One Piece is currently making waves with a new audience on Netflix – but it’s still found time to shout out the pre-manga origins of one of its leading lights.
As Redditor u/Bardiclaus pointed out, the introduction of Nami (Emily Rudd) features an outfit which is strikingly similar – white top, cut-off pants, and a pulled-up stripey yellow sock – to an early sketch of the character from creator Eiichiro Oda.
Just realized Nami's introduction outfit is based on the old proto concept art. from r/OnePiece
Sure, we don’t get the robot prosthetics, but it’s a neat nod to Oda’s concept art and cover work – and another example of the Netflix live-action adaptation treating the source material with the love and care it deserves.
Rudd doesn’t just look the part, mind you. She feels the part, too. In our own interview with the Nami actor, she opened up on what she wants newcomers to take away from the show.
"I think my ultimate dream is that people who were maybe reluctant to watch the anime or read the manga take a chance on our show and fall in love with it in the same way that I and millions of other people have fallen in love with One Piece, because it is so special, and I hope that existing fans feel the love that was put into it – because there was a lot," Rudd, herself a One Piece fan, said.
For more from One Piece, check out our breakdown of the One Piece post-credits scene, including that tease. Then, fill out your watchlist with the best Netflix shows and best Netflix movies.
