Before the live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, One Piece, hit Netflix on August 31, many were skeptical if the series could make it due to the curse the streamer has when it comes to adapting hit manga/anime, like Death Note and Cowboy Bebop. Taz Skylar, who plays the role of Sanji, revealed that even the show’s cast had the same feelings—afraid of how fans would receive the series. Thankfully, everything changed when it received a positive reception and was even lauded by many.
Skylar headlined the Mangafest 2023 in Spain to celebrate everything about Japanese culture, arts, crafts, games, and entertainment and participated in a Q&A session, where he revealed that One Piece’s cast was all scared to know what the series' review would be before it was officially released. However, when the show started dominating Netflix’s top 10 TV and ratings, they were beyond relieved by the favorable response.
He said (via X user @Bloggertessa) that they all went to Japan to join Mackenyu, who portrays Zoro, when the show premiered. At the time, they tried to avoid checking the internet and the news, terrified of the possible negative reactions they were about to see about the live-action. But as they made their way home, with him, Iñaki Godoy, and Jacob Gibson inside the car, their phones started receiving messages about the series when Godoy began screaming because someone said it was "going really good."
How successful is Netflix’s One Piece?
When it dropped this year, Netflix’s One Piece was an instant fan favorite. It became the most-watched series on the streamer in 84 countries in its first week of release and received positive reviews from fans and critics alike. It was even lauded for sticking to its source material, perfectly telling a story that Oda has started since 1997. The cast also received praise for accurately portraying their characters.
That said, it’s no surprise that it quickly gets a second-season renewal—just two weeks after it premiered. With Oda on board, it can expect to have the same execution as the first season, closely sticking to its source material. This time, Tony Tony Chopper will be introduced as a new member of the Straw Hat Pirates and will serve as the crew’s doctor. It's also expected to adapt the Drum Island Arc and the Alabasta Arc.
So far, there are no words yet on when Netflix’s One Piece Season 2 will be released. But as the second season is now one of the highly-anticipated series on Netflix, the next thing the cast and crew need to do is match or surpass what’s expected of them.
