Monkey D. Luffy’s powers worked surprisingly well in live-action, but One Piece season 2 will have to deal with two characters whose abilities will be even more difficult to portray. One of the biggest challenges Netflix’s live-action version of One Piece had to face in the first season was how to portray Luffy’s Devil Fruit abilities. Hollywood never had an easy time with stretchy characters, yet Luffy’s Gum-Gum techniques are an essential part of the story. Fortunately, Luffy’s powers looked great in live-action and never had an uncanny valley feel to them.

Before the Netflix show, no one would describe One Piece as an easy show to be turned into a live-action series. From Devil Fruit eaters with a plethora of physical abilities to extraordinary species that include giants and fish-men, the world of One Piece is far from a realistic one. Surprisingly, Netflix’s approach to the universe created by Eiichiro Oda found a good balance between keeping the magic of the manga and adding some sense of realism. However, things will only get more complicated in One Piece season 2.

Robin & Chopper’s Devil Fruit Powers Won’t Be Easy To Pull Off In Live-Action

Miss All Sunday And Tony Tony Chopper Have Some Peculiar Powers

Luffy stretching his arms, legs, belly, and face in One Piece season 1 was an impressive VFX achievement, especially compared to other stretchy characters from movies and shows. However, this was only the first of many sets of tricky powers that Netflix’s One Piece will have to portray in live-action. Looking at future Straw Hat pirates who will be introduced in season 2 only, One Piece will now include a reindeer that looks and behaves like a human and a woman who can replicate parts of her body on any surface.

One Piece
season 2 will go from Loguetown to Drum Island, leaving the rest of Arabasta for a potential third season.

Miss All Sunday, who ate the Flower-Flower Fruit, should make her live-action debut toward the beginning of One Piece season 2. While Robin only joins the crew at the end of the Arabasta arc, which will not be covered in season 2, she might be one of the main antagonists of the second season as a member of Baroque Works. Even if Robin doesn’t appear much in season 2, she becomes a main character as soon as she joins the Straw Hat pirates. Chopper, who ate the Human-Human fruit, will likely debut toward the end of season 2.

One Piece Season 2 Will Have Way More Devil Fruit Users Than Season 1

Luffy Will Run Into Much Tougher Opponents In Season 2

In hindsight, it is interesting how there weren’t many known Devil Fruit users in the East Blue saga, which is what One Piece season 1 covered. Apart from Luffy, the only other character in season 1 who had eaten a Devil Fruit was Buggy – the Chop-Chop Fruit. In season 2, however, that number will increase massively. Plenty of Baroque Works members are also Devil Fruit users, including Miss All Sunday, Mr. 5, Mr. 3, Miss Valentine, and their leader, “Mr. 0” Crocodile. That is not to mention Smoker, who will chase Luffy in season 2, and Wapol.

From a story perspective, it makes sense for Luffy to run into more pirates and marines with special powers originating not only from Devil Fruits but also other abilities that Netflix’s One Piece has yet to properly introduce. The Netflix show’s first season took place in the East Blue, whereas One Piece season 2 onward will be set in the Grand Line as the Straw Hat pirates try to reach the New World. The Grand Line is where the most dangerous islands, creatures, pirates, and marines are located.

One Piece’s Visual Effects Did The Anime Justice (But It Will Only Get Trickier)

The Most Bizarre Powers & Locations Are Yet To Appear In Netflix’s One Piece

What One Piece season 1 did in terms of visuals should not be taken for granted. Even though television shows have displayed impressive visual effects recently, bringing a fantasy world like One Piece’s to live-action is no easy feat. While the show did take some shortcuts – such as limiting the scale of the fight at Arlong Park – those were all justifiable. It’s impossible for a live-action show to replicate the energy of an anime fight, but One Piece knew where to compromise.

However, doing the manga justice will only get more difficult as the Netflix show goes on. Even the Arabasta saga, which season 2 will partially cover, feels small compared to what happens next. The world of One Piece gets bigger and more dangerous with each arc, and it will be interesting to watch what those later moments will look like in live-action. Between floating cities and giants fighting armies, future One Piece seasons should be a visual spectacle if done right.