In a historical move, the anime series One Piece has brought in American director Henry Thurlow to direct an episode, marking the first time in the long-running series’ history. Thurlow, an American animator currently living and working in Japan, is set to direct the 1066th episode of One Piece – a role usually held by native Japanese directors in the industry, according to Anime Senpai as quoted by PikiranRakyat-our site.com.
Thurlow’s appointment was first reported in the July edition of Newtype magazine and was later confirmed by the animator himself through his official Twitter account. This unprecedented appointment is not only a first for One Piece, but potentially a milestone for Toei Animation, the production studio behind the series. Thurlow is the first non-Japanese director for any television serial production by Toei Animation.
Thurlow’s impressive resume includes contributions to well-known projects such as Sweetness & Lightning, Nurse Witch Komugi R, Classica Loid, Naruto Shippūden, and Tokyo Ghoul. He began working as an animator at Toei Animation in July 2021, where he has contributed to One Piece and the One Piece Film Red. However, Thurlow is not the only foreigner to have made their mark in the anime industry. Other notable names include South Korean director Sunghoo Park behind “Jujutsu Kaisen,” Kyoung Soon Park, who directed the film Doraemon, and D’Art Shtajio, a Tokyo-based studio founded by Americans who have worked on various projects including an episode of “Star Wars: Visions Volume 2.”
These examples illustrate that although anime is fundamentally a Japanese language form, the creative process behind it is becoming increasingly global with important roles held by people of non-Japanese origin. Fans are eagerly anticipating the episode under Thurlow’s direction, which is set to air on June 25, 2023. The episode is likely to be centered around the climax of the battle between Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kid against Big Mom, based on recent adaptations. Collaborations such as this with foreign directors may add exciting flavors to future episodes and series, paving the way for more cultural exchange in anime.
