ANIME HEAT EP1: On "ONE PIECE Live-Action" Season 2 Updates, Hopes, and Recollections
- DIG 4552
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 20
By Alessandra Henriquez
WARNING: This article contains ONE PIECE manga/anime spoilers as well as plot from season one of the live action.
In a world where live-action remakes flood the cinematic landscape, Netflix’s ONE PIECE adaptation rises against the tide. I was skeptical about how it would hold up against the anime when season one first premiered in 2023. What I found, though, was a different yet equally enjoyable retelling of the Straw Hats’ beginnings in East Blue. Author Eichiro Oda served as an executive producer, so it makes sense the show would mostly follow the original and earn enough love to renew for a second season. Still, despite filming wrapping up last December, there is much we don’t know about what to expect from season two.
The biggest mystery for fans right now is the exact release date of ONE PIECE Season 2. In an article published on January 23 about an upcoming collaboration with LEGO, Netflix originally shared, “The Lego Group, Netflix, and Tomorrow Studios are teaming up to bring you treasures you can cherish while you wait for new episodes of ONE PIECE, which arrive later this year.” However, the article has now been revised to only suggest more information about the One Piece LEGO sets will arrive in “the coming months.”
While this means a 2025 release is not completely off the table, it could also be a sign we might have to wait longer than anticipated for more live-action content.
The second most pressing question is probably what parts of the storyline will be covered in the upcoming season. The last episode of season one saw Luffy defeating Arlong, the fish-man captain of the Arlong Pirates, in a battle that saved the people of Conomi Islands. He gets his first bounty, the highest in East Blue, and sets out to sea with the rest of the Straw Hats on the Going Merry. If we follow the plot of the manga and anime, this means season two should start with the adaptation of Loguetown. An announcement last August from Oda on Netflix’s X page confirmed this, as he mentioned the story will cover Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island. This does mean, however, that Alabasta (one of my favorite arcs!) will not be part of the adapted content.
The live-action series is limited in that the producers only have so many episodes to allocate to each arc. As a result, plot lines sometimes overlap or are omitted entirely, which makes for a different experience than watching the anime or reading the original manga. I still remember when season one revealed that Garp is Luffy’s grandpa, a spoiler for me who was just finishing the anime adaptation of Alabasta at the time. In the anime and manga, this is not mentioned until the Post-Enies Lobby arc, which happens much later in the future. Although I understand this is necessary for the sake of pacing, it does worry me about what the next season will change as we see the start of the crew’s journey through the Grand Line.
I especially hope they keep small moments like when Zoro was willing to cut off his legs to free himself and fight Mr. 3 in Little Garden, as well as his epic pose when he gets turned into a wax statue moments later. To me, it’s these seemingly insignificant scenes and gags that make ONE PIECE so weird and fun to watch.
Thankfully, the cast of season one absolutely nailed their roles and really brought the story to life. Even though Sanji didn’t have his curly eyebrows, there was minimal difference between the live-action actors and the original characters—to the point that Oda now draws Zoro with Mackenyu in mind. After the announcements of season two’s new crewmembers, I can say I’m equally as excited for what’s to come. We’ve got Hollywood names like Katey Sagal and Joe Manganiello as the iconic Dr. Kureha and Crocodile, not to mention spot-on casting of Lera Abova as my love Miss All Sunday (a.k.a. Nico Robin) and more.
My main concern here is how they will portray Chopper. Last I heard, there is still no official news about who is playing our favorite reindeer. The teaser released last September gave us a glimpse of him in his pink hat, but we don’t know for sure how each of his different transformations will be handled. I just hope he doesn’t look as bad as that first glimpse of live-action Sonic, which got internet bullied back to the drawing board. Faith is high, though, since the CGI visuals look promising.
In the meantime, as we wait for more news to drop, it’s a great time to rewatch season one of the live-action or catch up to the anime if you haven’t already. I’m currently about to hit the 1000-episode mark and want to finish before the animators come back from hiatus later in April.
Feel free to share your thoughts on what you’re most excited (or worried) about for Season 2 below!
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