The live-action series “One Piece,” adapted from Eiichiro Oda’s popular anime and manga, follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy (played by Iñaki Godoy), a friendly pirate on a quest to find the legendary treasure known as One Piece.
To achieve this, Luffy must assemble a crew and venture into the Grand Line, a perilous ocean filled with danger and adventure.
In the first season, Luffy recruits four essential crewmates: Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu Arata), a pirate hunter skilled with swords; Nami (Emily Rudd), a pirate thief and navigator; Sanji (Taz Skylar), a kickboxing chef; and Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), a sharpshooter known for his tall tales. The adaptation quickly became a hit, leading to a renewal announcement just two weeks after its August 31, 2023, release.
Season 2 promises new characters, challenges, and adventures. Here’s everything we know so far.
When Will ‘One Piece’ Season 2 Be Released?
On September 14, 2023, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of “One Piece,” confirmed that the live-action series had been renewed for a second season in a video released by Netflix. Although Oda did not specify a release date, he mentioned that scriptwriting would take time and asked fans to be patient.
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Marty Adelstein, CEO of Tomorrow Studios, which produces the series, revealed in an earlier interview that the scripts for season two had already been written. While the first season took years to complete due to delays, including those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, season two is expected to have a shorter turnaround. Tomorrow Studios president Becky Clements suggested that, depending on how quickly production moves, the new season could air within a year to 18 months.
Netflix officially announced on July 1, 2024, that production for “One Piece” season two had begun in South Africa. Given this timeline, a 2025 release seems most likely.
Which Cast Members Will Return?
— ONE PIECE(ワンピース) Netflix (@onepiecenetflix) August 20, 2024
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All the main Straw Hat crew members—Godoy (Luffy), Arata (Zoro), Rudd (Nami), Gibson (Usopp), and Skylar (Sanji)—are set to return for season two. Other likely returning characters include Alvida (Ilia Paulino) and Buggy the Pirate (Jeff Ward), as they appear in the upcoming manga arcs.
It remains uncertain whether Garp (Vincent Regan), Koby (Morgan Davies), Helmeppo (Aidan Scott), and Bogard (Armand Aucamp) will return, as their characters don’t appear in the next part of the anime. However, the live-action series has already made significant changes to the storyline, so they may be brought back in season two.
Casting announcements for new characters have also begun, including Smoker and Tashigi (played by Callum Kerr and Julia Rehwald), giants Dorry and Broggy (Werner Coetser and Brendan Murray), and Wapol and Dalton (Rob Colletti and Ty Keogh). David Dastmalchian has been cast as Mr. 3, a Baroque Works agent.
Several key roles, such as Miss All Sunday (known to fans as Robin) and Vivi, an undercover princess, have yet to be cast. The biggest casting question surrounds Tony Tony Chopper, Luffy’s new crewmate, and a fan-favorite character.
Introducing Tony Tony Chopper
Tony Tony Chopper, a reindeer who gained sentience and transformation abilities after eating the Human-Human Devil Fruit, eventually joins the Straw Hats as their doctor. Given his unique appearance, bringing Chopper to life in the live-action series will be challenging. Showrunner Steven Maeda has previously mentioned that Chopper is his favorite character but acknowledged the difficulty of adapting him for the show.
New Antagonists Teased for Season 2
At the end of season one, a teaser introduced a new character who burns a cigar through Luffy’s wanted poster, hinting at the arrival of Marine Captain “White Chase” Smoker. Smoker is expected to be one of the primary antagonists in season two, as he relentlessly pursues Luffy and the Straw Hats. Another significant villain, the leader of Baroque Works, was also hinted at in the first season.
What to Expect in ‘One Piece’ Season 2
In a letter released in August 2024, Oda confirmed that season two would cover several arcs from the manga: Loguetown, Reverse Mountain, Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island. While season one of the live-action series made some changes to the source material, it remained faithful to the major plot points. Season two is expected to continue this trend.
For those unfamiliar with the manga, season two will likely follow Luffy’s crew as they evade the Marines in Loguetown, where the former Pirate King Gold Roger was executed. Afterward, they will cross into the Grand Line via Reverse Mountain, encountering the town of Whiskey Peak, which has ties to the Baroque Works organization.
The crew will then venture to Little Garden, an island inhabited by prehistoric creatures and two dueling giants, Dorry and Broggy. Their journey will eventually lead them to Drum Island, where they search for a doctor and meet Dr. Kureha and her disciple Chopper. They will also face Wapol, the tyrannical leader of Drum Island.
While the highly-anticipated Arabasta arc won’t be included in season two, the arcs covered are part of the broader Arabasta Saga, setting the stage for future seasons.
The Future of ‘One Piece’ Live-Action
With over 1,000 episodes of the original anime and counting, questions have arisen about how far the live-action series will go. Producers and showrunner Matt Owens have already outlined plans for six seasons, with hopes of extending the series even further.
Becky Clements noted that, even if the live-action series reaches six seasons, it would cover only half of the manga’s chapters. The series has the potential to continue for many more seasons, offering fans plenty of adventures to look forward to.
Season one of “One Piece” is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
