One Piece Live Action's Iñaki Godoy interviews Oda about Luffy's origins and more

Thursday, December 19, 2024, saw the official X account for Netflix’s One Piece Live Action series post an interview with Iñaki Godoy and original manga creator Eiichiro Oda. More specifically, Godoy is the one interviewing Oda, doing so in fluent Japanese, which he learned specifically to discuss the series’ second season with Oda per the post.

The roughly three-minute long interview sees Godoy, who plays protagonist Monkey D. Luffy in the One Piece Live Action series, ask Oda several questions related to season 2’s events. They also briefly discuss topics outside of season 2’s events, such as Oda’s inspiration for coming up with Luffy as a character and more.

One Piece Live Action star Iñaki Godoy learned Japanese specifically to conduct latest interview with Oda

The video opens up with Godoy and Oda hugging each other before the One Piece Live Action star introduces each of them. He then explains that he started learning Japanese in January 2024 specifically for this opportunity to sit down and speak with Oda. Godoy welcomes him to Cape Town before asking how his first time on the live-action set has been. Oda discusses his experiences, which primarily revolve around learning how the production process is handled.

Oda adds that he’s touched by the dedication of everyone involved, to which Godoy asks if he liked the acting. Oda confirms this, prompting Godoy to discuss the raised stakes on the Grand Line for season 2 and ask Oda why he made it so challenging. He explains that the Grand Line is the harshest of seas and that he felt a need to shock audiences, thus the inclusion of characters like Giants and bounty hunters.

He adds that the second season needs to present “new, surprising elements,” which is why One Piece Live Action season 2 is “more challenging” for the characters. Godoy then discusses his realization of Luffy’s depth as a character, asking Oda how he came up with the character of Luffy. Oda answers that he sees Luffy as an ideal child, explaining that entering society as an adult often means losing freedom for one reason or another.

Oda furthers that Luffy does what he wants because he has “a child’s heart,” something which he claims makes Luffy appealing to both adults in society and children about to become adults. He furthers that the more energetically Godoy performs, the more it energizes the audience likewise. The interview ends immediately thereafter with the two embracing once more.

While not incredibly informative in and of itself, the interview is still significant for several reasons. For one, it communicates just how involved Oda has been in the second season, experiencing almost every aspect of production during his time in South Africa. It also further demonstrates Oda’s approval and appreciation of the production, especially as it relates to Godoy’s performance as his story's protagonist Monkey D. Luffy.