S27 - Ep 3 - One Piece - Film Editing

Adapting manga to live action has defeated more than a few ambitious productions. But somehow, One Piece became one of Netflix’s biggest successes — by embracing spectacle without losing sight of character.

This week on Below the Line, Film Editor Eric Litman returns to the podcast alongside regular guest and co-host Christopher Angel to discuss the editorial challenges behind Netflix’s hit adaptation of One Piece. From reshaping major sequences in post to balancing fan expectations with emotional clarity, Eric breaks down how the series found its rhythm — and why grounding the story emotionally became the key to making its larger-than-life world work.

Among the highlights:

Reworking the opening of Season 2 to establish energy, tone, and momentum from the very first scene

Building complex visual effects sequences before the effects themselves even existed

Using pacing, speed ramps, and eye-lines to shape action scenes around character perspective

Finding visual inspiration in the original manga while still allowing the live-action series to stand on its own

How editorial restructuring and pickups helped strengthen emotional connections between the Straw Hats

Collaborating with previs, sound, stunt, and VFX teams across multiple countries during post-production

Why the creative team resisted “fan service” in favor of character-driven storytelling

The emotional audience reactions that revealed just how deeply One Piece connects with its fans

What emerges throughout the conversation is how much modern editing — especially on a visual effects-heavy show like One Piece — depends on collaboration. Eric describes a process that extended far beyond the cutting room, involving constant communication between editorial, sound, previs, visual effects, production, and performance.