imagine-nation S2013E01 - Main Feature: The Animation Movie "ONE PIECE film Z" / Creator's interview: Atsushi Takahashi Japanese Animation Director

Main Feature: The Animation Movie "ONE PIECE film Z"

We delve into the allure of ONE PIECE, particularly ONE PIECE film Z, which premiered in Japanese cinemas on December 15th! It's the first feature-length anime based on this manga series in three years. 

ONE PIECE has been one of Japan's most spectacularly successful and well-known manga series, selling 360 million copies so far. The first editions of Vol. 64-66 each sold about 4 million copies, and Vol. 67 notched up a figure of 4.05 million! It has set new records in Japan. This manga has been translated and sold in some thirty countries, while animated editions have aired in more than forty. 

ONE PIECE film Z is the 12th feature-length anime based on this series. And what a lavish work it is! Eiichiro Oda, the creator of ONE PIECE, was in charge of overall production, while the director was Tatsuya Nagamine of TOEI Animation, who was trying his hand at the ONE PIECE series for the first time. The screenplay was by Osamu Suzuki, an avid fan of ONE PIECE, while Avril Lavigne provided the theme song.

We are one of the first to tell the world about ONE PIECE film Z, which is bound to be a huge hit! 

Creator's interview: Atsushi Takahashi Japanese Animation Director

Atsushi Takahashi spent time at Studio Ghibli before working as one of the producers of Hajime no Ippo. He has been involved in the production of numerous animated TV series, cinema productions, and direct-release videos, including NASU: SUMMER IN ANDALUCIA. Takahashi debuted as a director in the RIDEBACK television series. He earned acclaim for his attention to detail in the direction of Blue Exorcist, which was released in Japanese cinemas in December 2012.