Fans of One Piece and manga adaptations are, much like the Straw Hats themselves, in uncharted waters. What comes next after a wildly successful live-action adaptation of a manga that many considered impossible to adapt because of its sheer scope? Up to this point, the bar was relatively low for projects like these, and their productions were short-lived (2021’s Cowboy Bebop, for instance). However, Tomorrow Studios and Netflix, in close collaboration with original creator Eiichiro Oda, earned enough goodwill for two more seasons of the live-action One Piece series. Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece is finally here after a two-year gap, with the team behind it hoping to replicate their success by doubling down on their creative philosophy.
These next 8 episodes of One Piece, each roughly an hour long, adapt 5 different story arcs from the manga, which are themselves part of a larger “Baroque Works” saga. Whereas the first season did a fantastic job of bringing the East Blue saga to life, One Piece season 2 has much bigger stories to adapt, bringing a whole new set of challenges when translating the beloved source material into live action. Thankfully, the hit Netflix show effortlessly scales up to match the manga, resulting in a bombastic, highly entertaining adaptation for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
The Straw Hats Return, With Even Better Chemistry
Continuing the story of the Straw Hat crew, One Piece Season 2 is less about setting the stage and bringing the characters together, and more about how they work as a team while unraveling a conspiracy involving a guild of assassins. It’s all spearheaded by Monkey D. Luffy, once again brought to life by Iñaki Godoy, an actor who still feels like he was born for the role. Returning are the three sword-style swordsman Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), navigator Nami (Emily Rudd), marksman Usopp (Jacob Gibson), and high-kicking chef Sanji (Taz Skylar). The crew’s unique personalities shine in their unconventional yet charming group dynamic, proving that this Netflix show still has plenty of fuel for future seasons.
Courtesy of Netflix
The chemistry between the Straw Hats is crucial, especially since the Netflix series has to move at a faster pace than the One Piece anime. With the manga ongoing since 1997 and each arc ranging anywhere from fifteen to hundreds of chapters, compromises have to be made to advance certain plot points and character arcs. When you add to that the fact that many elements original to the Netflix adaptation are also introduced to expand the lore and worldbuilding, One Piece does a surprisingly good job at not feeling overwhelming. Animated character cards ensure viewers don’t lose track of new introductions, and heighten the stylization of the show that genuinely makes it feel like a Shonen manga come to life.
New Characters Abound in One Piece: Into the Grand Line
Chief among these many new introductions are Lera Abova as the enigmatic Miss All Sunday, Callum Kerr as Marine Captain Smoker, Julia Rehwald as his subordinate Tashigi, and Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday. Abova brings a subtle menace to her performance. Meanwhile, Kerr and Rehwald portray devoted Marines well, though the season’s extended focus on them doesn’t always hit as hard as the main story that runs parallel with theirs. Really, it’s Chandran’s Miss Wednesday that is the emotional core of One Piece Season 2, as her arc serves as the narrative throughline throughout all 8 episodes. The ensemble cast boasts great depth, with each character playing an important role and never wasting time or space in a scene.
Courtesy of Netflix
Then, there’s the much-anticipated addition of Tony Tony Chopper, voiced by Mikela Hoover. This character, more than anything else in the second season, would help determine if Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece could truly work in the long term. Chopper is as fantastical as they come, a walking, talking reindeer doctor who has different transformations and is also the adorable mascot of the Straw Hats. Despite the awkwardness that comes with some of Chopper’s transformations, which blend digital and practical VFX, the reindeer mostly works. The uncanny valley effect fades away whenever he is a part of the action. With two episodes (one mainly consisting of flashbacks) dedicated to Chopper, the fan-favorite icon gets plenty of development.
One Piece Season 2 is Aesthetically Loyal (Sometimes to a Fault)
Plenty of what worked in the first season of One Piece works here, but small cracks are starting to show from an aesthetic standpoint. The zany characters, costume designs, and world of Eiichiro Oda’s manga are inherently silly, with the author embracing the absurd in service of poignant themes of innocence and freedom. The East Blue represented the more tame and less eccentric aspects of the world. Conversely, the second season (subtitled Into the Grand Line) revels in the unorthodox wardrobes, hairstyles, and devil fruit powers. It mostly makes sense, though certain characters’ designs don’t exactly lend themselves to live-action, no matter how hard the production tries to translate them from the manga.
Dalton (Ty Keogh), one of the lead guards of Drum Island, is one example of a character whose design doesn’t translate well. Outlandish hair and exotic powersets, created via practical effects, result in a mixed bag and are reminiscent of other problems found in this season. However, this is simply the cost of staying faithful to the source material, and it’s arguably worth it. It’s not only from a production design or aesthetic perspective, either — the action of One Piece Season 2 pops from the screen just like the manga does on paper. Fighting everything from tyrants to assassins to giant whales, the Straw Hat crew’s journey is filled with wonder and astonishment that the series doesn’t shy away from.
Intense and Exciting Action Does the One Piece Manga Justice
On the opposite end of the spectrum, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3 is a perfect example of translation from page to screen. Dastmalchian’s eccentric performance, paired with wacky wax powers and unorthodox character design (his hair is literally shaped like a three), is memorable in live-action as a deadly yet brief opposing force to the Straw Hats. Rob Colletti‘s despot king Wapol is surprisingly similar to his manga counterpart, too. Both villains provide fun and creative challenges for the Straw Hats as they are fleshed out further this season.
The action excels this season, overcoming instances of spotty CGI and awkward wirework that can come across as cheesy. One particular instance early in the season, involving Mackenyu’s cold, intense physicality as Zoro, leads to what I dare say is one of the best action scenes ever on Netflix. Each Straw Hat has a distinct fighting style, resulting in a variety of action sequences that never feel stale or repetitive. All in all, One Piece season 2 proves that the first season wasn’t just lightning in a bottle — this series could continue to thrive in the long run, should it continue to stay true to the sense of adventure and magic of the manga.
An Unexpectedly Relevant Adaptation
Netflix and Tomorrow Studios have found something as rare and special as the titular treasure with the creative team behind One Piece. It was always hard to imagine bringing Luffy’s quest to be King of the Pirates into the live-action space, but Season 2 condenses the source material to the best of its ability. Above all else, it retains the core themes of love, acceptance, and that no dream is impossible, which audiences can easily latch onto in dire times like these.
Using a Jolly Roger as a unifying symbol of resistance to oppression, Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat crew have made an incredibly successful jump from the manga page to live-action, albeit with a few aesthetic bumps along the way.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
One Piece Season 2 premieres on Netflix on March 10!
Developed by Matt Owens & Steven Maeda.
Based on One Piece by Eiichiro Oda.
Season 2 Showrunners: Matt Owens & Joe Tracz.
Main Cast: Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Vincent Regan, Jeff Ward, Morgan Davies, Jacob Romero Gibson, Taz Skylar, Charithra Chandran, Mikaela Hoover, David Dastmalchian, Lera Abova, Camrus Johnson, Jazzara Jaslyn, Sophia Anne Caruso, Daniel Lasker, Callum Kerr, Katey Sagal, Joe Manganiello, Rob Colletti, Ilia Isorelýs, Steven Ward, Yonda Thomas, James Hiroyuki Liao, Mark Penwill, Anton David Jeftha, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Mark Harelik, Werner Coetser, Brendan Murray, Clive Russell, Julia Rehwald, & Ty Keogh.
Composers: Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli.
Production Companies: Kaji Productions & Tomorrow Studios.
Network: Netflix.
Episode Count: 8 (Season Two).
