The best-selling manga series in history is coming to TV.
Marty Adelstein has inked a deal for the adaptation of Japanese comic series “One Piece” through Tomorrow Studios.
“I’ve been a fan of ‘One Piece’ for 20 years. I am so honored that Shueisha and Oda-san have entrusted me with such a cherished iconic property,” said Adelstein. “I will do everything in my power to make the ‘One Piece’ TV series an absolute success. While I expect this to be one of the most expensive shows ever done in television, the worldwide interest is tremendous and will be well worth the financial commitment.”
Adelstein (“Good Behavior”) will executive produce the project, along with “One Piece” publisher Shueisha and author Eiichiro Oda, as well as Tomorrow Studio’s Becky Clements (“Good Behavior”).
This announcement follows the recent news that Tomorrow Studios will also adapt Japanese anime series “Cowboy Bebop” into a live-action TV series.
“One Piece” follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as they explore a fantastical world of endless oceans and exotic islands in search of the world’s ultimate treasure known as “One Piece.”
“It is a great honor for Shueisha to collaborate with Tomorrow Studios on the ‘One Piece’ live-action TV series,” said Hiroyuki Nakano, editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump, which first serialized the comic in 1997. “Marty understands the original comics and has the same vision as us for the live-action adaptation. We trust that he and his team atTomorrow Studios will be able to produce a TV series reflecting Eiichiro Oda’s vision.”
Over 416 million copies have since been published worldwide of the series, which holds the Guinness World Record title for the most copies published of the same comic book series by a single author. An anime version has run on Fox, Cartoon Network as well as Adult Swim.
“I received numerous offers for live action adaptations for ‘One Piece.’ Three years ago, I finally decided to take a step forward on a live-action adaptation. After twists and turns, I met the right partner,” said Oda. “The first condition I presented is that ‘the live-action will be faithful to the fans who have supported ‘One Piece’ for 20 years.’ I expect to hear worries from fans but more than that, I’m looking forward to hearing the excitement.”
