At the press conference held the Tokyo One Piece Tower amusement park, it was announced that the long running shounen series, “One Piece” would be gaining a Hollywood television series, something that even Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series himself, gave response to with a handwritten statement read by newly promoted editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump Hiroyuki Nakano at the conference.
It stated:
In the last 20 years the conversation about a live-action adaptation has come up many times. I decided to go forward with the adaptation about three years ago. There were many twists and turns. I met a good partner. Today is the just about the 20th anniversary. The announcement of the new work is actually just a coincidence. I am very happy. Firstly, “I will never betray the fans who have supported me for 20 years.” This is my condition. There may be many who are uneasy, but please, give me your voices of hope. Please be excited for the follow up reports. Please look forward to it!!
But there was much more revealed at the conference than the news of a live action adaptation. With the 20th anniversary of the series set for July 22 (although the manga actually launched on July 19, 1997, it was advertised as launching on July 22) the Japan Anniversary Association announced that July 22 is now officially considered “One Piece Day” and Nakano was on hand for the announcement.
In a previous report there were other projects announced for the 20th anniversary which fans can look forward to including the three-issue One Piece Magazine and two-hour anime special; campaigns with Twitter, LINE, and SNOW; a fanart contest; a summer festival at the Tokyo One Piece Tower and more.
A magazine takeover was also announced by the staff of the series as they relayed that “One Piece” would be hijacking 28 different Shueisha magazines. These magazines include:
UOMO
Ultra Jump
éclat
Cookie
Grand Jump
Cocohana, Saikyō Jump
The Margaret, Jump Square
Weekly Shonen Jump
Weekly Playboy
Weekly Young Jump
SPUR, Shōsetsu Subaru
Subaru
Seventeen
Non-no
BAILA
V Jump
Bessatsu Margaret
Margaret
MAQUIA
Marisol
Myojo
MORE
Monthly YOU
LEE
Ribon.
To add to all of this, there will also be a collaborative event for the series from October 7 to 22 titled “One Piece 20th x KYOTO Kyoto Straw Travel Journal: Another Country of Wano” in light of the manga series entering in the Country of Wano arc this year. More details on this will be revealed on the official website for the anniversary at a later date.
“One Piece” is shounen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda and was first serialized by Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump in July 1997. The story of the series tells of a young man named Monkey D. Luffy, his one goal in life is to gain the title of “King of Pirates” and his journey towards his dream he meets his colorful set of crew and together the “Strawhat Pirates” travel towards a path of dreams and adventures.
To further promote the anniversary, Shonen Jump began streaming a 20th anniversary video on Friday.
Source: AnimeNewsNetwork