In eight riveting episodes, Netflix returns with its long-awaited season two of the live-action adaptation of One Piece. After laying the adaptation’s groundwork in the first season, season two wastes no time in bringing the characters right out of the manga on screen.
One Piece: Into the Grand Line covers another thirty-five episodes of the animated series. As always with One Piece, there is controversy surrounding the pacing, with fewer episodes than the first season. Rather than the number of episodes covered, the pacing tends to be slightly off as the live-action gives more importance to some less relevant arcs than others. The animated series currently has 1115 episodes, with an estimated 150 episodes left before it ends. Over the course of its many arcs and seasons, there is a suspenseful release of information and details, including the mysteries behind the main crew. However, what comes as a shock in the second season of the live-action is just how many of these have been revealed with little to no build-up. While some argue that this is because the live-action will not be able to cover the entirety of the animated series, it is not done as tastefully as expected. The narrative’s lack of tension causes its dialogues and scenes to fall flat.
Despite the irregularity of its pacing, season two of the One Piece live-action is still an incredibly enjoyable watch to new viewers and seasoned fans alike; one may even call it binge-worthy. With vibrant costumes, set design and extreme attention to detail, the live action manages to capture the whimsical allure of the world of One Piece. Introducing a whole array of new characters, the ones garnering the most attention are Charithra Chandran as Vivi, Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday and the CGI Chopper voiced by Mikaela Hoover. Chandran’s casting was also a topic of discussion—on one hand, there was unintelligible racism, and on the other, there was legitimate concern over Middle Eastern and North African erasure, as the actress is South Asian. Vivi’s identity is deeply rooted in Middle Eastern and North African culture, and her background of opposing settler-colonialism in her fictional homeland of Alabasta has previously been seen as an allegory for real-world politics. In spite of this unfortunate decision from production, Chandran herself is an activist, delivering a formidable performance that feels true to her character. The chemistry between the entirety of the cast is electric. There seems to be no effort spared with the actors, devoting themselves to their characters by picking up new talents and coordinating high-level stunts.
The next season cannot come soon enough, as the animated world expands its global reach in the real world; production seems to be aware of this, as the cast divulges that they are already working on Season Three.
Photo by Omry Assouline on Unsplash.