Netflix ‘One Piece’ Season 2 “Surpasses” Season 1 According to Eiichiro Oda

One Piece Season 2 has been keeping its production under wraps, but not without revealing exciting casting information for highly-anticipated characters. The manga that the live-action series is based on is one of the highest-selling comic books in the world, making the excitement for the series well warranted. Some adaptations, like Netflix’s own Cowboy Bebop live-action series, missed the mark and lacked any creative involvement from the original series creator, Shinichirō Watanabe. However, One Piece’s production sets itself apart thanks to its working relationship with the original author of the series.

Eiichiro Oda, who also serves as an executive producer, has released a statement via the One Piece Manga Staff’s social media accounts, in which he discusses his excitement for the series and how he visited the set. Most importantly, Oda also divulged the information that he contributed his input to the casting process and even teased that the upcoming season would be even better than the first, as he would say in the message:

“The sets are enormous! The attention to detail is incredible! The crew’s passion for the project is off the charts! And the food? Amazing! Now, I feel an even greater sense of responsibility given my role. I managed to speak with not only the returning cast from Season 1 BUT, but also each of the new cast members. My own casting selections were made remotely from Japan using photos and videos, but seeing everyone in person convinced me that they were absolutely the perfect choice!… Trust me, this si going to surpass Season 1!”

Oda’s Commitment to ‘One Piece’ is a Statement of its Quality

When the first season of Netflix’s One Piece was released, the series received surprisingly positive reviews. Live-action manga and anime series adaptations have been hit or miss, with the streamer’s latest adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender getting a mixed response. The production of that series also received attention as the original shows’ creators departed due to a lack of control over the creative vision of the live-action show. If anything, Eiichiro Oda’s commitment to the production of the series demonstrates that the upcoming second season will continue to keep in spirit with the original work.

First Look at Chopper From Netflix’s One Piece Has Been Revealed

He already looks perfect.

The One Piece franchise is as successful as it is in manga and anime because of the vast worldbuilding, compelling characters, and intricate story that speaks to real-world struggles. If the Netflix series continues to receive input from Oda and a consistent vision from Showrunner and writer Steve Madea, it’s safe to assume that Season 2 will be as successful as the first.

One Piece Season 2 has plenty of new islands and antagonists to introduce, which makes Oda’s comments about the upcoming entry surpassing the debut season make a lot more sense. The first season was all about setting up Monkey D. Luffy’s grand adventure, and now the production team, with a bit of help from Oda, has a tall task ahead of them in bringing more of the massive world of One Piece to life.