Netflix revealed new photos from the set of One Piece Season 2 along with a message from series creator Eiichiro Oda, who recently traveled to Cape Town in South Africa to provide an update on filming. Oda praised the "huge" sets while promising that the second season would surpass the first. You can read the full message below.
Cape Town is where the Netflix live-action show is being filmed!! I got to see firsthand the hard work of so many crew members across various fields!! The sets? Huge! The attention to detail? Insane! The crew's love for the project? Off the charts!! And the food? Amazing!! Now I feel an even greater sense of responsibility given my role.
I also managed to speak with not only the returning cast from Season 1 but also each of the new cast members. My own casting selections were made from Japan over photos and videos, but seeing them all in person convinced me: "They were absolutely the perfect choice!!!" The vibe on the set was just the best, too! Trust me, this is going to surpass Season 1! Stay tuned for Season 2!
In addition to the message, Netflix shared various photos of Oda on the set of One Piece Season 2, which is expected to cover the Arabasta saga while introducing Chopper. Sharp-eyed fans may be able to get an idea of what to expect based on some of the photos in the gallery above.
Oda's involvement in the live-action One Piece is perhaps one reason it has been more successful than Netflix's other live-action anime adaptations. One Piece Season 1 was a big success for Netflix despite a mixed reception from critics, leading Netflix to greenlight a second season.
We wrote in our review, "Netflix’s One Piece strives to recreate the magic of its source material in live-action, but this requires jettisoning some pieces of the plot. This creates an interesting variation on the long-running manga and anime that works in parts, and the Netflix series is at its best when it charts its own path in response to the changes made by showrunner Matt Owens and the writing staff. Unfortunately, instead of committing fully to this retelling, One Piece constantly sails back into familiar waters and fan service, muddying the experience."
Netflix is expected to debuted on Netflix sometime in 2025.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
