Netflix's One Piece adaptation loses a showrunner

Matt Owens, co-showrunner of Netflix's One Piece adaptation, is stepping away from a life of piracy and deciding to focus on his mental health. The show, which premiered in 2023, is looking ahead to a release of its second season later this year, but it appears that when it comes time to look beyond that, Owens won't be around.

At least for a little while. As per a post on Owens' Instagram page, he wrote that he would be taking a break. "The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey," begins the post. "A dream come true. It's also been A LOT. So I'm stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health. Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work. For now I'm gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await. Thanks to everyone who has supported me. See you real soon!"

While it seems that we won't have Owens' influence on the show for the near future, there does appear to be a possibility that he'll return. With more than 1000 manga chapters and anime episodes to adapt, it's likely Netflix is going to keep making this show for years to come, meaning Owens could return at a later date.