The live-action One Piece series on Netflix has been an absolute smash hit! It brought the iconic Straw Hat Crew from the anime and manga to life on screen, and fans went wild for it. At this year’s WonderCon, the One Piece editor Eric Litman gave some behind-the-scenes insights during the Scene Breakdown Panel hosted by Victoria Male.
He touched on the challenges of adapting such a beloved source material from the original manga by Eiichiro Oda for live-action.
For those unfamiliar, One Piece is the first time this extremely popular manga series has been adapted into a live-action format.
How Does One Piece Editor Eric Litman Reflect on Mackenyu’s Acting?
In an interview, Eric Litman admitted he wasn’t a diehard fan of the series before the project, however, he was still well aware of popular characters like Luffy and Zoro.
He said through Temple of Geek,
“I was so thrilled that I got to cut Zoro’s episode 4, where he explained who he was. Although Luffy is his favorite, however, Mackenyu is a terrific actor and I was so happy to be a part of this.”
Eric Litman went on to explain that, as is the case with any adaptation, there were some hurdles to overcome when bringing the vibrant, imaginative world of One Piece from animation to live-action.
Eiichiro Oda‘s deep understanding of the source material and his collaborative guidance were invaluable in navigating those challenges.
Eric Litman’s Transition From Marvel to One Piece
Eric Litman’s experience on the One Piece project wasn’t his first rodeo with major franchises and devoted fandoms.
He’d previously worked as an editor on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., collaborating closely with Matt Owens during that time. So when the call came in about joining the One Piece crew, Eric Litman was over the moon.
Eric Litman understood the weight of expectations on their shoulders. Fans of long-running, beloved franchises like One Piece don’t mess around.
They demand adaptations that respect and honor the source material. But that immense challenge also energized Eric Litman to help craft something truly special.
You can binge-watch One Piece Live Action on Netflix.
