One Piece is the story of a group of pirates led by Monkey D. Luffy, who obtain powers of stretching his body after consuming Gum-Gum fruit. They together are searching for a valuable treasure, across the ocean, known as “One Piece.” This popular anime/manga series was adapted into a live-action series by Netflix, and it premiered on August 31.
One Piece
Now, after five weeks of being available, Netflix’s One Piece remains in the weekly Top 10 list, with a total of 57.8 million views so far. It has also received praise for the outstanding performance of its cast.
Interestingly, there is a special cast member from Marvel who plays a villain in the One Piece series. This actor is so popular that his fan following even surprised the showrunner of Netflix’s One Piece.
Also Read: The Only ‘One Piece’ Character Who Dominated Luffy in a Fight in Netflix’s Live Action Series- Monkey D Garp’s Powers Will Shock Some Anime Fans
One Piece Screenwriter Astonished by Jeff Ward’s Surprising Popularity
In an interview with the screenwriter and co-showrunner of Netflix’s One Piece conducted by Deadline, when asked if Buggy, a character who has become very popular, will have an even bigger role, the screenwriter replied:
“No, not to the extent that he is. I knew Jeff Ward, we had worked together on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. previously; we’ve always had a great working relationship that blossomed into a very close friendship. I was still on S.H.I.E.L.D. when I first started developing One Piece. We went out to dinner one night and I said, Hey, I’m doing this show. Take a look at it because there’s a character that I really want you for.”
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
He continued:
“So Jeff and I have been talking about Buggy the Clown for years. Jeff is such a phenomenal actor, he brings such depth, such playfulness, such thought to everything that he does, and he killed it. It was so fun seeing him embody that character. So I knew that he would hit, I knew that people would really like him. To the extent that they have, to the extent that they have been horny for him, that’s new for me, but I’m glad to see him getting the attention that he deserves as an artist.”
The screenwriter mentioned that he had previously worked with actor Jeff Ward (who played Buggy in One Piece) on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He also said that it was enjoyable to see Ward embody the character of Buggy. The screenwriter had a feeling that the actor would do well in the role and that people would like him. He expressed surprise at the level of attention and attraction that Ward’s portrayal of the character had generated, but he was pleased to see him receiving the recognition he deserved as an artist.
Also Read: Roronoa Zoro Doesn’t Laugh Anymore in ‘One Piece’ and Luffy Might be the Reason
The Screenwriter of Netflix’s One Piece Revealed Why don’t Antagonists Die in The Series
In that same interview, the screenwriter asked why Buggy is still in the story despite his bad actions. The interviewer also questioned why villains don’t die in the series. He said:
Dreams are very important in the One Piece world, and Oda has said before that what’s worse than death is a dream being taken away. So when you see a lot of the villains that we meet, they have these machinations, they have these desires — often nefarious — and the Straw Hats take those away from them.
Matt Owens
He said dreams are crucial in the One Piece world. Oda once mentioned that losing a dream is worse than dying. When you meet many villains, they have plans and desires, often bad ones, and the Straw Hats stop them from achieving those.
Also Read: “It’s funny you mention that one”: Netflix’s One Piece Showrunner Has His Eye on Another Anime After Live-Action Adaptation’s Success
Source: Deadline
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