One Piece Live-Action Adaptation: How Production Designer Richard Bridgland Creates an Epic Masterpiece

Summary

The Netflix adaptation of One Piece sets an extraordinary precedent, demonstrating how to successfully capture the grandeur and profound narrative of the original anime and manga.

Production designer Richard Bridgland conducted thorough research on the original manga in order to pay homage to the cherished property and remain faithful to Oda's craftsmanship. He even drew inspiration from Oda's book, The Rubaru, to create the settings.

Crafting sets that accurately matched the grandeur and scope of the show posed a significant challenge, with the creation of the Baratie, a colossal restaurant set, proving to be the most demanding. The objective was to bring the world of One Piece to life, making it feel genuine and credible without overly relying on visual effects.

Netflix's One Piece adaptation brings the pirate world to life in an epic, live-action format. Based on Eiichiro Oda's popular manga, the show follows Monkey D. Luffy, who sets out to find the eponymous mythical treasure and become the King of the Pirates. Created in collaboration with Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, and Netflix, One Piece features a talented ensemble cast led by Iñaki Godoy as Luffy. With writers Matt Owens and Steven Maeda serving as executive producers and showrunners, along with Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, and Becky Clements, the show captures the grandeur and emotion of the original source material, making it a successful live-action anime/manga adaptation.

Richard Bridgland Talks Netflix's One Piece

During the show's highly anticipated debut, Screen Rant had the privilege of exclusively chatting with Richard Bridgland, the talented production designer behind Netflix's adaptation of One Piece. In our conversation, we delved into the challenging task of capturing the grandeur of the source material, even managing to stump creator Eiichiro Oda with a crucial piece of lore. Additionally, Bridgland shed light on the creative changes made throughout the production process.

Editor's Note: It is important to acknowledge that this interview took place during the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023. Without the hard work and dedication of the writers and actors from WGA and SAG-AFTRA, the creation of this show would not have been possible.

Screen Rant: I'm thrilled to discuss the live-action adaptation of One Piece with you. As someone who wasn't previously acquainted with the source material, it has inspired me to explore the anime series, which has proven to be an enjoyable experience. One Piece is undeniably one of the most renowned franchises globally. Did you have prior knowledge of it before being approached for the show?

Richard Bridgland: Honestly, I have to admit that I wasn't the target audience. [Laughs] But thankfully, my kids were really familiar with it. When they brought up this mango called One Piece, I asked them what they knew about it, and they were like, "Oh my gosh, everyone knows One Piece!" It was great to have that support. As I started working on the show, I realized just how dedicated the fan base is. Half of my art department were huge fans themselves, so it felt like a dream job to work on the live-action adaptation of the manga.

It was truly massive. Not being a fan before actually helped me a lot when it comes to this question. Coming to it with fresh eyes allowed me to discover the characters and the world just like the fans do for the first time. I didn't have any preconceived notions or biases towards certain characters, which I believe contributed to my fresh perspective.

Richard Bridgland emphasized the importance of respecting and honoring the source material when diving into the research for the manga and anime. They conducted extensive research, primarily focusing on the manga instead of the anime, as it was the original material. The research was tailored to the specific story arc they were adapting, with certain elements of the story modified for better flow in the TV adaptation. This recognition of the differences between mediums was crucial in bringing the source material to life effectively.

Then, we had some amazing resources at our disposal, like Oda's acclaimed book, The Rubaru, which served as a wellspring of inspiration for many of the captivating settings depicted in the manga. For example, in Loguetown, Oda drew inspiration from the enchanting city of Florence, a fact he openly shares with his fans. One Piece, in essence, takes readers on a grand voyage across the world, viewed through Oda's unique lens. It was incredibly helpful to have access to the original sources of inspiration and use them as a foundation for our own creative process. In Loguetown, for instance, Oda actually makes references to a few real stores in Florence, and we felt compelled to pay homage by including those same store signs in our adaptation. Although the appearance may differ, we wanted to incorporate these hidden nods so that fans would recognize our attention to detail.

Which script out of the eight that you read excited you the most to bring to life on screen?

Richard Bridgland: That's a great question. Honestly, it was always the next script because creating the world was such a fantastic experience. The scale of it was immense, and since it's a travel story, we were constantly moving to different parts of the world every two episodes. It felt like making four major films in succession. We even had a running joke in the art department where people would ask each other, "I'm working on Baratie, and I think this is my favorite set," but then a month later, they'd say, "Now I'm working on Cocoyashi Village, and I think this is my favorite set."

The scripts followed a similar pattern, continuously presenting new worlds and providing excitement. Among the episodes, I was particularly eager for fans to see the ones set in Syrup Village and Kaya's mansion. The challenge with Kaya's mansion was that the manga never offered a glimpse inside, so we had to create it while staying true to Eiichiro Oda's work and the essence of One Piece. To accomplish this, I relied on my knowledge of the characters from Oda's descriptions and the manga. Our show runner, Matt Owens, was a dedicated One Piece enthusiast and our go-to person for ensuring the authenticity of the world. For Kaya's mansion, the concept revolved around her grandparents founding a shipbuilding company where people from the East Blue would come to have their ships constructed. To display their work, the mansion featured a salesroom adorned with murals of the ships they had built. Furthermore, the dining room was decorated entirely with porcelain, as the pirates who bought their ships often paid with stolen porcelain instead of cash.

The sheer scale of everything in this show, from the sets to the action, is truly staggering. Which set posed the greatest challenge in terms of capturing the grand ambitions of Matt, Steve, and Oda?

Richard Bridgland: Well, there were numerous sets that presented their own challenges. [Laughs] But if I had to choose one, I would say Baratie, the restaurant, was the most formidable. To begin with, it was an enormous set, the largest one we constructed. It featured a ship with a colossal fish head, and it had to be placed in a relatively shallow tank on our backlot. The main challenge was our desire to minimize the use of visual effects. We aimed for a more traditional approach to filmmaking, opting to build the sets. As we brought the manga to life in a live-action format, authenticity was vital. After all, the fans have nurtured their own unique interpretations of One Piece over the years.

When we brought it to life in reality, it had to appear genuine to the viewers. Merely incorporating visual effects as a backdrop, regardless of how impressive it may look, wouldn't suffice. We needed to add texture, scent, and physical sculptures of One Piece elements, as well as hidden Easter eggs, to make it feel authentic. This entailed constructing an immense set that, from the outside, revealed glimpses of our backlots, parking lots, and even the nearby highway over the hill. To ensure a realistic and believable environment, we utilized all the ship assets at our disposal, strategically maneuvering them in the water for different scenes. By minimizing the reliance on visual effects to expand the background, we aimed to make the world surrounding the characters feel tangible and convincing.

Oda's involvement in the show has been well-documented, but how was it for you to work with him? Did you have much interaction with him? And what was it like to collaborate with him to bring this project to life?

Richard Bridgland: To be honest, I didn't have direct interaction with Oda. He trusted us to do what we do best, which is movie making. He was satisfied with the scripts, and I presented most of the concepts to him. He gave us his approval and said, "Yes, this feels like my world." So, from there, he was comfortable letting us continue. We did consult Oda when we had specific questions that couldn't be answered through the manga or his other works.

There were some intriguing aspects that were significant. One of them, early on, was my major inquiry: "Does this world possess electricity?" I was aware that there was cola power in a later story arc that generated electricity. However, I needed electricity for lighting the sets and utilizing different types of lights. It was not feasible to rely solely on candles and daylight. This was a crucial matter at the time, so we approached Oda and asked for his thoughts. Can we incorporate electricity? Can we utilize cola power? This caught him off guard because he had never really considered it. Understandably, it was a practical question. After thinking about it, he got back to us and granted permission to have electricity in this world. However, he suggested that we refrain from using cola power at this point and save it for a later story arc.

Perhaps in season 2 or 3, they will introduce the concept of cola power. Oda highlighted that declaring the existence of electricity in this world was a significant revelation, adding a new dimension to the world. This was just one example, as our inquiries generally revolved around fundamental aspects.

The live-action anime genre has a history of struggling to capture its essence successfully. When approached for this project, did you have any reservations given its past misfires?

I focused first on the characters, particularly Luffy's character, and the bold nature of the world they exist in. This understanding provided a solid foundation. The figurehead on the Going Merry perfectly represents Luffy's indomitable, courageous, and funny personality. To capture this essence, I created a laughing ram's head figurehead, maintaining the manga's unique style. The eyes were modified to match the manga's aesthetic, honoring Oda's work. Throughout the design process, the characters always guided our decisions, ensuring their authenticity and impact.

Morgan's office was unexpectedly grand in scale. While Steve, one of our show runners, envisioned it as a military base office, Morgan's excessive, self-centered personality called for something more extravagant. Inspired by the layout of Louis B. Mayer's office, I positioned Morgan's desk far from the door, instilling a sense of intimidation. The room featured towering statues of Morgan and grand portraits depicting his victories in battle. Every detail was derived from Morgan's character, creating a set that resonated with the essence of One Piece. This defining moment in our design process solidified our approach to the series, and it seems to be a successful choice.

Have you seen One Piece? People who have are now sharing their thoughts on it, and it seems like the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. If you have watched it, how do you feel about it?

Richard Bridgland spoke about the positive reception of the show on YouTube. He mentioned that the viewers enjoyed every aspect of it, including the stories and the humor, which is a challenging feat. He also discussed the bold style established by Marc Jobst, the producing director, using super wide lenses to emulate the manga's feel. Bridgland explained how he had to carefully design the sets with this in mind, including the ceilings to ensure everything was visible. Additionally, he mentioned the effort put into including Easter eggs in the background of scenes, such as paintings in the Baratie restaurant representing locations in the One Piece world. This attention to detail aimed to honor the fans' imaginations and the work of Oda, the original creator. Overall, Bridgland expressed satisfaction with the positive feedback received.

About Netflix's One Piece

One Piece, based on the highest-selling manga series in Japan's history by Eiichiro Oda, is a thrilling high-seas adventure like no other. Follow the journey of Monkey D. Luffy, a young adventurer who has always desired a life of freedom. Determined to become the King of the Pirates, Luffy embarks on a perilous quest to discover the fabled treasure known as ONE PIECE. However, to achieve his goal, Luffy must first gather his dream crew, find a suitable ship, explore the vast blue seas, outwit the Marines, and overcome formidable adversaries at every turn.

Don't miss our other captivating One Piece interviews!

Showrunner Steven Maeda

Director Marc Jobst

Director Emma Sullivan

Editor Tessa Verfuss

All 8 episodes of One Piece season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.

Source: Screen Rant Plus