It is no exaggeration that the One Piece live-action was a massive game-changer for the franchise as a whole. Besides being well-loved by fans, the live-action pushed One Piece into the mainstream like never before, with the franchise reaching a whole new audience almost overnight.
Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece has continued to be just as successful, and there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the seasons to come. All that to say, One Piece has benefited greatly from the live-action, and even though Season 3 is still a long ways away from releasing, it’s already helping out the main series in one major way.
Netflix’s One Piece Is Allowing Oda To Take More Breaks
Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, recently took a trip to the set of the live-action in Cape Town, South Africa. Netflix shared a video of Oda in the desert where Season 3 of One Piece, The Battle of Alabasta, is currently being filmed, with the mangaka seen interacting with the cast and sketching Luffy in the sand. Oda also mentioned this visit in a comment in the last issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, hyping Season 3 and its visuals, saying:
“I went to Cape Town!! It looks like Season 3 of the live-action series is going to have some incredible visuals too!! I’m looking forward to it!!”
– Eiichiro Oda, Weekly Shonen Jump #26, 2026.
Ever since its inception, Eiichiro Oda has been closely involved in the production of the live-action, be it choosing the cast or visiting the set, and this has likely been a huge reason for the series’ success. That said, at the same time, there has been speculation that Oda being occupied with the live-action is the reason One Piece’s manga has been going on breaks more often.
One Piece’s Elbaph Arc is on break yet again this week, with Chapter #1185 due for June 14, 2026, instead. Furthermore, while the series did drop a new chapter on May 31, the previous chapter was quite noticeably shorter than usual, spanning only 12 pages. In fact, despite being halfway into 2026, One Piece has only released 14 chapters so far this year.
For years the debate on whether certain stories could work in live action was fierce, but then a single Netflix show proved it could be done.
Granted, most manga maintain a buffer of a couple of chapters ahead of the most recent release to stay ahead of schedule, though it’s hard to say for sure whether One Piece is doing the same, as the series did release an unfinished chapter as recently as the Egghead Arc.
One Piece’s Future Depends On Oda’s Wellbeing
Eiichiro Oda from his recent interview with Luffy in the front, smiling.
All that said, although it may be frustrating for readers, it is actually a good thing that One Piece’s creator is taking more breaks due to the live-action series, especially in the long run. Eiichiro Oda has been working tirelessly on the series week after week for nearly twenty-nine years straight, and so, if there’s anyone who deserves a break after all this time, it’s him.
Weekly Shonen Jump’s hellish schedule is infamously taxing on the physical health and well-being of its creators, with perhaps the most pertinent example being Hunter x Hunter’s creator, Yoshihiro Togashi. Eiichiro Oda may meet a similar fate if he keeps bulldozing forward without taking enough breaks.
The Ultimate · Straw Hat Challenge Set Sail for Trivia “I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
⚕CrewNakama!
🌊SeasEast Blue
🍋Devil FruitsGomu Gomu!
☠VillainsFear the sea
🏆DreamsOne Piece!
01
Monkey D. Luffy accidentally ate a Devil Fruit as a child, giving him rubber-like abilities. What is the name of that fruit?
✓ Correct! The Gum-Gum Fruit (Gomu Gomu no Mi) turned Luffy’s body into rubber. He ate it from Shanks’ treasure chest as a kid, gaining stretchy powers but losing the ability to swim forever.
✗ Overboard! The answer is the Gum-Gum Fruit. The Chop-Chop Fruit belongs to Buggy, the Flame-Flame Fruit to Ace, and the Smoke-Smoke Fruit to Captain Smoker — but Luffy’s rubber powers come from the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
02
Luffy’s iconic straw hat was given to him as a child by a famous pirate who inspired his dream. Who gave Luffy the hat?
✓ Correct! Red-Haired Shanks entrusted his straw hat to young Luffy in Foosha Village, telling him to return it when he becomes a great pirate. That promise drives Luffy’s entire journey.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Red-Haired Shanks. While Gold Roger originally wore the hat, it was Shanks who passed it down to Luffy after saving his life from a Sea King — a defining moment in the series.
03
Before joining the Straw Hats, Sanji works as a sous chef at a floating restaurant on the ocean. What is the name of this restaurant?
✓ Correct! The Baratie is the ocean-going restaurant run by Chef Zeff, Sanji’s mentor. In the live-action series, it’s one of the most stunning sets — a fully realized ship-restaurant on the open sea.
✗ Overboard! The answer is The Baratie. Run by the legendary pirate-turned-chef “Red Leg” Zeff, this floating restaurant is where Luffy recruits Sanji as the Straw Hats’ cook.
04
Roronoa Zoro is famous for his unique sword-fighting technique. How many swords does he wield in his signature style?
✓ Correct! Zoro uses Three-Sword Style (Santoryu), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk.
✗ Overboard! The answer is three. Zoro’s iconic Three-Sword Style places one blade in each hand and a third clenched between his teeth — a fighting technique unique to him in the One Piece world.
05
Each Straw Hat crew member has a personal dream. What is Nami’s ultimate goal that drives her journey?
✓ Correct! Nami’s dream is to draw a map of the entire world. Her cartography skills and navigation talent make her indispensable to the crew, and her passion for mapmaking was nurtured by her adoptive mother Bell-mère.
✗ Overboard! The answer is to draw a complete map of the world. Nami is a gifted cartographer whose dream goes beyond just sailing — she wants to chart every sea and island so no one is ever lost again.
06
A powerful Marine Vice Admiral is revealed to have a surprising family connection to Luffy. Who is this high-ranking Marine?
✓ Correct! Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather. Known as “Garp the Fist,” he’s a Marine hero who wanted Luffy to become a Marine — not a pirate. Their family dynamic is a major subplot in the live-action series.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Vice Admiral Garp. Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather and one of the most legendary Marines alive. Despite being on opposite sides of the law, their bond runs deep.
07
Usopp is recruited into the Straw Hat crew after the pirates help defend his home village from Captain Kuro’s Black Cat Pirates. What is the name of Usopp’s village?
✓ Correct! Syrup Village is Usopp’s peaceful hometown where he was known for telling tall tales. It’s also where Kaya lives, and where the crew acquires the Going Merry from her estate.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Syrup Village. Foosha Village is Luffy’s hometown, Shells Town is where Zoro was held captive, and Coco Village (Cocoyasi) is Nami’s home — but Usopp hails from Syrup Village.
08
The Netflix live-action adaptation was praised for its casting. Which actor plays Monkey D. Luffy?
✓ Correct! Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy won fans over with his infectious energy and earnest portrayal of Luffy. Mackenyu plays Zoro, Taz Skylar is Sanji, and Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Iñaki Godoy. The young Mexican actor perfectly captured Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm. The other actors all play Straw Hat crew members — but Luffy is all Iñaki.
Voyage Complete Your Pirate Record
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Are you King of the Pirates — or lost at sea?
Even though One Piece has entered its Final Saga and things are getting very interesting, most fans would surely much rather see Oda finish the series at his own pace than never see it to the finish line or be forced to go on a years-long hiatus like Togashi. On the flip side, Oda’s continued involvement in the live-action also means the series will continue to live up to fans’ expectations for seasons to come.
