prospect of taking the IP and throwing everything else away. This time around, he’s looking for a middle ground that will satisfy newcomers and fans alike.