Netflix “ONE PIECE” – Iñaki Godoy’s Japan Interview: “Luffy Changed My Life”

Iñaki Godoy, who plays Luffy in the Netflix live-action series ONE PIECE, visited Japan in August to take part in the large-scale event “ONE PIECE DAY ’25” held in Tokyo. Appearing before Japanese fans for the first time, he passionately spoke about his love for ONE PIECE and his feelings for Japan( in Japanese!) and it became a huge
topic of conversation. We had the chance to interview him (answers in English).

Since being cast as Luffy, Godoy has been seriously studying Japanese in order to deepen his understanding of Japanese culture. He has openly expressed his love for ONE PIECE, for Eiichiro Oda, and for Japan itself. His Instagram also features personal photos from his visits to Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kobe, and Kumamoto.

When we told him how impressed we were with his fluent Japanese, he smiled and replied:
“There are still so many words I don’t know. I was surprised to learn that even words with the same meaning can change depending on the region. When I went to Kyoto or Osaka, I sometimes got confused by expressions I hadn’t heard before. I can speak if I go slowly, but I still have a long way to go. Still, it’s enough to talk with friends and chat about ONE PIECE. I love learning Japanese, so I’ll keep at it.”

Looking back on what happened after Season 1 was released, he said:
“So many good things have happened in my life. I’m really grateful. Work opportunities expanded all at once. I got a manager in the U.S., and I’m now being approached for projects I never had access to before. I’m truly happy to play Luffy, and thanks to this series I’ve been able to connect deeply with Japan.”

"Work opportunities expanded all at once."

We asked what he’s learned from ONE PIECE. He said:
“The biggest thing is the power of human connections. Believing in yourself, believing in your friends. Fighting for what you want. Sometimes it’s okay to be a little selfish, or eat as much meat as you want (laughs). What matters is having ambition and comrades you can rely on. I think that’s the ‘way of the pirate.’”

Regarding on how he approached the role, he explained:
“For the live-action, I focused on what I could do myself. I studied the manga thoroughly, picked out my favorite scenes, Luffy’s poses and lines, and before filming, I shared with the showrunners ‘what we absolutely had to preserve.’ Not everything goes as planned, but I tried to stay true to Luffy’s words, movements, and spirit as much as possible. Talking directly with Oda-sensei was a huge support for me.”

He even revealed with a laugh:
“I tried sailing too, but real sailing wasn’t as sweet as in the drama (laughs).”

As soon as we mentioned how much his adventurous nature mirrors Luffy’s, his face beamed with joy:
“That’s the best compliment ever!”
“Luffy chases his dreams, says what he thinks, does what he wants, and treasures his friends. I share that conviction, and every day I want to get a little closer to him. Of course, I still have room to grow. I’m not as confident as Luffy, and I definitely can’t eat as much as he does (laughs). But as another ‘big dreamer,’ he’s my role model.”

"I tried sailing too..."

When asked to describe his feelings for Eiichiro Oda in one word, he immediately answered in Japanese:
“Saikō no tomodachi.” -means “the best friend.”-
“I truly love the world Oda-sensei created, and I want to protect it. I seriously want to make ONE PIECE the greatest work in the world.”

Season 2, titled “Into the Grand Line”, is set to stream worldwide in 2026, with Season 3 already confirmed.
“When the new footage played at the event, the audience cheered for every character and new scene—that made me so happy. Look forward to Season 2! There are lots of scenes where Luffy eats a ton!” he said with a smile.

Source : ORICON NEWS