Surprise Anime Project from IShowSpeed and One Piece Producer Matt Owens
IShowSpeed (real name Darren Watkins Jr.), one of the world's most popular and controversial streamers, is preparing to take a giant step in the media world. Matt Owens, the showrunner of Netflix's highly successful One Piece live-action series, announced that they are working on a new "anime-style" series that will feature Speed in the lead role. This collaboration brings together one of the most dynamic figures in internet culture with a producer who has proven his worth in anime adaptations.
Matt Owens is best known for successfully modernizing Eiichiro Oda's legendary work for Western audiences. The One Piece live-action series, released in 2023, broke viewership records on Netflix and became a turning point for the "cursed" genre of anime adaptations. The involvement of Owens in this new project signals that the series will be more than just an "influencer project," promising high production quality and a strong narrative. Owens believes that Speed's energy can be perfectly translated into the world of animation.
IShowSpeed has frequently expressed at every opportunity that he is a huge anime fan; he even makes frequent references to Luffy and One Piece during his streams. The 19-year-old streamer has over 24 million subscribers on YouTube and is known for his energetic, and sometimes chaotic, style. How the project will integrate this unique personality of Speed into a fantasy or action-packed universe is a subject of great curiosity among fans. Speed's previous visit to the One Piece set and his closeness with Owens indicate that the foundations for this project have been in the works for some time.
This development represents a new era in which digital content creators are transitioning into the traditional media and animation industry. Although no official release date or platform has been announced yet, it is known that the project is being developed under the umbrella of Owens' production company. Anime lovers and Speed fans have already started counting the days to see what kind of visual feast this unusual partnership will offer. More information regarding character designs and story details is expected to be shared in the coming months.
