Netflix's One Piece Season 2 - Will It Ever Happen?
After a handful of attempts at crafting a live-action anime adaptation that could expand into a bigger franchise, Netflix finally took a shot at delivering a live-action version of the legendary "One Piece." Based on the manga of the same name created by Eiichiro Oda, the series follows the naïve but good-hearted Luffy (Inaki Godoy), an aspiring pirate who dreams of finding the highly sought-after treasure of Gold Roger known as the One Piece. If Luffy is able to find it, he'll not only attain fortune behind his wildest dreams, but also be given the title of "King of the Pirates" — at least in his mind. So now he embarks on a high seas adventure, gaining new allies and enemies along the way.
Although Netflix hasn't directly announced a second season of "One Piece" yet, there are a lot of signs pointing to its big franchise potential. Obviously there's a lot of lore, characters, and stories that stem from the manga and anime that could be brought into the live-action series. Not to mention, the sheer popularity of the series could also make Netflix want to make this adaptation a tentpole in its library. Yet there are still plenty of hurdles that "One Piece" will have to overcome just to get to Season 2. So let's delve into where a second season of Netflix's "One Piece" could go and the chances of it actually happening.
Why isn't Season 2 of One Piece happening yet?
There are many reasons why Netflix hasn't greenlit a second season for "One Piece" yet, most of which will be talked about in a much deeper context later. However, the best places to start are the timing of the series' release and Netflix's complicated history with anime adaptations. At the time of this writing, it's simply too early for Netflix to give the thumbs up for another season of "One Piece." The series has only just been released, and even with the good reception from critics and audiences so far, Netflix still needs to see how the series performs over the next couple of weeks. Plus, the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes will likely keep every series from getting new updates. So even if Netflix is ready to do more with "One Piece," we probably won't know about it until the strikes end.
The other main reason that Netflix could be a little hesitant on doing more with "One Piece" is its lack of success with other live-action anime adaptations. From "Death Note" to "Cowboy Bebop," Netflix has tried its hand at creating successful adaptations of acclaimed anime and often failed. So Netflix's past failures could also be keeping the streamer from pulling the trigger on announcing a second season of "One Piece."
How did the first season end?
Before we look at the possibilities of a potential Season 2 of "One Piece," let's recap what happened at the end of Season 1. In the final episode, Luffy and his crew take on Arlong (McKinley Belcher III) and his band of fish-men, surprisingly coming out victorious. Arlong is not only buried under a pile of rubble, but has also lost most of his crew and maps. However, Luffy and his crew aren't out of trouble yet, as Vice Admiral Garp (Vincent Regan) appears at Coco Village with his Marines. Garp and Luffy get into a fight, with Garp trying to convince Luffy that he can't become a pirate and survive the danger ahead of him. However, Luffy's resilience and determination to follow his dreams ultimately wins him Garp's respect and leads to Luffy and his crew being set free.
From there, we see the fates of different characters seen throughout the series. Buggy (Jeff Ward) sparks a team-up with Alvida (Ilia Isorelys Paulino). Garp decides to personally mentor both Koby (Morgan Davies) and Helmeppo (Aidan Scott). Red-Haired Shanks (Peter Gadiot) is told by Mihawk (Steven John Ward) that Luffy is now a pirate and the captain of his own crew. And — best of all — Luffy's dream of being on a wanted poster is fulfilled, as he sails with his newly formed crew towards the Grand Line. There's also a tease of the future appearance of Vice Admiral Smoker.
What could a second season of One Piece explore?
If the "One Piece" live-action series is basically set to follow the manga/anime pretty faithfully, then Season 1 should be seen as the end of the East Blue Saga and Season 2 would be the start of the Arabasta Saga. This would make sense since there are plenty of hints and references to this chapter throughout the first season.
In the first episode, Zoro (Mackenyu) is introduced fighting a mysterious recruiter named Mr. 7 (Ben Kgosimore). Although Mr. 7 never talks directly about his employer, it's very likely that he represents the Baroque Works — a crime syndicate that employs deadly bounty hunters. The group plays a big role in the Arabasta Saga and will likely want to claim that big bounty on Luffy's head. Plus, at the end of the finale, Nami (Emily Rudd) mentions a river that goes up a mountain that they'll have to traverse — which hints at the first arc in the Arabasta Saga, titled "Reverse Mountain Arc."
As for other storylines, there's plenty for the second season to touch on. Buggy and Alvida are set to team up and take on the Straw Hats. Shanks will likely want to look for Luffy. The impending rematch between Zoro and Mihawk will be a looming factor. Not to mention, that tease of Vice Admiral Smoker means that Luffy will meet another tough Marine and Devil Fruit user — one who can transform his entire body into smoke.
What elements from the manga/anime could be brought into the live-action series?
Even with the series likely heading towards a pretty faithful depiction of the Arabasta Saga, there are still other pieces of "One Piece" lore that could play a role in Season 2 but weren't directly hinted at in the first season. Despite some brief mentions about the World Government, there hasn't been much actual discussion about its role and impact in the world. Season 2 could easily delve more into the faction and the Five Elders, who lead the World Government.
Some future antagonists like Marshall D. Teach — aka Blackbeard — and Boa Hancock could also see hints of their respective story arcs starting to form. Also, it might not be a bad idea for the live-action series to utilize some of the lore established in the animated films for its story. Sure, they're usually seen as "non-canon," but bringing some of those stories and characters into this series' events might help establish a more unique depiction of the lore and help the series stand apart.
More importantly, Luffy's crew is far from being completed. As fans know, the Straw Hats slowly grow in numbers as the series goes on and it's very likely that Nico Robin will be seen at some point in Season 2, since she notably joins the Straw Hats towards the end of the Arabasta Saga.
Who could star in a potential Season 2?
Who could return for a potential second season of "One Piece"? Well, just about everyone. The entire Straw Hat crew would undoubtedly return as they're about to head out on a new adventure together. Garp would likely return — not only to mentor Koby and Helmeppo, but also deal with the appearance of Vice Admiral Smoker. Shanks and his crew stand a good chance of returning since he's now interested in finding Luffy and meeting his crew. Also, there's a possibility that Buggy and Aldiva will return in a smaller fashion since their team-up to hunt down Luffy is hinted at in the final episode.
There are only a few characters who might not return — outside of smaller characters like Kaya (Celeste Loots) and Zeff (Craig Fairbrass) — and those are Arlong and Kuro (Alexander Maniatis). Kuro was last seen rowing away after being beaten by Luffy in battle. What's next for the character is unclear, but there's a chance that he could be looking for some revenge against the Straw Hats. As for Arlong, it all depends if the series wants to use him more. Truthfully, he doesn't have much of a story past the East Blue Saga, so there's no real reason for him to show up again. Overall though, fans should expect most of the cast to return if there's another season.
Why critical and audience reception could help One Piece get another season
While most of Netflix's big-name anime adaptations have been total swings and misses with critics and audiences, "One Piece" is actually a hit. Both "Death Note" and "Cowboy Bepop" were plagued by bad reviews from critics and fans upon release — which ultimately led to them being canceled or forgotten about by Netflix. For "One Piece" though, it's getting the kind of widespread praise that makes it a rare entry in the notoriously terrible history of live-action anime adaptations. Critics have awarded the series an impressive 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences seem to love it even more, giving it a very high 96% approval rating.
Given that "Cowboy Bebop" received a measly 46% and 60% approval rating from critics and audiences, respectively, and "Death Note" got a terrible 36% and 23% approval rating from the same, it's safe to say that "One Piece" is way more beloved. With fans and critics giving Netflix's "One Piece" adaptation their high approval, it's tough to imagine that the company will ax it — especially since it's looking for tentpole franchises that'll keep subscribers around. Perhaps the great reception from fans and critics alike could lean Netflix toward doing a second season.
The Netflix problem
Unfortunately, even the series' strong reception out of the gate might not be enough to keep it from Netflix's erratic behavior of canceling new series and movies even if they have big franchise potential. As mentioned before, the franchise futures of "Cowboy Bebop" and "Death Note" got canned shortly after they were released and panned by pretty much everyone. That type of pattern has been seen with Netflix for quite some time, as the platform has become known for cutting shows short if they don't light the world on fire. Oddly enough though, even original shows that have gotten good reviews or strong viewing numbers haven't been able to survive Netflix's swift cancellation trend.
Just within the last couple years, highly acclaimed shows like "Archive 81," "The Midnight Club," "1899," "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance," "The Midnight Gospel," and many more have gotten unexpectedly axed by Netflix despite being well-received or hinting at future storylines. So the strong reviews for "One Piece" clearly won't be enough to keep Netflix from canceling it. However, it should be noted that most of the acclaimed series that were mentioned were original and not based on something as iconic or renowned as "One Piece." The fact that "One Piece" already has such a strong following in wider pop culture is a good sign, and could mean that Netflix will see it in the same vein as "The Witcher" — meaning it'll get multiple seasons.
The ongoing strikes
The biggest and most apparent hurdle keeping "One Piece" from getting a second season is the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Netflix is one of the many major studios at the center of the strike, who are being asked to pay actors and writers fair wages, and now facing major obstacles due to their own inaction. Until the studios decide to bring a fair deal to the table, Netflix won't be able to announce follow-up seasons or sequels for any of its projects since it can't guarantee when the writers or actors will be back. Given that the end of the strike seems nowhere in sight either, it's incredibly unclear when we could get a Season 2 announcement — if one ever comes.
The strikes could also play a role in when we see a potential second season. If the strikes continue until the end of the year or even persist into 2024, the development of "One Piece" Season 2 will be heavily stunted. We've already seen reports about how the next season of "Stranger Things" has been delayed by the strikes — so badly in fact that fans shouldn't expect the last season at least until mid-to-late 2025. If an already established tentpole like "Stranger Things" is so greatly pushed off by the strikes, who knows how far away the next season of "One Piece" might be. It could possibly never happen because Netflix programming will already be so delayed by these strikes.
Quite a curse
It's no secret that live-action anime adaptations have a history of being notoriously terrible — especially if it comes from a major studio. "Dragon Ball: Evolution," "Ghost in the Shell," M. Night Shyamalan's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" adaptation — they've all been lambasted by critics and fans alike. It's genuinely as if the genre is cursed, to the point that every attempt is plagued by something unexpected. Even when these adaptations are generally well-received — like Robert Rodriguez's 2018 adaptation of "Alita: Battle Angel" — they often fall short of their ambitions. So it's hard not to wonder if "One Piece" will break or succumb to this same nasty curse.
To be fair, the series has received far more praise than any other anime adaptation that's come from a big studio and does boast enough potential to be a bigger franchise. Plus, the wider impact and recognition "One Piece" has in pop culture could mean that general viewers could be interested in seeing what this world is all about. However, there are a lot of obstacles this series will have to overcome to get a second season and the history of these types of adaptations doesn't exactly present a positive outlook. So the big question now is: Will Netflix's "One Piece" be the one live-action anime adaptation that breaks this longstanding hex?
Why Netflix should do a second season of One Piece
Despite Netflix currently dealing with a lot of challenges that could keep it from continuing its adaptation of "One Piece," there are many reasons to do a second season — and maybe even more. Based on the manga/anime alone, there's a lot of story material that Netflix could work with to deliver several seasons' worth of the Straw Hat pirates' adventures. "One Piece" has all the makings of a long-running tentpole franchise that Netflix desperately needs, especially with "Stranger Things" heading towards its final season. It boasts plenty of fresh talent that audiences could deeply vibe with and presents storylines and character arcs that are easy to love.
More importantly though, Netflix has done something pretty remarkable and noteworthy with "One Piece" — it's created a live-action anime adaptation that people actually like. It can't be understated how impressive it is that "One Piece" has garnered some widespread acclaim, especially given how terrible these adaptations usually are. Netflix has something rare on its hands and would be foolish to not take advantage of it. So although Netflix might have issues that are currently keeping it from greenlighting a second season of "One Piece," the company should certainly take advantage of the show's good reception and potential while it can. It could yield great rewards for them in the long run.