news culture ‘I’ve never worked so hard’: This live-action One Piece actor had a blast. For better or for worse?
While the One Piece manga is on hiatus due to Eiichiro Oda’s eye surgery, the Netflix series adapting the first chapters of Luffy’s adventures seems to be doing well. For Taz Skylar, the actor who plays Sanji, the biggest investment seems to be behind him.
One Piece: The author is undergoing surgery, a break is imminent
The start of summer is likely to be a long one for One Piece fans: After a chapter 1085 full of revelations, author Eiichiro Oda has announced that he will be taking a one-month break. A “break” warranted by the surgery cured his astigmatism: a very common vision problem after myopia.
Oda’s message 10 minutes ago:
I will have surgery to correct my astigmatism as it affects my work. I’ve been discussing this with the Shonen Jump Editor-in-Chief since last year and I’m going to take *4 weeks* off. I will be able to shine from my eyes.🤣 pic.twitter.com/kdv36O9BQh— Sandman (@sandman_AP) June 6, 2023
I will undergo an operation to correct my astigmatism, which is interfering with my work. I discussed this with the editor of Shonen Jump last year and I’m going to take *4 weeks* off. I will be able to shine through my eyes.🤣
As well as the ending of One Piece, which he’ll be able to continue drawing after his surgery, it’s also the Netflix live-action adaptation that he’ll likely have to continue to oversee. On that subject, Taz Skylar (Sanji’s interpreter) spoke in a lengthy interview about his character’s demanding preparation.
“I’ve never lost my mind like I did on this project”
It happens through online media ZeroNine that Taz Skylar is devoting himself to several aspects of his education. First, he explains that adapting a manga involves a lot of work:
You know, in live action, some things can be intentional and some things can be accidental. When it comes to drawing, everything is done on purpose.
Taz Skylar with the cast of Usopp and Nami.
Which explains that it is necessary to control almost everything: the character’s pose, for example whether he is wearing a jacket or not. According to the shoes; The outfit is different too. But above all, it was through the necessary footwork (Sanji doesn’t fight with his hands for fear of not being able to cook anymore) that the actor put in the greatest effort. In particular, he compares his training to that of his peers, who he says are more difficult to assimilate due to the lack of practice items:
All other characters have an external object that they had to practice with. This does not affect the process of learning a craft in any way. However, in my case, I was only able to learn how to use the item once it became usable. Understanding the mechanics of a kick, for example, doesn’t matter until you can hit the target.
All this without forgetting the kitchen, which required a daily investment: “The training started with one hour a day and gradually increased to two, four, six and finally eight hours a day.“In any case, total participation was required of him. Something he has never seen before:
I never lost my mind like I did with this project. I’ve never worked so hard for anything in my entire life.
A statement likely to pique the curiosity of both One Piece fans and the uninitiated. To have a clear idea, it remains to wait for the release of the series on Netflix, which is scheduled for this year on a still unknown date. Still, any statement made by the SVOD platform about its customization is debatable. Whether it’s Luffy’s shoes or Vogue Merry’s looks, fans seem to be expecting the worst more than the best.
