One Piece fans, rejoice! Netflix has officially renewed its live-action adaptation for a second season just two weeks after its Aug. 28 debut.
The news was announced with a video from One Piece creator and executive producer on the Netflix series Eiichiro Oda - speaking through a Transponder Snail, appropriately.
NAKAMA!!! ?☠️? It fills us with great joy to give you this message directly from Oda-Sensei. ⛵️ #OnePieceNetflix #OnePieceLiveAction pic.twitter.com/X8ZOLPkaXD
— ONE PIECE(ワンピース) Netflix (@onepiecenetflix) September 14, 2023
"It seems people around the world have been enjoying the show, which makes the hard work from the production team truly worth it," Oda said in the announcement, in part. "...Two weeks after the launch, I just received some great news: Netflix has decided to renew the show!"
In a press release about the renewal, Netflix said episode count and story details will be shared at a later date. The first season comprised eight episodes between 50 and 60 minutes each.
Oda caveated that it'll "still take awhile to get the scripts ready," asking the audience to be patient. He also teased that moving forward, the Straw Hats "will need a great doctor," no doubt teasing the introduction of fan favorite character Tony Tony Chopper, the human/reindeer hybrid who also acts as the crew's medical assistance.
Chopper's addition has been a highly anticipated one, with fans speculating just how Netflix could adapt the little guy into live action. Co-showrunner Steven Maeda admitted in a lengthy interview with IGN that adapting Chopper would indeed be a "challenge," although it seems like that's a challenge they're taking on soon enough.
Oda's assertion that they still need to get the scripts ready slightly contradicts previous statements from One Piece production company Tomorrow Studios, with CEO Marty Adelstein saying in a recent interview with Variety that "we've got the scripts ready" should the series be renewed.
“Realistically, hopefully, a year away, if we move very quickly, and that is a possibility,” Tomorrow Studios president Becky Clements added. “Somewhere between a year and 18 months, we could be ready for air.”
However, it's worth noting that additional script work cannot be done while Hollywood's writers remain on strike. And even if the scripts were completely ready, Season 2 couldn't begin production amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, so Oda's guidance to "be patient" is wise.
Still, the relatively quick renewal marks a strong show of confidence on Netflix's part. Even Wednesday, a massive runaway hit for the company, didn't announce a second season until a little over a month after its premiere.
And it, of course, marks a stark contrast to the fate of Netflix's other big live-action anime adaptation, Cowboy Bebop, which was canceled three weeks after its debut. One Piece's premiere numbers showed much stronger viewership than Cowboy Bebop, scoring 18.5 million "views" and 140 million hours viewed over its first four days of release.
Its staying power likely convinced Netflix to go ahead with the renewal, with the adaptation logging another 19.3 million views in its second week, according to the streaming platform's self-reported numbers.
For more on Netflix's live-action One Piece, check out how Maeda addressed a major Season 1 fan theory, as well as a director's explanation on how Buggy became such a fan favorite.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
