Summary

• Netflix's live-action One Piece season 2 casting rumors are building excitement among fans and making waves in the industry.
• Xolo Maridueña's potential role as Ace in One Piece season 2 has fans buzzing with anticipation for the show's next chapter.
• Despite Ace's small role in the manga, Maridueña's dream casting and energy could bring new life and depth to the character in the adaptation.

Since its release in August 2023, Netflix's live-action One Piece season 2 bit by bit, and there is one rumor that I'm praying is true. Since becoming the most-watched show in 2023's second half, all eyes are on the show, and it's clear that this uniquely successful live-action adaptation of a beloved anime is bringing the story to a far wider audience. I'm relieved to say that I have faith in the show's casting, based on its sound judgment so far, and I think season 2 will make an even bigger splash.

In an interview with One Piece season 1 and big names already announced for season 2, I wouldn't be surprised if this rumor was true.

Xolo Maridueña Is The Perfect Ace For Netflix's Live-Action One Piece

It Would Be The Best Casting Since Iñaki Godoy

Xolo Maridueña as Ace would be the best casting since Iñaki Godoy, "the real Luffy" himself, as manga creator Eiichiro Oda affectionately refers to him. If you haven't been watching Netflix's excellent Cobra Kai, you may instead recognize Xolo Maridueña from the DC superhero movie, Blue Beetle. Maridueña's role in both these creations leaves no room for doubt about Maridueña's comic-book hero energy, and I, for one, would be fully invested in Ace's One Piece fate if he was played by Maridueña.

One Piece season 2 may come out sometime in late 2025.

If the Cobra Kai star's One Piece rumor is true, that would place Xolo Maridueña acting opposite his real-life friend, Iñaki Godoy, portraying the in-universe surrogate brother to Godoy's Monkey D. Luffy. As Luffy's brother, Portgas D. Ace needs insane chemistry with Luffy to come off convincingly. While I'm sure many actors are up to the task, I now can't imagine anyone other than Maridueña and Godoy taking on the Grand Line together.

The Biggest Obstacle To Xolo Maridueña's Ace Casting Has Already Been Solved

Ace Is Maridueña's Dream Role

In the Lone Lobos podcast that he co-hosts, Maridueña addressed the One Piece rumor, responding to the question of whether or not he was Ace "Not yet... but it's a dream." The main issue of this ideal casting - of Maridueña wanting to accept the role or not - has already been solved. So as far as I'm concerned, Netflix needs to hurry up its hiring process and confirm Maridueña as Ace already. But listening to Maridueña's comments on the rumor, the plot thickened:

Not yet. It's a dream, but at the same time, it has to be right. I've got to audition for it. I've got to go the same route as everyone else. Unless they're like, 'Hey, this guy here is so perfect'.

I think I know Xolo Maridueña's "tell" - that's the thing people do when they're lying, that always gives them away. I think Maridueña takes a sip of water, which he noticeably did on being asked if he was Ace, before implementing a poker face and pausing to consider his answer, shaking his head, and finally saying "not yet." It's only natural that Maridueña would be under an NDA to keep the casting under wraps until the official announcement, but it seems like he is at least auditioning.

Ace Likely Won't Have A Major Role In One Piece Season 2

Ace Played A Small Part In The Arabasta Saga

Despite being important family to the show's hero, Ace only had a small part in the anime and manga compared to characters like Luffy, Nami, and Zoro. He briefly appeared in the Drum Island arc but played a bigger role in the Arabasta saga, and it looks like One Piece season 2 episodes will cover this ground. In short, it looks like Ace still needs to be cast for One Piece season 2, even though he won't become a main character. I am keen to watch as the show unfolds Ace's arc, along with other key stories like Loguetown.

It does look like One Piece season 2 will open with the manga's Loguetown arc, which doesn't feature Ace. With a One Piece Loguetown villain casting confirmed and the next episode's title referencing Loguetown ("The Beginning and the End"), it seems like Ace may not appear until the last few episodes of season 2. However, owing to this arc's middling popularity in the fandom, the show may run through it quite quickly. Plus, Maridueña has my vote for an amped-up Ace with more screentime than he got in the manga or anime.

One Piece season 2 is being filmed already, and although it seems unlikely that One Piece won't have completed its casting before starting filming, this is often the case with smaller roles, especially where bigger actors are concerned. Scheduling clashes often result in late casting calls, which can happen during filming, and One Piece has shared casting details quite late before. Ace's small role allows the show more flexibility for casting bigger actors like Xolo Maridueña, giving me more confidence that this dream casting rumor could be true.

Sources: Carlos Orozco, Lone Lobos