I hate to say this to fans, but the wait for Netflix's One Piece Season 2 just became more agonizing. (But in a good way?) While there's still optimism that it'll eventually receive an official release date on the 2025 TV schedule, I'm really flat-out impatient now after hearing the latest comments from franchise creator Eiichiro Oda. The mastermind responsible for Luffy and friends recently made the trip to Cape Town, where the show's set is located, to check in. Now, two of his comments have me even more pumped for new episodes.
The live-action adaptation of One Piece has progressed with Eiichiro Oda's blessing, and he often has the final say on what changes the show can make from his manga and the anime adaptation. For example, he dropped a "hard no" in terms of allowing a romance between Nami and Zoro, despite some franchise newcomers hoping it would happen. So then, what are his thoughts on the progress of Season 2 so far?
What Are Eiichiro Oda's Thoughts After Visiting The One Piece Season 2 Sets In Cape Town?
Eiichiro Oda summarized his visit to the set, and the message was then shared on the show's Instagram account. One can probably surmise, given it was shared on an official platform, that he was impressed with what he saw, but that might be underselling it a bit. After taking a look at the set over a few days, he sounds flat-out astounded over what lies ahead for the series:
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'd imagine that seeing a message like that makes the cast and crew of One Piece feel great. Season 2 will bring Loguetown and other iconic locations to life so, if the manga creator is astounded by the details of sets like that, I can't wait to see what easter eggs and surprises will be in store for viewers. On a side note, I also love his comment about the food, as I can feel the parts of Luffy's personality that shine in the creator. I wonder if he shared a meal with Mackenyu or just sent him another hilariously awkward text about hanging out. But, vittles aside, I'm now pumped for the new locales.
What Eiichiro Oda Thinks Of The New Cast Members
One Piece Season 2 is going to be exciting for a lot of reasons, as new and exciting characters are coming into the cast. The series just welcomed many fresh faces, including Joe Manganiello as the villain Crocodile, as well as Lera Abova, who will play Miss All Sunday. Eiichiro Oda had a chance to meet the new members of the ensemble and talked about his experiences with them:
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 in person convinced me: 'They were absolutely the perfect choice!' The vibe on set was just the best too. Trust me, this is going to surpass Season 1! Stay tuned for Season 2!
Not that I would necessarily expect Oda to speak ill about One Piece this deep into the production, but it is great to hear just how jazzed he is after meeting the new cast members and exploring the various locations that'll be introduced this time around. On top of those two factors, it's great that he thinks Season 2 will be better than Season 1, because I thought the latter was pretty damn good. Ugh, I wish the new episodes were here already, but I'm hopeful that this long wait will be worth it.
The good news is if you're not up to date on the anime, there's plenty of One Piece content waiting for you to enjoy with a Netflix subscription. If you haven't watched the anime yet, I would highly recommend it, though be warned that it has over 1,100 episodes!
