For decades One Piece has been widely popular and one of the most beloved manga/anime series’ of all-time. Recently surpassing Dragon Ball as the most profitable series ever, it was only a matter of time before someone picked up the rights to make a live-action series. That happened in 2017 with Netflix, and after a few years of development, season one of the series filmed and aired in fall of 2023. The series was a hit from the pilot, fans loved it, and it quickly received a renewal for a second season from the streaming service.
Season two, if they continue to follow the events from the source material, will see Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates trek out to Reverse Mountain (as hinted at in a recent set photo which hinted at the ship sailing upwards) where they meet the doctor of Gol D. Roger, the original Pirate King’s, crew Crocus who tells them about Laboon. The massive whale who captured the hearts of readers and viewers alike. They’ll also go to Drum Island, where the crew gets their doctor in the immensely adorable talking reindeer Chopper. The season will lastly make a pitstop at Alabasta where the crew saves their first “country” from a sadistic leader in Crocodile.
Instead of season one’s eight-episode runtime, I really believe that season two could consist of twelve plus episodes due to the magnitude of Alabasta. Unless Reverse Mountain and Drum island are done in three-episodes, maybe they could condense Alabasta into five, but time will tell what they decide to do!
Chopper (voice): Brina Palencia (voices Chopper in the American dubbed anime)
Nico Robin: Erin Maloney
Crocodile: Oscar Isaac
Image via: Nate Olshan
While at Alabasta, Crocodile’s right hand woman and the mysterious Nico Robin grows fond of Luffy and eventually joins the Straw Hats, and also becomes, in time, my favorite character in the entire series. Another character met at Alabasta is Ace, Luffy’s “brother.” Fire Fist Ace is a strong character and member of the Whitebeard Pirates. His belief in Luffy, and his strong will, are two key components into why he’ll forever be a fan-favorite character. Another big character during the Alabasta arc, is Vivi Nefertari. Vivi is the princess of Alabasta and seeks out help in her quest to retake her homeland from Crocodile, which leads her to Luffy and his crew.
Crocodile is the leader of Baroque Works, an evil organization which basically serves as Crocodile’s crew. One of the members of the organization is Mr. 2, better known as Bon Clay. He’s interesting and tough to like, at first… but in time he’ll become a fan-favorite… if the live-action show reaches the Summit War arc (Impel Down/Marineford) that is. Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and has his sights set on the Poneglyphs to help him in his own quest of becoming the King of the Pirates. This is where Robin comes into play.
The Poneglyphys are large cubed rocks with ancient scripture on them. Once all of them are deciphered, they lead you to the four Road Poneglyphs, which after deciphering them… you’re led to Laugh Tale, the island where you become “King” and find Roger’s treasure as well as riches from the past 1,000 years. Robin is the only known person (at the time) in the entire world who knows how to read them. The one at Alabasta that Crcodile wants, doesn’t only start the quest for him in his journey, but also tells you where the ancient weapon known as the Pluton is located. This weapon is used to destroy islands.
Luckily Robin lies to Crocodile and he, to this day, has no knowledge about the Pluton or its whereabouts. When Robin joins the Straw Hats, it’s the first time in her life that she feels a sense of belonging, has people in her life that she can call family. As time goes on her happy and extremely witty personality comes out, while using her vast knowledge to help Luffy in deciphering the Poneglyphs. Seeing Robin and her character development, is one of the key factors of season two that I can’t wait to see!
Ace: Danny Ramirez
Vivi: Yasmeen Fletcher
Bon Clay: Robin Lord Taylor
Image via: Reddit
Another part of the One Piece world that season two will surely dive into more deeply this time around, is the World Government and the Marines. Smoker was hinted at in the final scene of season one, and he just so happens to be my favorite naval officer after Luffy’s grandfather Garp. His “apprentice” Tashigi will also be a player this season, who has a fascination with swords and her and Zoro usually bicker whenever they’re in one another’s company.
Smoker is a really interesting character who became really enamored with becoming a Marine when he watched Roger’s execution as a child at Loguetown. Smoker’s name doesn’t come from him smoking two cigars at a time, but from his smoke-smoke Devil Fruit abilities where he is living smoke. Tashigi isn’t a great sword user when we first meet her, but her knowledge about legendary swords trumps even Zoro’s expertise.
Navy Fleet Admiral Sengoku wasn’t seen in the anime until Impel Down (around episode 418) but I expect Netflix to incorporate him into the upcoming season. Garp annoys him by constantly eating, laughing, and joking around while Sengoku is very serious, but the two are close as Garp is the next highest in command in rank in the Navy.
Smoker: Joel Kinnaman
Tashigi: Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Sengoku: Ken Watanabe
Image via: The Mary Sue
The show maintaining the pace season one did, following the East Blue saga in eight-episodes, is a pace that should be expected to continue for season two. Drum Island and Alabasta being the prime story of this season, along with Reverse Mountain in the beginning, and introducing the giants Dorry and Brogy right before the Straw Hats arrive at Alabasta. Casting two real-life friends is crucial for the two giants, due to their 100+ year-long friendship. Adding in a friendship between actors would make the dynamic all the more fun, especially with their bickering when we first meet the two.
Considering that season one saw a few characters introduced that weren’t as important, if at all, during the East Blue saga (Garp, Koby and Helmeppo), I fully expect to see more characters like that in season two. I also expect to see more of those three, which leads me to a character that I’d want to see in season two, in X. Drake.
Image via: Nate Olshan
“Red Flag” X. Drake is the captain of the Marine Secret Special Unit SWORD. In order to go undercover as a pirate, he publicly defected from his position as rear admiral and founded the Drake Pirates. He is one of twelve pirates referred to as the "Worst Generation”, and before the two-year time jump had a bounty of $222,000,000. I wouldn’t expect to see a lot of Drake, but seeing in a flashback his fall as a Marine to becoming a pirate, but it was all secretly a ploy… could be really neat. We haven’t heard anything else about SWORD, besides that Drake and possibly Koby, are involved with the organization.
Seeing more about SWORD should not be done until the present-day manga shows us new details. In the manga and anime we haven’t seen any of Drake’s past, nor have we seen how he and Koby are allies. Maybe at some point in season three we could see that, but I’d like to meet him sooner than we have in the source material. Somewhere between Drum Island and Alabasta where he could interact with he Straw Hats would add to the mystery behind the ex-marine turned ex-pirate.
Koby’s become a strong character in the source material as time has moved on, and the Netflix series does a great job at making Koby into a weakling. Getting seeds planted for him to become a great Marine, seeing his relationships with his colleagues grow, and his own character growth as a whole, is what I want to see more of in the live-action series going forward. That all starts with the mystery behind him and Drake.
Dorry: Dominic Cooper
Brogy: James Corden
X. Drake: Brenton Thwaites
There are MANY characters who’ll be introduced this season, and these twelve are just a fraction of the surface, and a few who’ll get fans loving the show even more. More islands will be explored as well, more teases to the larger One Piece story, and fans who aren’t that familiar with the source material… are in for quite the journey!