Bandai to release ‘One Piece Odyssey’ JRPG this 2022
Bandai Namco has announced that a new Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) based on popular anime series One Piece is set to be released this year.
The studio confirmed that One Piece Odyssey, which has been in development for “many years,” is an upcoming RPG filled with unique elements of adventure from the One Piece universe.
In an announcement video posted on YouTube, producer Katsuaki Tsuzuki said that One Piece Odyssey aims to “deliver an epic drama adventure of the Straw Hats which both One Piece fans and JRPG fans can experience and enjoy.”
To make this possible, Oda shared that they sought the help of One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda in order to ensure that the upcoming game will be “as true as possible to the original work.”
“So we asked Mr. Oda for his advice and he designed the characters and monsters to vitalize the in-game One Piece world,” Tsuzuki said.
In a statement, the creator of One Piece expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming JRPG.
“I thought to myself – wasn’t it like three years ago when I designed the characters? Hahaha! But when I actually saw the game… Wow! It felt like I was watching A MOVIIIIE!!! What incredible immersion!!” he said.
Here’s the official synopsis of the game:
During their voyage, the Straw Hats, led by Monkey D. Luffy are swallowed by a huge storm at sea. They end up on a mysterious island full of nature amidst the storm and become separated from each other. The crew set outs on a new adventurous journey filled with wonders of a raging nature, powerful enemies, and strange encounters with island locals.
As a JRPG, players get to defeat new enemies, unravel mysteries, and unearth a whole new adventure with their favorite Straw Hats, which include the titular character Luffy as well as Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Frankie, and Brook.
Aside from Oda, the upcoming game’s musical score is also created by Motoi Sakuraba, the composer behind various games like the Dark Souls and Tales series.
Meanwhile, Bandai Namco has yet to reveal the launch date for One Piece Odyssey, but confirmed that the new JRPG is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Apart from the new JRPG, a live-action series adaptation of One Piece is also in the works at Netflix.
Announced last year, the cast of the upcoming 10-episode series from Tomorrow Studios include Iñaki Godoy, who will portray the titular character of Monkey D. Luffy. He will be joined by Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp and Taz Skylar as Sanji.
Additionally, they will be joined by Morgan Davies (Koby), Ilia Isorelýs Paulino (Alvida), Aidan Scott (Helmeppo), Jeff Ward (Buggy), McKinley Belcher III (Arlong) and Vincent Regan (Garp).
Based on Oda's iconic manga, One Piece follows the story of Luffy, a young boy who sets out on an adventure with his crew to find the mystery treasure called One Piece, which was left by the legendary pirate Gol D. Roger.
First debuted in 1997, the soaring success of Oda's manga continues to this day, with the source material reaching its 100th volume. One Piece currently has 14 animated movies while the anime series is slated to release its 1,000th episode.
Aside from One Piece, Netflix is also releasing an array of live-action adaptations, which include the highly-awaited Yu Yu Hakusho series, and a Mobile Suit Gundam movie.