Filming on One Piece season 2 is in full swing – and now Netflix has given fans a taste of what to expect when the live-action anime adaptation returns to our screens.

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The streamer has revealed that Joe Manganiello has been cast as Mr 0 (aka Crocodile) – a fan-favourite sand-manipulating villain who is the main adversary of the Straw Hat Pirates in the Alabasta Arc, meaning he will play a key role in season 2.

Other exciting cast additions include Lera Abova (Anna) as Nico Robin, Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton) as Miss Vivi Wednesday and Katey Sagal (Futurama) as Doctor Kureha.

They’ll be joining the main One Piece cast, which includes Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy, Emily Rudd as Nami, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji.

One Piece season 1 ranked as the most watched show in 84 countries over its first weekend, beating viewing records set by the likes of Stranger Things and Wednesday.

With the streamer's previous forays into anime live-action adaptations sinking, it was reassuring to see this one swim – especially as Monkey D Luffy actor Iñaki Godoy promised a faithful adaptation, and one that honours the manga and the story it tells.

With that promise being met, hopes are high for Luffy and his pirate crew's comeback.

Here's everything you need to know about One Piece season 2.

One Piece season 2 release date speculation

One Piece season 2 will premiere in 2025, although the exact release date is yet to be announced.

Filming on the second season kicked off in August 2024.

On 14th September 2023, fans of the Netflix One Piece show were greeted by a very special message from series creator Eiichiro Oda via his own personal transponder, letting fans know that the streamer has renewed the series for a second season.

You can watch the full announcement below, which includes the tease of a character fans will be overjoyed to see.

Fans of One Piece will know that the ending of season 1 set up an exciting season 2.

As episode 8 draws to a close, Luffy has been successful in taking down shark villain Arlong and his base, which is better known as Arlong Park. The Straw Hats have been reunited after Nami makes amends with her sister, setting off to bigger and better things ahead.

At the same time, it’s revealed by Koby that Luffy now has a bounty on his head - and it’s the highest of any bounty in the East Blue. Because of this, the gang decide it’s finally time to make the journey to the Grand Line, although it doesn’t seem like the Marines are through with them yet.

It looks as though season 2 is set to introduce yet another pivotal big bad to the Netflix One Piece universe in the form of Smoker, a big, buff pirate with a love of cigars and a hatred for the Straw Hat Pirates.

What's especially tricky about this next villain is his ability to transform himself into cigar smoke, making him quite the adversary to take on.

Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Taz Skylar as Sanji in One Piece leaning on the side of a ship
Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Taz Skylar as Sanji in One Piece. Netflix

In that same video message from Oda, he mentioned that the scripts may take some time to get ready, but actually, the second season of One Piece is further along than you might expect.

In an interview with Variety, Tomorrow Studios president Becky Clements said the second season could be ready for release between a year and 18 months.

"Realistically, hopefully, a year away, if we move very quickly, and that is a possibility. Somewhere between a year and 18 months, we could be ready for air," she said.

Season 2 will also be helmed by showrunners Matt Owens and Joe Tracz.

One Piece season 2 cast

We're expecting the following cast members to return for One Piece season 2:

  • Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy
  • Emily Rudd as Nami
  • Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro
  • Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp
  • Taz Skylar as Sanji
  • Vincent Regan as Monkey D Garp
  • Jeff Ward as Buggy the Clown
  • Morgan Davies as Koby

We also have plenty of new faces joining the cast! They include:

  • Daniel Lasker as Mr 9
  • Camrus Johnson as Mr 5
  • Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine
  • David Dastmalchian as Mr 3
  • Joe Manganiello as Mr O
  • Lera Abova as Nico Robin
  • Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday
  • Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra
  • Katey Sagal as Dr Kureha
  • Mark Harelik as Dr Hiriluk

Daniel, Camrus, Jazzara and David, who are members of the criminal syndicate Baroque Works, are taken directly from the One Piece manga.

What could be the plot of One Piece season 2?

Luffy in One Piece in a straw hat with his finger pointing just past camera
Luffy in One Piece. Netflix

Logic tells us that the Straw Hats will be making their way towards the Grand Line… and our experience with the world of One Piece suggests that it won’t be a straightforward journey.

Plenty of obstacles and enemies are expected to play a part in Luffy’s next moves, slowing down his success in obtaining the elusive one piece.

According to the original manga, the Alabasta saga is next up, following on from the originally adapted East Blue saga. There are six separate arcs that make up the saga, divided into episodes and chapters that correspond with the manga and anime.

Before that, though, the manga takes a little detour to Loguetown - given that we see a tease of Smoker in the final episode's post-credits scene, it would make sense that season 2’s first episode would start there.

The Loguetown story will see Smoker chasing and tracking down Luffy and his Straw Hat crew due to his hatred of all things pirates - he pops up in a few arcs afterwards, including the Little Garden Arc and Alabasta Arc.

It’s easy to imagine he will be on the heels of the Straw Hat Pirates throughout the season - much like fellow Marine Garp was in season 1.

If the live-action One Piece continues to follow Oda’s story, fans can expect to see Luffy and that gang head towards Whisky Peak, where they are targeted by the criminal organisation known as Baroque Works.

We see Zoro defeat a member of the organisation in the first episode of season 1, so it makes sense that Baroque Works will return with a vengeance.

How has One Piece been adapted?

So far, season 1 of the live-action One Piece has almost perfectly matched up with season 1 of the anime series. The show also manages to adapt most of the East Blue manga saga.

However, some parts of the original series and manga have been changed in the live-action show. Some scenes have been cut altogether, while others have been rearranged to show the characters’ journeys differently.

One Piece still showing Luffy reaching up to touch a boulder
One Piece.

The relationship dynamics between the main crew are also slightly different, with the live-action Straw Hats much more hesitant to follow Luffy in making his dreams come true.

The way the group comes together is altered, too, with most of their meetings chance encounters despite being planned out in the original source material.

Is there a trailer for One Piece season 2?

Not yet! However, as part of its Geeked Week event, Netflix released a brand new look at One Piece season 2 via a set tour by Buggy actor Jeff Ward. Watch below:

We'll update this page with any new information as and when it comes.

One Piece is now available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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Authors

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.

Molly MossTrends Writer

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.

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