One Piece is one of the longest-running and most successful manga series (and anime series) of all time; the first issue came out in 1997, and only now is creator Eiichiro Oda talking about wrapping the series up, probably sometime next year.
Next year is also when we'll see the second season of Netflix's live-action One Piece TV show, which stars Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy as the irrepressibly enthusiastic Monkey D. Luffy, who has his sights set on finding a legendary treasure called the One Piece and becoming King of the Pirates. Remaking a beloved animated series in live-action is always a dangerous prospect, but the Netflix show really managed to capture the spirit of the original, with Godoy's performance being a big part of the reason it worked so well.
Earlier this week, the cast and crew of One Piece wrapped on season 2, which will likely be out late in 2025. To celebrate, Iñaki Godoy sat down with Eiichiro Oda. Impressively, Godoy conducted the entire interview in Japanese, a language he'd only started learning in December. Godoy also speaks Spanish, so apparently he's just a natural polyglot.
Watching this, it becomes more and more clear how perfect Godoy is for the role of Monkey D. Luffy. Monkey is the most cartoonish of manga protagonists, a boundlessly energetic kid who never lets anything get him down. Oda describes him like this: “Luffy is an ideal child for me. When you become an adult and join a company, you can’t always do what you want. Entering society often means losing freedom. Luffy has a child’s heart, so he does whatever he wants. That aspect is probably, for adults already toiling in society, and to children about to enter society, what makes Luffy so appealing.”
Godoy has a twinkle in his eye that makes him perfectly suited for the role; he makes Oda laugh several times throughout the interview. “I got to see some actual filming, and especially the props, massive sets, special effects, the making of the wigs and costumes, the stunts,” the One Piece creator said of his visit to the season 2 set in Cape Town, South Africa. ”I saw so many things and was truly touched by everyone’s dedication.”
As for what's next for Monkey D. Luffy and company, they're heading to the Grand Line, a dangerous stretch of ocean where they'll face lots of new challenges. “In that universe, the Grand Line is the harshest of the seas," Oda said. "We need to shock audiences. That’s why there are giants, and, of course, lots of bounty hunters...This needs to be a season full of new, surprising elements. That’s why it’s more challenging.”
I came into One Piece never having read the manga or seen the anime but enjoyed the live-action series more than I thought I would. I'm looking forward to the second season, particularly if Godoy brings more of that infectious energy to the screen.
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