George Wada Says Wit Studio’s Goal Is to Preserve the World Behind One Piece’s Characters and Story in the Upcoming Remake

Wit Studio is taking on one of anime’s biggest franchises with The One Piece, a new adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga that will retell Luffy’s journey from the beginning.

While the project is being designed with modern audiences in mind, Wit Studio president George Wada says the remake’s priority is not simply to give One Piece a new visual style. Instead, the studio wants to preserve the world that gives Oda’s characters and story their emotional foundation.

Wit Studio Wants to Preserve What Makes One Piece Work

Speaking to Polygon, Wada explained that understanding the enormous world created by Oda is central to Wit Studio’s approach. He said, “

What we value most in all of our works is depicting a world,”

emphasizing that the setting should support rather than overshadow the characters.

Wada further explained that a creator’s desire to tell a story shapes its characters, while the world created around them provides the foundation for their emotions. For The One Piece, that means Wit Studio is approaching the remake with a deep understanding of Oda’s expansive setting rather than treating the East Blue Saga as an isolated story.

The approach fits Netflix’s description of The One Piece as a fresh yet familiar take on Luffy’s adventure. The new anime is separate from Toei Animation’s long-running television adaptation and will use modern animation technology to revisit the original manga.

The first season of The One Piece is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix in February 2027. According to Netflix, the opening season will consist of seven episodes, adapting approximately the first 50 manga chapters and covering Luffy’s journey through the East Blue Saga up to his encounter with Sanji.

Wada also described One Piece as “a treasure Japan can be proud of,” highlighting the importance of introducing Oda’s creation to a new generation. He said Wit Studio has deeply absorbed the franchise’s vast world and wants the remake to depict the beginning of Luffy’s adventure as a fresh voyage.

The studio’s challenge will therefore be balancing familiarity with reinvention. While longtime fans already know the East Blue story, The One Piece is being positioned as an opportunity for both existing viewers and newcomers to experience Oda’s world through a modern adaptation.