Naman Shrestha
A live-action adaptation of the 1997 eponymous Japanese manga series by Eiichiro Oda, Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ is a fantasy adventure series developed by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda. The narrative follows the Straw Hat Pirates who embark on an adventurous journey across dangerous oceans, lands, and beyond to get their hands on a fabled treasure, One Piece, that would give their captain Monkey D. Luffy the title of “King of the Pirates.”
What makes their mission all the more complicated is the fact that the Navy is on their tail and there are other ships in search of the One Piece. With enough skills and trustworthy friendship in their arsenal, the Straw Hats get ready to fight their rivals to realize their dreams. Featuring Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Gibson, and Taz Skylar, the pirates-based show unfolds in several interesting locations, mainly out in the open waters with the characters onboard various ships. So, if you are interested in knowing where ‘One Piece’ is filmed, we have got you covered!
One Piece Filming Locations
‘One Piece’ is filmed in South Africa, Spain, and Mexico, particularly in Cape Town, the Canary Islands, and Quintana Roo. Following the initial delays in production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reports suggest that the principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the fantasy series finally began on January 31, 2022, under the codename ‘Project Panda’ and wrapped up after several months, in August of the same year. However, the cast and crew reportedly got back together for some reshoots again in April 2023. Now, without further ado, here is all the information we have gathered regarding the specific filming locations of the Netflix series!
Cape Town, South Africa
The shooting for a majority of ‘One Piece’ takes place in Cape Town, the legislative capital and oldest city of South Africa. To be specific, the production team sets up camp in Cape Town Film Studios on Film City Boulevard in Cape Town and utilizes its facilities to lens several pivotal sequences. They made use of about three pirate ships for the adventure series in order to shoot the scenes set in the ships. The film studio complex is home to five different sound stages of different stage sizes, production offices, workshops, and backlot sets.
Since Cape Town Film Studios also consists of three ships and water tanks, it makes for a suitable shooting site for a show like ‘One Piece,’ which is heavily set in the ships out at open-sea locations. The cast and crew also seemingly traveled to different neighborhoods and streets of Cape Town to shoot a few important portions for the Iñaki Godoy starrer.
Jason Martin, marine co-ordinator at Frog Squad, who works with ‘One Piece,’ was asked about his work on the show during an August 2022 interview with KFTV. He explained, “We have been filming in Cape Town Film Studios in the deep-water tank. There are various scenes that require VFX elements, and scenes with key actors underwater.” Martin added, “…We spent weeks training the various cast for the sequences, making sure they are comfortable and able to work on SCUBA. The training included the doubles and the younger cast as well.”
Canary Islands, Spain
Also known as the Canaries, the Canary Islands also serves as one of the prominent filming sites for ‘One Piece.’ It seems that the production team makes the most of the gorgeous beaches, picturesque marinas, and rugged volcanoes on the islands as they act as the perfect backdrop to shoot multiple exterior sequences for the adventure series.
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Additional portions of ‘One Piece’ are also taped in Quintana Roo, which is situated on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. Some key portions of the series are reportedly recorded on location in Xcaret, a Maya civilization archaeological site on the Caribbean coastline of the peninsula.
Read More: Live Action Movies and Shows Based on Anime or Manga
