One Piece Season 2 Is Likely Premiering This Year, But There Are Still 3 Big Castings I’m Waiting To Hear About For The Netflix Show

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At present, I’m not at all short on One Piece content in my life, as I’m smack dab in the middle of streaming the Punk Hazard arc from the anime series through my Netflix subscription. Yet, I eagerly anticipate the next installment of the live-action One Piece series, which is what rekindled my interest in the world created by Eiichiro Oda following my reading of some manga during my middle school years. Although there’s no definite release date for One Piece Season 2 yet, it seems probable that it will be added to Netflix’s 2025 lineup.

2024’s second half was brimming with exciting updates about the upcoming episodes of our beloved series, from the selection of story arcs for Season 2 to the announcements of new characters and the returns of familiar faces. If the rumors about One Piece Season 2 gracing our screens in 2025 are true, there are still three pivotal roles yet to be filled that I can’t help but eagerly anticipate. And no, I’m not referring to Luffy’s brother Ace, as it seems Xolo Maridueña has already been chosen for that part.

Attention: Proceed with caution if you’re a fan of the live-action adaptation of One Piece and wish to maintain its surprises for Season 2. Potential spoilers from the manga/anime are coming up.

Chopper

Unlike characters A and B who are yet to be specified, it’s confirmed that Chopper will make an appearance in One Piece Season 2. Given his significant role within the franchise, I must admit I would have been taken aback if he hadn’t returned, especially since he becomes a crucial member of the Straw Hat Pirates. However, this isn’t something we’ve been wondering about lately, as we caught our first glimpse of Chopper sporting his unique pink cap back in September last year.

It’s uncertain who has been cast as Chopper, and it seems possible that more than one actor could take on the role, given his various forms. The character’s hybrid form appears to be fully computer-generated, so an actor will only need to provide the voice for scenes where he is in this state. If the live-action adaptation of “One Piece” mirrors the anime, the same voice would carry over when Chopper is in his reindeer or bulked-up human forms. However, whispers suggest a human actor may portray Chopper in his full human form, leading me to ponder if that actor’s deeper voice might be utilized instead for scenes where Chopper is massive.

I’m not usually into fan-casting, but it’s intriguing to imagine Brina Palencia, who voices Chopper in Funimation’s English dub, also lending her voice to him in Netflix’s One Piece. Just like how Colleen O’Shaughnessey voices Tails in both the Sonic the Hedgehog video games and movies, it would be fascinating to hear Palencia’s Chopper voice come from a more realistic version of the character and see if the adorableness translates as well from animation to live-action.

Mr. 2

Among the leading figures in the Baroque Works crime organization is an individual known as Mr. 2, whose real name is Bon Clay. This character possesses a unique ability: after consuming the Clone Clone Fruit, he can mimic anyone he touches. Moreover, his martial arts skills are formidable due to training in Ballet Kempo. Initially serving under Baroque Works’ leader, Mr. 0 (also known as Crocodile), Mr. 2 eventually switched sides and became an accomplice to the Straw Hat pirates during the Alabasta saga. In the Impel Down arc, they proved instrumental in assisting Luffy.

It’s clear that people who are already acquainted with Mr. 2 recognize him as a character with questionable representation, particularly in the way his gender fluidity was portrayed as a joke. This leads me to ponder if it would be better for Netflix’s One Piece to exclude this character from the story instead of attempting to represent them without making light of their identity while still providing comedic relief. While I suspect Mr. 2 will remain in the live-action adaptation, his role is crucial to Crocodile’s plans during the main Alabasta arc (which will be shown in Season 3) and when Luffy experiences his Impel Down journey. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the character’s flamboyant traits are significantly reduced in the adaptation.

Mr. 8

Among the initial members of Baroque Works encountered by the Straw Hat crew were Miss Wednesday and Mr. 8. It’s been announced that Charithra Chandran will portray Miss Wednesday in the upcoming Netflix series. Upon their introduction, it wasn’t long before they were unmasked as spies from the Kingdom of Alabasta – Miss Wednesday being Princess Nefertari Vivi, and Mr. 8 being Igaram, the captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard. Initially, it appeared that Igaram had perished while trying to misdirect Baroque Works pursuers away from Vivi, who’d fled with the Straw Hats; however, it was later disclosed that he had managed to survive.

As a devoted cinephile, I’ve been pondering how Netflix might approach the character of Mr. 8 in their adaptation of One Piece. Here are my two guesses:

1. In the first scenario, we might not even see Mr. 8 in the series at all. Instead, Vivi would embark on her undercover mission within Baroque Works alone, without his assistance.

2. Alternatively, they could cast an actor to portray Ingram, but when the time comes for him to be blown up, he’d remain deceased. This mirrors what happened with Merry in Season 1, and given that Ingaram’s moments post-Whiskey Peak aren’t entirely vital to the overall plot, I believe this could be a possibility.

However, it’s worth noting that at the end of the Alabasta arc, Ingram disguised himself as Vivi to secretly bid farewell to the Straw Hats. I have a feeling this might not translate well into a live-action adaptation.

If any of the three characters mentioned are eventually chosen for One Piece, we’ll make sure to inform you about it. In the meantime, while waiting for the official announcement of Season 2, feel free to explore some top-rated shows available on Netflix.

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2025-01-14 06:07