One Piece has a deceptively simple concept for a story of such epic scale: young Monkey D. Luffy, who considers himself a pirate before anyone else does, dreams of one day being King of the Pirates. With the help of his rubber “gum gum” powers, bestowed after accidentally eating a Devil Fruit, he gathers a motley crew and sets sail to find the legendary One Piece. Along the way, he inspires his newfound friends to chase their own dreams too, whether it’s to draw a map of the entire world or to become the world’s greatest swordsman.
Already a global sensation in manga and anime form, the One Piece live-action exceeded expectations and has become a massive hit for Netflix in the week since its release. Fans and newcomers alike have praised the lighthearted tone, on-point characterization — and especially the stellar fight scenes. Mackenyu’s Roronoa Zoro, in particular, has some iconic sword-fighting skills that were brought to life with the help of an on-set specialist.
Screen Rant spoke exclusively with katana specialist Koji Kawamoto to discuss One Piece, his approach to Zoro’s epic fighting style, and who he thinks should be the victor in the eventual rematch against Mihawk. Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and the show covered here would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
Koji Kawamoto Talks One Piece
You’ve worked on many incredible franchises, such as God of War and Resident Evil. But were you a fan of One Piece before working on the live-action? What do you like about the series?
Koji Kawamoto: I am a fan of One Piece, I read the manga. I like the fact that it makes me excited and thrilled.
What were the challenges in trying to bring Zoro’s unique “three-sword style” to the screen?
Koji Kawamoto: Unlike a normal samurai, Zoro wears his sword on the opposite side, so just getting used to that was a challenge, but fighting with the sword in his mouth was the most difficult part.
Here’s a question that One Piece fans have been asking for decades: is it actually humanly possible to fight with a sword held in the mouth? How did you make it possible with Mackenyu?
Koji Kawamoto: I think it is actually quite difficult. We made it happen with dummy weapons, the power of CG, and the power of Mackenyu’s teeth.
As an expert swordsman, who do you think should win the final battle between Zoro and Mihawk? The rematch still has to happen in the manga.
Koji Kawamoto: I want Zoro to win.
About One Piece
Based on Japan’s highest-selling manga series in history by Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE is a legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other. Monkey D. Luffy is a young adventurer who has longed for a life of freedom since he can remember. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, ONE PIECE, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing the Marines, and outwitting dangerous rivals at every turn.
Check out our other One Piece interviews here:
- 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.
