Netflix’s live-action One Piece show has fans of the original manga and anime divided because of some of the changes it’s making to the original material, but it won’t be changing everything. As announced during Anime Expo 2023 (via Deadline), while the show was recorded in English, there will be a Japanese audio dub version available to watch alongside the series’s premiere later this year. This isn’t just any old re-record, though, as the Japanese anime cast has returned to reprise their roles as the Straw Hat Pirate crew for this live-action One Piece Netflix show.
“I’ve been voicing Luffy for more than 23 years now, and I think everyone has a little bit of Luffy in their heart,” original Monkey D. Luffy voice actor Mayumi Tanaka said at Anime Expo 2023. “Iñaki, who performs Luffy in this live-action series, is so fun and joyful that he really makes a perfect Luffy! I’m very happy to be able to voice Luffy in this adaptation as well.”
Tanaka will be returning to voice the live-action Netflix series in Japanese alongside other One Piece anime actors Kazuya Nakai as Roronoa Zoro, Akemi Okamura as Nami, Kappei Yamaguchi as Usopp, and Hiroaki Hirata as Sanji. It’s true that the Netflix live-action take features plenty of differences from Eiichiro Oda’s original swashbuckling pirate story. However, even those completely turned off by the show might find something to look forward to now that those recognizable voices are making a return.
Most viewers, however, will likely tune in with English audio when the Netflix One Piece show premieres. The show stars Iñaki Godoy as Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. It might take some adjusting to get used to these new portrayals. Thankfully, we got a sneak peek at how some of the actors handled the classic anime characters when the first full One Piece trailer debuted last month. It’s definitely not what we’ve gotten used to for the last few decades, but it’s not too far off the mark either.
“One Piece is a story whose words and images can resonate with you in different ways depending on your situation or perspective at any given moment, allowing for new discoveries all the time,” Tanaka continued. “And of course, nothing would bring me greater joy than if people who’ve never experienced One Piece can become part of the family beginning with this show.”
The Netflix live-action One Piece show releases August 31, 2023. Stay tuned for any additional updates.
