In development since 2017, the live-action series One Piece has just achieved an important milestone by revealing the names of the performers of the Straw Hat crew.
Monkey D. Luffy, the young pirate who ate the Gum-Gum fruit and aspires to become the king of the pirates, will be played by Iñaki Godoy (Who Killed Sara?). Roronoa Zoro, the first member to join the crew of the Straw Hat and whose dream is to become the best swordsman in the world, will be played by Mackenyu (Rurouni Kenshin: The Final).
Nami, the crew’s navigator who wants to map the world, will be played by Emily Rudd (Fear Street). Finally, the ingenious Usopp will be played by Jacob Gibson (Greenleaf) while Sanji, the cook who dreams of discovering All Blue, will be played by Taz Skylar (The Kill Team).
Following the casting announcement by Netflix, Eiichiro Oda said: “We’ve been working with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios on the massive project that is the Hollywood live action series adaptation of ONE PIECE! How many years has it been since it was announced, right? I know, I know! But rest assured we’ve been making steady progress all along! It’s not easy when you’re working with people from different cultures! But it’s precisely that process that can yield something special! For now, we’re able to announce the main cast! Rather, we need to hurry and announce it or else it’ll be leaked, apparently! Hilarious, lol. Their face, the size of their mouths and hands, their aura, the way they carry themselves, their voice, their acting skills, their height, the balance amongst the Straw Hat Crew, etc…! We decided on this cast after numerous discussions involving people around the world! These are the people who will be our Straw Hat Pirates! It’ll take a bit more time to get this show done, but we’ll continue to do our best to deliver a show that we’re confident will be enjoyed by everyone around the world! Look forward to more updates in the future!”
Steven Maeda, writer, showrunner and executive producer of One Piece, and Matt Owens, writer and executive producer, say in a joint statement: “We are so excited to set sail with this amazing and talented cast! Finding the right people to pull off the looks, emotions, and actions of the iconic Straw Hats was a long and challenging (and fun!) process. Much like the search for the One Piece itself. But we have finally found the perfect fits! They have already begun working very hard to bring these characters to life. You will come to know and love them just as much as their manga counterparts. All of us can’t wait to show you what we’ve come up with! Onward to adventure!”
The ’10-episodes’ first season of the One Piece series could, if we rely on the cast of the crew, deal with the events that take place before the Drum Island Arc. To be confirmed (or not) in the coming months.
What do you think of these choices for the casting of the Straw Hat crew? Tell us in the comments.
Emily Rudd 
Iñaki Godoy 
One Piece 
