Summary
The live-actionOne Pieceseries from Netflix is closing in on its second season, complete with a new swath of talented stars coming on board to take on roles from the upcoming arcs, and they’ve received the same high praise that the first season’s cast earned from an important source.
One Piecewas always seen by fans and those in the know as a real hurdle to adapt to the live-action medium. Well-known for its goofy visuals, strange characters, and fantastical locales, the massively successful manga and anime property was never picked up for the sort of live-action take that so many viewers craved. Each new chapter and anime episode added to the series’ impressive length seemed to make an adaptation that much less likely, making fans doubly excited when Netflix committed to finally bringing the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew to live action. While there was a ton of skepticism after the initial excitement, the show’s first season went on to be a massive success for Netflix,circumventing issues with prior live-action adaptations likeCowboy Bebopand getting the green light for a second season on the streamer.
Since the first wrapped, fans have eagerly awaited the new live-action adventures. The second installment of Netflix’sOne Piecehas announced a lot of important additions to the cast,including the selection of a central member of Luffy’s crew, and now the latest crop of stars has gotten a big thumbs up in the same vein as the first set. “My own casting selections were made from Japan over photos and videos, but seeing them all in person convinced me: They were absolutely the perfect choice!!!” originalOne Piececreator Eiichiro Oda wrote in a post uploaded to the show’s officialInstagram. “The vibe on set was just the best, too! Trust me, this is going to surpass Season 1!” These comments are reminiscent of Oda’s approval of the cast for season one, a point of pride that went on to be one of the most admired facets of the show, playing into the faithful nature of the adaptation.
These encouraging comments are a result ofOda’s recent trip to the set of Netflix’s adaptation in South Africato see things in person and really live his role as an executive producer on the project, complete with his own producer’s chair. His involvement with the show was one of the few things the project had going for it before it had a chance to prove itself after release, and seeing that continue into the second season is certainly even more encouraging for those who still have their guard up about the show dropping in quality. Fans can certainly agree that the casting choices they’ve seen so far are splendid, and the show’s stellar costume and makeup teams should have no issue putting the finishing touches on the new stars to really bring them into the characters. While there’s no official reveal on what arcs are being adapted, the casting news all but guarantees that the second season will bring the kingdom of Arabastar to the screen in live action. With the kingdom being located on easily one of the biggest islands that the Straw Hats encounter in their travels, the show is going to face one of the many perceived hurdles that put off so many others head-on.
Despite the daunting task ahead, the show’s previous showing and Oda’s confidence make it seem like a foregone conclusion. The upcoming second season is set to be quite the experience, as theNetflix adaptation promises to tap into one actor’s horror backgroundin addition to all the other amazing plotlines that older fans of the IP know are making the jump over from the manga. With interesting new lands, powerful villains and critical allies all just over the horizon, Oda’s promise that the second season will exceed the first seems well on its way to coming to fruition.
Netflix’sOne Pieceis available to stream on the streamer, while season 2 is set to premiere sometime in 2025.
