Netflix’s hit live-action adaptation of One Piece will explore Luffy’s challenges as the leader of the Straw Hats in Season 2, according to showrunner Matt Owens.
Owens spoke to Deadline about what fans can expect from the second season of the series, which is based on Eiichiro Oda’s popular manga. He said that one of the main themes they are working with is the difficulty of being a captain, especially as Luffy and his crew enter the dangerous Grand Line.
“Without saying too much, and speaking to any new characters that we might meet, I would say a major theme that we’re working with in Season 2 is the challenge of leadership,” he said.
“From Luffy’s perspective, he’s got his crew now, and they are setting out to the Grand Line. They’re doing the thing, and there are a lot of challenges that come with that responsibility. And that theme ties into some other stories and characters that I won’t give away just yet. But the challenge and leadership is a big theme for us in Season 2.”
Owens also revealed that the writers’ room for Season 2 has resumed after the Writers Guild of America strike ended. He said that their first goal is to finish writing the scripts for Season 2, which will then allow them to proceed with other aspects of pre-production, such as building sets and planning schedules. He admitted that the writing process would take some time, as they only managed to complete a few story outlines before the strike.
It is still unknown if Season 2 will cover the entire Alabasta saga, which is one of the longest and most epic arcs in the manga and anime. However, Owens confirmed that Season 2 will include the Loguetown and Drum Island arcs, which introduce important characters like Captain Smoker and Tony Tony Chopper.
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The casting for Season 2 has not started yet due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, but actress Jamie Lee Curtis has already expressed her interest in playing Dr. Kureha, the eccentric doctor who lives on Drum Island.
One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young pirate who wants to find the legendary treasure of Gold Roger and become the King of the Pirates. Along his journey, he recruits his loyal crew members: Nami (Emily Rudd), a skilled thief and navigator; Zoro (Mackenyu), a master swordsman and bounty hunter; Sanji (Taz Skyler), a talented cook and fighter; and Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), a clever inventor and marksman.
You can binge all eight episodes of One Piece Season 1 on Netflix now.