One Piece Creator’s Biggest Issue With The Anime Revealed: “He Felt a Bit of Regret”

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In December 2023, the popular anime One Piece generated a lot of buzz online during Jump Festa 2024 with the announcement of a remake by the well-known animation studio WIT Studio. The remake is slated to stream on Netflix, which thrilled fans. While WIT Studio is celebrated for its beautiful animation and high-quality adaptations, it’s been over two years since the initial announcement and there’s still no confirmed release date. Despite the slow progress, glimpses and concept art suggest the final product will be worth the wait.

The live-action version of One Piece is gaining huge popularity, with the second season recently released. The original manga has also achieved a major milestone, selling over 600 million copies worldwide – a first for any series. A new anime remake is in the works, hoping to attract even more fans, particularly younger viewers. According to George Wada, a producer at WIT Studio, the anime remake is happening largely thanks to the creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda.

One Piece Creator Had a Major Issue With Toei Animation’s Adaptation

Wada explained in an interview with Ai Show that the decision to remake One Piece came from a comment made by the series’ creator, Eiichiro Oda.

Wada explained that because One Piece has been running for so long, it’s become incredibly detailed. He believes newer viewers accustomed to modern animation might not experience the same level of enjoyment watching the older episodes.

He also explained that Oda was the main inspiration for the project. Apparently, Oda felt some regret that the story wasn’t widely known by newer generations and wanted them to experience it. This inspired him to recreate the story with updated methods that would appeal to modern viewers.

Since 1999, Toei Animation has been the driving force behind the popular One Piece anime, helping to make it a global success. For years, new episodes aired every week, but that schedule is changing in 2026 with the start of the Elbaph Arc. While the studio has created some truly stunning animation during the Wano Country and current Egghead arcs, the anime still struggles with its pacing – that remains its biggest weakness.

Most anime episodes cover around three to five chapters of the manga, but One Piece only adapts about one chapter per episode. The studio tries to compensate for this with extra scenes, though fans often dislike these additions because they can significantly alter the original story. Even the creator, Eiichiro Oda, recognizes this as a problem. With over 1100 episodes, One Piece can be daunting for new viewers. Furthermore, Oda feels that the animation style of the older episodes might not appeal to today’s audiences.

Netflix’s One Piece Remake Will Be Worth The Wait

Wit Studio is working to improve upon some of the issues with the original anime series in this new remake. The earlier episodes, known as the East Blue Saga, feel old-fashioned, and the original’s outdated screen shape will also be updated. Although the remake is taking a while to come out, fans can expect it to be worth the wait, given Wit Studio’s history of creating high-quality animation.

This animation studio is famous for its work on the first three seasons of Attack on Titan, Season 1 of Vinland Saga, and Spy x Family, created alongside CloverWorks. Masashi Koizuka, who directed Seasons 2 and 3 of Attack on Titan, will also be directing this new anime. It’s designed to be accessible and engaging, even for those who aren’t familiar with the source material, by avoiding filler content and keeping a fast pace.

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2026-03-23 03:39