Note: This story contains spoilers from “One Piece” Season 2.
It’s hard to watch Netflix’s live-action “One Piece” without asking yourself one seven-word question: How the hell did they do that?
That was true of Season 1, an introduction to the world of the Straw Hat Pirates that included Buggy the Clown (Jeff Ward) — a circus-themed captain with the ability to remove his limbs at will. And it’s especially true in Season 2, an installment that includes giants, emotionally complicated whales and a fully CGI reindeer character by the name of Tony Tony Chopper. “One Piece” started as an adaptation that defied everyone’s expectations, proving it was possible to bring Eiichiro Oda’s imaginative and cartoonish pirate manga into the real world. And as Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) and his crew enter the Grand Line in Season 2, the “One Piece” team has made it clear that defying expectations is simply part of the gig.
But bringing this underdog story to life was no simple feat. For Tomorrow Studios, creating Season 2 required extensive and careful planning across all divisions of the show, two shooting units at all times and a close relationship with the creator of this beloved manga and anime.
“Very early on in the creative process, we spend time with Oda and discuss the season,” Becky Clements, president and partner at Tomorrow Studios, told TheWrap. “It never all fits because every two episodes, you’re in a whole new place.”
Clements praised Oda for always focusing on the larger “emotional truth” of this adaptation. So while the live-action adaptation may shrink or remove some plots that are beloved by diehard fans, the series always remains true to the underlying spirit of “One Piece.” Oda’s approval has always remained integral to the Netflix adaptation.
“It was so important that Oda wrote that letter in the beginning of Season 1, telling the fans how he felt about it and how great it was,” Marty Adelstein, CEO of Tomorrow Studios, told TheWrap.
Once the team understands which storylines need to be included in the season, then the real work begins. As scripts are being written, the Tomorrow Studios team always remains conscious of what the visual tolls for each episode will be. For example, if it’s important that an episode include Tony Tony Chopper (voiced by Mikaela Hoover), the team knows that episode will be more expensive than others because of how much it costs to bring the CGI crew member to life. Production VFX Supervisor Victor Scalise and VFX Producer Scott Ramsey were instrumental in creating the little reindeer.
“You decide which characters are the audience favorites who carry a lot of narrative storytelling,” Clements explained. “Part of it that was Tony Tony Chopper, who is beloved. We knew that is going to be where a lot of our cash is, and we are involved in literally every hair on Tony Tony Chopper.”
Similarly, if an episode has several fighting scenes that require more practical effects, that’s noted early on. It takes about six months to write a season of “One Piece” followed by 30 weeks of prep work and six months of shooting. These processes often overlap. The production department is given the most heads up considering how long it takes to build the elaborate and whimsical sets of “One Piece.” After the scripts become more solidified, professionals in the wardrobe, hair, makeup and casting departments then step in. Finally, the show’s VFX and post team start to work on the season as part of its final stretch to the finish line. Post production typically takes about 20 weeks, meaning that creating an entire season from start to finish takes a year to a year and a half.
These overlapping processes are also used to shoot the season. “One Piece” utilizes two shooting units at all times, a setup that means two directors with full crews are filming the series simultaneously. Often one crew focuses on the Straw Hat crew while the other focuses on the storyline of the show’s other supporting characters.
“What’s great about the show is every shot has multiple departments in it. Every shot has drama, construction, VFX, stunts, special effects,” Clements said. “It requires great producing and focus from the team.”
No episode challenged the team more this season than “Good Whale Hunting.” After the crew steered their ship the Going Merry up a mountain, a giant whale swallowed everyone but Luffy. As Luffy desperately tried to save his crew, Nami (Emily Rudd), Zoro (Mackenyu), Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson) and Sanji (Taz Skylar) fought against two assassins from the Baroque Works group. Not only did the team have to plan and film several elaborate fight sequences from inside the belly of Laboon the whale, but they also had to animate the massive Laboon.
“We had to shoot 15 nights, something like that,” Clements said. “We used effects for the top of Laboone, but we built practically the bottom. We had to shoot at nigh, because you’re inside a whale. That took a very big toll on everyone. I would say that was the toughest of the season.”
That episode also spent a great deal of time being color corrected. Though there are certainly dark and spooky elements of “One Piece,” its vital to the team that viewers can always see what’s happening during an episode and that the actors’ expressions are always visable.
“Everyone’s a pro — our partners at Netflix, our showrunners, our line producer, our designers. We have between 1,400 and 2,000 people working on the show at all times, and their understanding of the manga, their professionalism and their excitement in trying to execute something is as amazing as when you read the manga,” Clements said. “It’s like going to Disneyland when you’re on set there.”
And it seems likely that this adventure is only beginning. Netflix has already began casting for Season 3, which was shooting during the time TheWrap spoke to Tomorrow Studios. There’s also reason to believe that Netflix sees “One Piece” as one of its big tentpole franchises for the future. The series is a major part of Netflix House Philadelphia, which is home to a “One Piece”-themed escape room as well as a great deal of exclusive merchandise for the live-action show. Netflix also showed the Season 2 premiere in more than 200 theaters in the U.S., Canada and Japan.
“They’ve done a spectacular job with that. Early on in the first season, they realized what they had. They have poured a lot of money, their resources and their time into it,” Adelstein said. “It’s probably their next ‘Stranger Things.’”
However, the Tomorrow Studios team isn’t fazed by the increased support and focus from their streaming partner.
“We are probably our harshest critics because we just want the fans to love it,” Clements said, noting that she’s heard the manga has seen a boost in sales since the Netflix series premiered. “We are very specific in how close we stay to [the source material] because we’re proud of it. It’s important to give the fans something that makes them go, ‘Now I understand why they did a live action. This part of it is different from the manga and the anime.’ We want to make sure the reason for making the live action feels exciting to the fans.”
“One Piece” Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Netflix.
