As Netflix continues to move forward with production on Season 2 of its One Piece live-action series, more details are starting to surface online.
A recent casting call for the second season has been shared on social media, confirming seven new characters who will join the series in its second season. Some of the characters are to be expected as Season 2 will likely follow the Arabasta Arc, but some of the names are a bit surprising.
Let's start with one of the more obvious characters: Vivi. The casting call is looking for an actress who can play a "female (17-20), Middle Eastern/North African or South Asian." This isn't terribly surprising as the Arabasta Kingdom and desert region is heavily inspired by the Middle East.
There's also a casting call for Nico Robin, although it's possible the actress cast for this role might go by another name during Season 2. A little bit of spoilers here, but Nico Robin is actually referred to as "Miss All Sunday" during the Arabasta Arc. She acted as the vice president of Baroque Works, serving and partnering with the organization's president; the ex-Warlord: Crocodile, who operated under the codename "Mr. 0." Netflix is looking for a "Hispanic or Latino female aged of 20-39" for the role of Nico Robin.
Other characters mentioned in the casting call include Smoker, Tashigi, Mr. 5, Crocus, and Miss Valentine.
The casting call comes just a few days after Netflix offered what appeared to be a major teaser for Season 2. In celebrating Monkey D. Luffy's birthday, fans noticed a cake resembling a candle with a candle wick shaped like the number three. Many believe this was Netflix's way of hinting that Season 2 will follow the Arabasta arc from the anime.
Season 1 of Netflix's One Piece live-action adaptation first debuted on August 31, 2023. Based on the popular anime, the first season serves as an exciting introduction to this fantastical world. We meet Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as the explore the endless oceans and exotic islands in search of the world's ultimate treasure to become the next Pirate King.
The live-action series was met with glowing reviews from critics and fans alike with the first season sitting at an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans seemed to enjoy the adaptation even more as evidenced by its 95% Audience Score.
"One Piece captures the essence of its beloved source material with a charmingly big-hearted adaptation that should entertain longtime fans as well as patient newcomers," the critics' consensus reads.
Netflix renewed the series for a second season in September 2023. FIlming is expected to begin in Juen 2024 with Netflix reportedly targeting a 2025 premiere date.