Netflix’sOne Pieceis an impressive anime-to-live-action adaptation, something many believed impossible given the history of poorly adapted live-action projects. However,One Piecehas more than proved that with enough care and passion, even a live-action version of an anime can succeed. The series delivered fans a faithful adaptation, effectively portraying the journey of the Straw Hats through the East Blue saga. While the live-action is a strong entry, it’s not without its flaws.
TheOne Piecelive-action has been a great installment, and while it perfectly captures much of the anime’s charm, one major complaint from fans is that it falls short of delivering the same level of action. ConsideringOne Pieceis known for its intense and dynamic battles, the live-action version rarely showcases standout fight scenes. In particular, it hasn’t given the franchise’s most badass character, Roronoa Zoro, a true moment to shine on his own. However, in a recent interview, Zoro’s live-action actor, Mackenyu, subtly addressed this issue, hinting that it will be fixed.
One Piece’s Live-Action Is Great, but It Falls Short When It Comes to Action
Zoro’s Actor, Mackenyu, Subtly Hints at How This Will Be Fixed Through His Character
One of themajor concerns fans had about the live-actionOne Piecewas how it would handle scenes considered impossible to adapt, such as Buggy’s and Luffy’s Devil Fruit powers. However, the live-action more than reassured fans by nailing these challenges. That said, there weren’t many standout moments that consistently showcased stunning action throughout the season. The lack of longer, more dynamic fight scenes can’t be entirely blamed on the studio, as many factors come into play when adapting anime to live-action.
I Loved One Piece’s Live-Action Zoro, But The Netflix Show Must Fix An Important Part Of The Character For Season 2
Mackenyu’s Zoro is a highlight of Netflix’s live-action One Piece, but the adaptation needs to fix an important part of his character in season 2.
Considering the live-action was crafted by fans of the franchise, it’s possible that in the first season, they aimed to create a version that would work organically on a wider scale and not fall short after just one season. With the huge success of the debut season and its record-breaking performance,One Pieceseason 2will likely not face the same budget constraints or other worries. This newfound freedom could allow the production team to bring the intense action scenes closer to the anime’s standard. This idea was subtly suggested in a recent interview with Zoro’s actor, Mackenyu.
InMackenyu’s recent interview with Crunchyroll, he shared what it felt like to bring Zoro to life once more. He explained that in the first season, his primary goal was to faithfully embody Zoro, a goal that seemed to be shared by the entire production team as they focused on making the live-action work. Mackenyu then stated that their aim for season two is to make Zoro even deadlier and cooler, elevating his live-action portrayal to match the anime’s standard.
Question: You were in Cape Town at the end of last year filming Season 2 of theOne Piecelive-action series. What was it like bringing Roronoa Zoro to life once again?
Mackenyu:The first season I was trying to find how to bring Zoro to life. That was my main goal for season one. But for season two, the goal was to make him a lot deadlier and cooler, just level this badass character up.
Mackenyu’s words clearly imply that Zoro inOne Pieceseason 2 will be more closely aligned with the source material. Considering the lack of intense action was a major complaint about season one, it’s evident that the second season will feature more of Zoro in action, addressing fans’ concerns. Mackenyu’s statement gains even more weight when compared to the source material, which season 2 will be incorporating.
One Piece Season 2 Has Many Opportunities To Make Zoro Cooler And Deadlier
Loguetown and Whiskey Peak Arcs Could Fulfill Bringing Zoro Fully to Life
One PieceSeason 2, with its promo and cast now revealed, is set to feature several smaller arcs before diving into one of itsfirst major storylines, Alabasta. The upcoming season will begin with the Straw Hats' journey through Loguetown, the place where Gol D. Roger, the former King of the Pirates, was executed. During their time in this town, Zoro will purchase two new swords to replace the one broken during his duel with Dracule Mihawk. While buying new swords may seem minor, Zoro’s encounter with the Sandai Kitetsu marks a pivotal moment that highlights his coolness.
WhenZoro purchases the swords, the local merchant warns him against buying the Sandai Kitetsu, claiming it is cursed. However, Zoro is intrigued by the sword’s reputation and tests the curse by throwing the blade into the air and holding out his arm. He comes out unscathed, a moment that reinforces his fearlessness and defiance of fate, as he claims the cursed sword as one of his primary weapons. While Loguetown enhances Zoro’s cool factor, the Whiskey Peak arc will offer him a significant opportunity to showcase his swordsmanship in battle.
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In the Whiskey Peak arc, theStraw Hats are confronted by the Baroque Works pirates. During this confrontation, Zoro defeats no fewer than 100 bounty hunters from the syndicate. If executed well inOne PieceSeason 2, this moment alone could address fans’ concerns about the live-action lacking intense action, while elevating Zoro as an even deadlier character. While Mackenyu has already reassured fans about Zoro’s role in the upcoming season, Taz Skylar has also recently addressed this concern.
Taz Skylar Also Assures That Action, Among Many Things, Will Be Greater In the Upcoming Season
According to Taz, Season 2 Is Aiming To Achieve Something Never Before Seen on TV
Taz Skylar, Sanji’s actor inOne Piece, was recentlyinterviewed by Numeroon the occasion of a newly released film in which he starred. Amid various questions, he also shared his excitement about the second season. Steering clear of spoilers, Taz mentioned that the upcoming season ofOne Pieceis going to be wild, as the production team is attempting something never before seen on TV. He added that the scale is immense, with the sets even more gigantic than before and the action significantly increased.
I obviously can’t say much, but what I can say is that this season is wild. The whole production is really attempting to do something that I don’t think has ever been done on TV before. The scale is immense. The sets are enormous, the action exponentialized, and all of us in the cast are somehow even closer than I think we’ve ever been.
His excitement for the new season also highlights how close themain cast ofOne Piecehas become: encouraging news, considering the dynamic and bonds of the Straw Hats only grow stronger from this point on. With reassurance from both Zoro and Sanji’s actors, fans can anticipate theOne Piece’s second season to surpass the first in many ways and the complaint about live-action adaptations lacking action seems destined to be resolved, adding yet another impressive achievement to the franchise’s immense global impact.
One Piece
Cast
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.
