One Piece, the live-action adaptation based on the Japanese manga series of the same name (which is the bestselling manga in history), became a runaway hit in 2023. The series followed the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, called the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explored the Grand Line in search of the mythical treasure known as the “One Piece” to become the next King of the Pirates. Considered to be one of the best live-action adaptations in recent times, the Netflix show earned praise for its performances, writing, visual effects, action sequences, humour and faithfulness to the source material.
On March 10, Season 2 of One Piece returns with the Straw Hats, led by Luffy, making their way to the Grand Line, the “legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn”, according to a synopsis from Netflix.
Over a recent video interaction, t2 caught up with the show’s principal actors — Inaki Godoy (Monkey D. Luffy), Mackenyu (Roronoa Zoro), Emily Rudd (Nami), Jacob Romero (Usopp) and Taz Skylar (Sanji) to delve into the world of One Piece and their dynamic as co-stars.
BIGGER AND BETTER
When it dropped three years ago, fans marvelled at the sheer scale of Season 1. Now, Joe Tracz, the showrunner of One Piece, has claimed that Season 2 will be “even more of a giant season” compared to the first outing. When quizzed on the same by t2, the cast members confirmed that Season 2 would be unlike anything one has seen before. “It literally is more giant. We have a giant whale. We have two giants. We have a giant fish. We have a giant dinosaur... multiple dinosaurs, actually. So yes, it is giant in every sense,” Inaki Godoy, who plays Luffy, told t2.
Speaking alongwith Inaki, Taz Skylar, who plays Sanji, added: “We are also literally bigger. I was 25 when I was cast for the first season, I am 30 now. I think what makes this season bigger is that we were trying to achieve 50 per cent more scale in the same amount of time. The challenge was that if you have the same amount of time to shoot a fight, how do you make that fight bigger? I think it came down to effort... the amount of effort per unit of time that went into this season was exponentially larger than the first.”
Mackenyu acknowledges that the second season “definitely upped the stakes”. “Whether it was the sets, the number of cast (members), action, everything got bigger,” the actor, who plays Roronoa Zoro, told t2.
“We tackle a lot of arcs within this season. We are hitting somewhere new every two episodes, if not every episode. It is very fast-paced, very challenging for us moving into different islands, but also for our crew building all of these practical sets, breaking them down and building a new one. The season asked a lot from people, but I think we did very well with it,” was the word from Emily Rudd, who essays the part of the fierce Nami.
Jacob Romero, who brings the irrepressible Usopp alive, reveals that Season 2 allowed its makers to go deeper into investigating these characters, exploring their intricacies and laying out more lessons to learn. “The success of Season 1 has bestowed trust in our ability to bring these characters to life. To be able to return to a project and rip it open even more has been a blast,” said the actor.
ONE SEASON AGO
When asked about the kind of praise that came their way for the first outing, the team was unanimously of the opinion that the belief that Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the original manga series, showed in them to carry the One Piece legacy forward was the biggest compliment. “Oda being the one that saw these characters in us, that is the voice that I feel is loudest in our heads. His confidence in being the one that created the story and built these characters out of his imagination, for him to feel like we offer a truth in that character... that is such an important thing and gives us all the confidence to keep going and telling the story right,” said Jacob. Added Emily: “We have all had interactions with fans that have been so affirming of the work that we have done, especially as fans of the original work by Oda. To have that backup along with Oda’s blessing is massive.”
With two seasons down and another on the horizon soon, what is the dynamic between the fun bunch like off screen, we ask. Inaki, of course, had a very ‘Inaki’ answer. “I would consider myself the fun, the very handsome, smart, charismatic and magnetic person of the group. I am the jokester, the know-it-all,” the 22-year-old actor deadpanned, before bursting into laughter, in this conversation with t2.
Taz seemed to concur, a tad reluctantly. “Everybody has their own role within the group. Inaki is definitely the source of joy, silent wisdom and optimism. And often the comedy, but not in the way that he thinks!” Inaki returned the ‘compliment’ with: “Taz is one of the most hardworking people I have ever met in my life. He has this spirit of ‘let’s do something crazy in the show’. He puts in so much effort and he looks for ways in which he can be better all the time. I think he is the drive of the group in a lot of ways. I look at him and I am like: ‘Man, this guy is running, working out, doing all of these martial arts... and he is a good actor on top of all of this!’ This guy is always adding a lot to the show.”
For Emily, the camaraderie on set makes things between the Straw Hats “comfortable and fun”. “We have such a good time together. We understand each other very deeply and are able to read what the other people need around us as a cast. Yes, it is hard work, but it is just so delightful. Every day is a dream,” she said.
Taz believes that “Emily is definitely the organisational pillar to our group. Without Emily, nothing would kind of get done or get organised. Jacob is the source of calm and peace. Mackenyu is the source of conviction... there is an infectious energy that he gives to all of us.”
Cue for Mackenyu to chip in with: “I think it is the same as with the Straw Hats. They have a stronger bond. They trust each other a lot more (in Season 2) and it is the same with us too.”
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