Earlier this month, Netflix announced the start of filming for the second season of its One Piece live-action series. The announcement was accompanied by a brief teaser video showing the cast of the Straw Pirates reuniting on set.
While it may not have been noticeable at the time, actor Mackenyu, who plays Roronoa Zoro, has undergone a tremendous body transformation. It seems that in the time between seasons, Mackenyu has spent time at the gym bulking up. And the results are quite noticeable.
Physical trainer Lloy Naicker recently took to Instagram and shared an image of Mackenyu, praising the actor's hard work.
"So incredibly proud of my client Mackenyu…AKA “Zoro” from One Piece," Naicker wrote. "It’s not even been 2 months and all the hard work he has put in is showing! Well done!"
The photo has been met with plenty of excitement from fans who can't wait to see Mackenyu return to his role as Zoro. Perhaps more intriguing is what this new body transformation could mean for the actual character.
A former bounty hunter turned Straw Hat Pirate, Roronoa Zoro is a highly skilled swordsman and master of the Three Sword Style. Although he's one of the Straw Hats' most capable fighters, he dreams of becoming the world's strongest swordsman — a feat that proved all too difficult in the first season of the series.
A bit of a spoiler here, but one of the first season's most iconic moments was Zoro's duel against Dracule Mihawk, a world-famous pirate who holds the title "Strongest Swordsman in the World." Despite Zoro's valiant attempt, he was ultimately bested by the more experienced Mihawk, who chose to spare his life.
Using his defeat as motivation, Zoro vows to continue to train so that he may one day defeat Mihawk and become the best swordsman in the world. This potentially explains Mackenyu's decision to work out extensively in the off months, in preparation for a potentially larger role moving forward.
Season 2 of One Piece is currently filming, and no release date has been announced yet. Many believe the new season will premiere at some point in 2025, though nothing official has been announced.
A synopsis for the upcoming season has not yet been revealed, but casting announcements indicate that Season 2 will adapt the Arabasta Saga of the manga, including the Reverse Mountain, Little Garden, Drum Island, and Arabasta Arcs.