Summary

  • Get ready for more action as One Piece season 2 ventures into the treacherous Grand Line with tougher villains and bigger stakes.
  • Season 2 will introduce iconic characters like Crocodile and other devil fruit s, promising intense battles and exciting storytelling.
  • With a more focused narrative, new additions to the crew, and increased sailing, season 2 aims to continue the success of season 1.

Netflix's live-action One Piece season 2 will be crucial to the show's future on Netflix, so it can't afford to be complacent or assume that season 1's success guarantees it a long future on the streaming giant's platform.

One Piece's cast is excellent, and the writing team and production crew distinguished themselves early on as well. So, while the show's future appears to be in good hands, there are still eight key differences to expect between One Piece season 2 and its first season that will help the series continue its success.

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8 One Piece Season 2 Will Enter The Grand Line

The Grand Line Is Home To The Most Notorious Pirates And Biggest Treasures

Perhaps the most important way One Piece season 2 will be different from the show's debut season is that Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are set to enter the Grand Line this season. One Piece's Grand Line is a treacherous stretch of ocean where the world's most infamous pirates live and operate, making this a big step up for the Straw Hat Pirates. Luffy and company might have defeated Arlong in season 1, but the pirates they face in season 2 will be on another level.

Both the live-action and anime version of One Piece are available to stream on Netflix.

Of course, the Straw Hats will also be able to score bigger prizes and even chase after the fabled One Piece treasure in the Grand Line. The stakes will be altogether higher in One Piece season 2, which should keep the show fresh and exciting as it seeks to continue season 1's smashing success. The Grand Line also provides nearly endless opportunities for the show's writers to continue introducing the massive world from the original anime.

7 One Piece Season 2 Will Have Better Villains

One Piece Season 2 Will Include Smoker, Crocodile, & More

One Piece season 2 will also differ from season 1 in that it will have superior villains. That's not a knock on season 1's villains — they contribute to some excellent fights in One Piece season 1 — but rather a nod to the fact that One Piece now has the chance to introduce some of the most iconic and intimidating villains from the anime. Upon entering the treacherous Grand Line, the Straw Hats are set to encounter the dangerous mafia-style pirate organization known as Baroque Works.

Baroque Works is run by Crocodile, one of the anime's most iconic villains, and his bounty of over 80 million berries makes him one of the most wanted criminals in One Piece's world.

Baroque Works is run by Crocodile, one of the anime's most iconic villains, and his bounty of over 80 million berries makes him one of the most wanted criminals in One Piece's world. For reference, Arlong —who is far and away the most dangerous villain in One Piece season 1 — has a bounty of just 20 million berries. Further, there is only one villain in season 1 who uses a devil fruit, and there should be several of them in season 2.

6 One Piece Season 2 Will Feature More Devil Fruit s

The Grand Line Is Full Of Devil Fruit s

Another consequence of One Piece season 2 entering the Grand Line is that there are bound to be far more devil fruit s than there are in season 1. The Grand Line is full of pirates who are also devil fruit s, which will make the Straw Hats' lives much harder in season 2. However, the presence of more devil fruit s in One Piece season 2 will also increase the level of spectacle in the show.

Luffy has the power of the Gomu Gomu no Mi fruit in One Piece, which effectively makes him into a Rubber Human, giving his body the stretchy, resilient properties of rubber.

Devil fruits provide supernatural abilities that should be impressive in the show's live-action format, and should lead to some incredibly entertaining fights that couldn't occur without devil fruit. For example, Crocodile's devil fruit allows him to turn his body into sand, making it nearly impossible to injure or capture him. With that in mind, One Piece season 2 will not be cheap to produce, but it should provide an incredible spectacle.

5 One Piece Season 2 Will Have Less Exposition

One Piece Season 1 Properly Introduced The Show's World

After One Piece season 1 effectively set up the show's world and introduced the main characters, One Piece season 2 should need much less exposition than season 1 had. Although many One Piece fans are already familiar with the show's world because of the anime, there is a good portion of fans who came into the series blind, so season 1 had to take the time to properly introduce this incredibly imaginative world and ease new fans into the lore.

One Piece season 2 is expected to introduce one or more new of the Straw Hat Pirates, so it should be noted that some exposition will still be required.

Further, One Piece season 1 gives the main characters a layered introduction that will allow season 2 to jump straight into new arcs. The backstories of the five main of the Straw Hat Pirates are covered in a series of flashbacks in season 1, and while the show will have to introduce a new set of villains — likely Baroque Works — that's much easier than building up protagonists because villains often rely on a level of mystery.

4 One Piece Season 2 Won't Have To Prove Itself

One Piece Season 1 Already Energized The Fanbase

Another key difference between One Piece season 1 and season 2 is that season 2 won't have to prove itself like the first season did. Before One Piece, there was a trend in the industry of unsuccessfully adapting anime into a live-action format. Consequently, some fans were understandably skeptical that Netflix could effectively adapt One Piece's world for live-action, but with season 1 knocking it out of the park, there is little concern remaining.

Accordingly, this freedom could provide the confidence and flexibility One Piece needs to become a flagship series for Netflix.

That might seem like a minor detail, but it will give the writers, cast, and crew the confidence required to pull off some truly epic moments. Knowing that the show will go into its second season with a sizable following, the showrunners can be much more bold with how they approach the adaptation. Accordingly, this freedom could provide the confidence and flexibility One Piece needs to become a flagship series for Netflix.

3 One Piece Season 2 Will Have A More Focused Narrative

One Piece Season 2 Adapts A Smaller Arc Than Season 1

One Piece season 2 will have a leg-up on season 1 because its exposition in season 1 and adaptation of a smaller arc will allow it to tell a far more focused narrative. One Piece season 1 adapts the "East Blue" arc, which is 61 episodes long. One Piece season 2 is expected to adapt the "Entering The Grand Line" arc, which only includes 15 episodes. However, there is a good chance season 2 will adapt portions of the "Alabasta" arc in order to introduce more of Baroque Works and set up season 3.

One Piece season 1 has an outstanding story, but it should get even better in season 2 as the show narrows its focus and digs deeper into the characters and world.

Even so, there are far fewer episodes for One Piece season 2 to worry about adapting, and the exposition from season 1 should remove the need for major flashbacks. With that in mind, One Piece's sophomore season should be able to tell a more linear story that focuses on one or two serious conflicts, making the story less episodic and more connected. One Piece season 1 has an outstanding story, but it should get even better in season 2 as the show narrows its focus and digs deeper into the characters and world.

2 One Piece Season 2 Will Have More Straw Hat Pirates

Chopper Is Expected To The Crew In Season 2

One Piece season 2 is expected to add at least one more Straw Hat Pirate to the crew, which will mark another key difference between it and season 1. Chopper, the team's half-reindeer medical expert, is expected to make his debut in One Piece season 2, expanding Luffy's crew and adding one of the most iconic characters from the anime. Further, while it's difficult to say for sure which Straw Hat Pirates might be included, it's safe to assume that one or two more crew make some sort of appearance.

Accordingly, Luffy's crew is likely to gain a member or two every season, which should raise the crew's ability and reputation, allowing them to go after bigger prizes and participate in battles with higher stakes, leading to a more entertaining story.

This is important because the more Luffy's crew grows, the more it can compete with the big fish found in the Grand Line. Luffy and his friends are formidable foes, but a five-person crew is not nearly big enough for them to become a serious force in the Grand Line. Accordingly, Luffy's crew is likely to gain a member or two every season, which should raise the crew's ability and reputation, allowing them to go after bigger prizes and participate in battles with higher stakes, leading to a more entertaining story.

1 One Piece Season 2 Will Have More Sailing

One Piece Season 2 Will Mostly Be Set In The Grand Line

One strange thing about One Piece season 1 is that the show spends a surprising amount of time on land for a series that is purported to be about pirates. That's not to say there's no sailing or impressive naval sequences, but there are perhaps fewer of these things than one might expect due to the show's need to build the world and introduce characters. However, One Piece season 2 is expected to mostly take place in the Grand Line, which should lead to much more sailing and a lot more naval sequences.

This should lead to plenty of conflicts on the water, and it will create loads of opportunities for travel on the Going Merry.

Firstly, it's safe to expect the Straw Hat Pirates to have a bit of a hard time finding the Grand Line, which could leave them stranded at sea for a time. Further, in order to properly introduce the Grand Line, they will have to travel a lot, likely sailing from place to place in each episode. This should lead to plenty of conflicts on the water, and it will create loads of opportunities for travel on the Going Merry. With that in mind, One Piece season 2 should spend considerably more time on the water.

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One Piece (Live-Action)
Release Date
August 31, 2023
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Matt Owens
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Iñaki Godoy
    Monkey D. Luffy
  • Headshot Of Emily Rudd
    Emily Rudd
    Nami

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy's relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.

Writers
Tiffany Greshler, Diego Gutierrez, Allison Weintraub, Lindsay Gelfand
Franchise(s)
One Piece
Seasons
1
Streaming Service(s)
Netflix