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It took a lot of effort to bringOne Pieceto life, with all of its outrageous antics, enormous swords, fish people, extravagant costumes, and insane Devil Fruit powers. But the creators of the series did the impossible and made it a successful live-action which is rare. The most difficult casting at the moment was for the role of the protagonist Monkey D. Luffy. The protagonist Luffy’s voyage, as he sets out to become “King of the Pirates” and recruit the first few members of the Straw Hats, is well-portrayed in live-action. Iñaki Godoy played the role of Luffy admirably.
Godoy’s portrayal of the role earned a lot of appreciation, even from the creator of the source material Eiichiro Oda himself. However, there was a major problem at the time that would have made the creators go with another actor for the role of Luffy.
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Iñaki Godoy Almost Didn’t Get the Role of Monkey D. Luffy
Godoy’s performance as Luffy was one of the reasons why the series had so much success. Godoy takes some getting used to, yet he sticks out with his big smile and dreamy attitude. Godoy exudes a mesmerizing mix of limitless energy and wide-eyed awe that captivates the audience as he enacts his character on-screen. However, Godoy almost didn’t get the role of Luffy because of a problem with his traveling. The team was hesitant to hire Godoy because the series needed a lot of travel. After all, it was shot in Capetown, South Africa, and he was a minor at the time.
When President of Tomorrow Studios Becky Clements asked Godoy what his family thought about him taking on the role of Luffy, Godoy called his mother into the meeting and she expressed her excitement for her son’s achievement. At last, the family had to travel with Godoy while he shot the series.
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Iñaki Godoy’s Had the Perfect Qualities to Become Luffy
While talking toTheWarp, Clements expressed the qualities they were looking for in the actor who would portray the role of Luffy toOne Piecefans. She also stated that all of these qualities were seen in Godoy which is why he got the role. She said:
“He has to be uplifting, but he can’t be naive, but he has to be likable. He has to be everything: Strong, complicated, but earnest. When we saw [Iñaki Godoy], we all felt it.”
Godoy’s acting skills and qualities were not only liked by the Studio but also by the entireOne Pieceaudience and they were able to accept him for the role of their favorite character who is going to be King of the Pirates someday.
Read More:Despite Making Themes that Matched the Anime, Eiichiro Oda Rejected the Score of One Piece Because He Wanted to Make it “as large scale as it can possibly get”
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2958
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
