As you probably know by now, One Piece manga creator Eiichiro Oda recently visited the set of Netflix's live-action One Piece series. While visiting Cape Town, the legendary creator sat down with series star Inaki Godoy, who plays Luffy in live-action, to discuss the upcoming season.
Godoy, who started learning Japanese in January, decided to conduct the interview entirely in Japanese. But thanks to subtitles, we know everything they are saying.
The interview begins with Godoy asking Oda about his visit to Cape Town and his initial thoughts on seeing his creation come to life. Asked about his experience on set, Oda responded:
"I got to see some actual filming, and especially the props, massive sets, special effects, the making of wigs and costumes, the stunts... I saw so many thing sand was truly touched by everyone's dedication."
The trailer doesn't actually show any footage of Season 2, though we do see some of the props and sets. Godoy also asked about Season 2. While the Straw Hat Pirates certainly faced some formidable foes in the first season, getting to the Grand Line will be even more challenging.
"In that universe, the Grand Line is the harshest of the season," Oda explained. "We need to shock audiences. That's why there are giants, and, of course, lots of bounty hunters. This needs to be a season full of new, surprising elements. That's why it's more challenging."
Elsewhere in the interview, which you can watch below, Oda was asked how he came up with the character of Luffy and why he's such a relatable protagonist.
One Piece Season 2 is shaping up to be an even bigger adventure as it covers the Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island arcs from the manga. Following his trip to Cape Town, Oda promised fans that Season 2 "will surpass" Season 1. In a statement, which you can read here, Oda praised the crew members, sets, attention to detail, and new cast members joining for Season 2.
Netflix still has not shared a proper trailer for Season 2 as filming is presumably still underway (although it should be wrapping up soon). A few months ago, Netflix Geeked Week provided all sorts of behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and casting announcements, drumming up hype for the sophomore season. Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), Nami (Emily Rudd), Usopp (Jacob Romero), and Sanji (Taz Skylar) are all returning as they get ready to sail to the Grand Line.
While we still don't have a release date for One Piece Season 2, a previously released teaser suggested that the critically acclaimed series will be returning at some point in 2025.