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Did you just check out the first episode of Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation? Are you wondering why the narrator sounds so familiar? While the voice actor doesn’t make a consistent appearance throughout the series, his debut in “Romance Dawn” is a splashy one.
“This is a world like no other: one brimming with mystery and teeming with danger, filled with hundreds of islands strewn across vast seas,” says a deep voice at the top of the episode. “And throughout these seas are those who live according to their own rules, who seek a life of freedom and adventure. This is a world of pirates.”
Funnily enough, the actor behind the narrator role isn’t new to the pirate scene. In fact, he appeared in one of the most famous pirate franchises in modern times. That narrator? It is Ian McShane, of course.
One Piece is based on Eiichiro Oda’s popular manga series, which contains over 100 volumes and has been adapted into a long-running anime series, spanning 20 seasons. The first season of the Netflix live-action adaptation consists of eight episodes and follows young dreamer Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) as he leaves his small village in search of treasure.
Over the course of Luffy’s adventure, he assembles a talented pirate crew to help him become King of the Pirates. Throughout the journey, they battle several evil pirates and rivals, along with the Marines and pirate hunters.
McShane was announced as the narrator in the series in a press release in early August.
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Netflix lists the actor as a guest/recurring character.
Prior to this role, McShane starred as Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Winston Scott in the John Wick movie series. He also appeared in the television series Deadwood, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor, and reprised his role in the movie spin-off.
Other projects include American Gods, Kung Fu Panda, and Hellboy.
McShane has portrayed another pirate, in addition to Blackbeard. The English actor appeared in Shrek the Third as Captain Hook. We’re glad to see he’s keeping up with tradition!
One Piece is currently streaming on Netflix.
