And we're back! It's been a long time coming, but One Piece fans can now celebrate. After a painfully long wait, Netflix's One Piece live-action series is finally back with a brand-new season! We can now set sail again with Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat crew as their epic adventure continues.
The last time we saw our favorite pirate crew in the season 1 finale, they had defeated Arlong and liberated Nami’s hometown. They had officially cemented their bond as a crew before setting their sights on the dangerous journey to the Grand Line. Now that all eight episodes of One Piece season 2 are streaming on Netflix, we've decided to give a full breakdown of each one as well as share our thoughts. Of course, we’re starting at the very beginning with episode 1.
Major spoilers are ahead from One Piece season 2 episode 1!
The Straw Hats arrive at Loguetown
The first episode opens at a marine base in Shellstown. Marines are shown running for cover since the base is under attack by three Baroque Works agents: Mr. 5, Miss Valentine, and Miss All Sunday. Miss All Sunday makes her way inside the base and takes out more Marines with her mysterious powers. She possesses the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit, allowing her to sprout replicas of her limbs out of her enemies.
Once all the Marines are defeated, Miss All Sunday, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine make their way into a room in the base where Mr. 7's dead body is being kept. They know that if their boss, Mr. 0, finds out about this death, it won't end well for any of them. Since Roronoa Zoa is behind the killing, the assassins make it their mission to find him along with the rest of his pirate crew. They find out the Straw Hats' whereabouts from the one Marine they left alive.
The episode then cuts to the Straw Hats headed for the Grand Line aboard the Going Merry. Remember, the goal is for Luffy to find the One Piece and become King of the Pirates. But since they're low on supplies and food, the Straw Hats decide to take a quick detour to the nearest island to restock before continuing their journey. That island is Loguetown, aka the largest Marine hub in the East Blue.
Nami, Sanji, and Zoro are immediately down for taking a pit stop. Sanji wants to get more food, Nami wants to go shopping, and Zoro needs to purchase two new swords. Usopp, on the other hand, is against stopping in Loguetown because of the Marines' danger. However, he ends up being outvoted because Luffy wants to visit the island as well. Loguetown is where Gol D. Roger (Gold Roger), aka the King of the Pirates, was both born and died. Luffy wants to see where he was executed. The Straw Hats then make their way there.
The first episode then flashes back to the day of Gold Roger's execution. Monkey D. Garp visits Gold Roger in his prison cell before his execution. Gold Roger asks Garp for one huge favor. That's to find his son and take care of him. Garp doesn't give him a straight answer, but it appears that Gold Roger knows he'll do it anyway. Garp then leaves the cell, and the episode cuts back to the present time.
The Straw Hats finally arrive at Loguetown. The town is holding a festival for the 22nd anniversary of Gold Roger's execution. The Straw Hats decide to split up to get the things they need for their travels. Sanji and Luffy go look for food, Nami and Usopp head to the fashion district, and Zoro leaves to search for swords. Meanwhile, a mysterious person in a black robe watches them from a distance.
At Loguetown's port, Smoker arrives with a captured pirate. Remember, Smoker is a high-ranking Marine. He tells some lower-ranking Marines to take the pirate elsewhere and to stay on alert, as a bunch of other pirates will likely make their way to the town for the festival. Smoker then leaves to go on patrol.
Back in town, Nami and Usopp chat while browsing through the fashion district. They're unaware that a mysterious green-haired man is quietly watching them from a distance. Elsewhere, Zoro makes his way to the town's sword shop and accidentally runs into a young woman. He helps her up and then enters the shop.
The shopkeeper, Ipponmatsu, tries to buy Zoro's sword from him, but Zoro refuses to sell it. The young woman from earlier then rushes into the shop, expressing her excitement about Zoro's sword. Her name is Tashigi, and she has an extreme interest in katanas. We find out later in the episode that she's also a Marine who works directly with Smoker.
Roronoa Zoro finds a discounted sword in the shop and attempts to buy it. However, Ipponmatsu refuses to sell it at first because it's cursed. Zoro then makes a deal with him. If he throws the cursed sword into the air and it ends up chopping off his arm, then he'll believe it's cursed and drop it. But if it doesn't, then Ipponmatsu will have to sell it to him.
In the end, the sword spins through the air and misses Zoro’s arm. Ipponmatsu then gives Zoro the sword for free, along with another sword. Elsewhere in the town, Sanji and Luffy end up splitting up. Sanji goes to get food, and Luffy heads to Gold Roger's execution platform. Meanwhile, Nami encounters the mysterious green-haired man after he tries to steal from her. She tries to give him advice about thievery, but he scoffs and walks away.
Luffy walks through the town, asking the townspeople for the location of the execution platform. This is when the mysterious green-haired man appears again. We find out that his name is Bartolomeo, and he tells Luffy that he'll show him where it is. However, he has an ulterior motive for doing so. After finally arriving at the execution platform, Luffy's hat mysteriously flies off his head. He chases after it, and runs into... Buggy the Clown!
Buggy the Clown and Alvida are back
The last time we saw Buggy in the first season, Luffy and his Straw Hats defeated him and his crew. But then we saw Buggy and Alvida decide to join forces to get revenge. Remember, Luffy had also defeated Alvida and her pirate crew in the first season. Now’s the time for that long-awaited rematch, as the two pirates finally make their move to settle the score with Luffy. Alvida and Luffy have a brief fight near the execution platform that ends with Luffy in handcuffs made of seastone. She and Buggy then hold a fake trial for Luffy in a tent before they plan his execution.
Meanwhile, Smoker hears from his subordinates that pirates have been spotted at the execution platform. He and Tashigi immediately head there to investigate. Elsewhere, the rest of the Straw Hats make their way to the center of town. They’re about to return to the Going Merry when they realize Luffy is missing. As they notice crowds of people rushing toward the execution platform, they follow after them.
The Straw Hats arrive just in time as Buggy and Alvida plan Luffy's execution. Buggy leaves Alvida to take care of them while he takes Luffy to the top of the execution platform. Meanwhile, Smoker and Tashigi watch the fight from a nearby building. Tashigi now knows Zoro's true identity as a pirate.
From the top of the execution platform, Luffy yells out to his crew that he’s dead before laughing manically. Buggy then rears back with his sword, ready to slice down and execute him in front of the gathered crowd. But before he can make contact, he's struck by a sudden bolt of lightning as well as the platform. Luffy falls to the ground and reunites with his crew.
However, the happy reunion is short-lived because Smoker and other Marines arrive to arrest them. The Straw Hats then split up to make their way back to the ship. While Zoro gets into a fight with Tashigi, Luffy and Sanji run into Smoker. Nami and Usopp make their way back to the Going Merry without any problems.
Smoker ends up getting the upper hand in his battle against Luffy and Sanji. But just as he's about to land the final blow to Luffy, the mysterious man in the black robe from earlier appears and stops him. While it's unknown who the man is, we now know that the World Government is after him. He makes himself and Smoker disappear in a cloud of smoke. Luffy and Sanji then head back to the Going Merry, where they reunite with Nami, Usopp, and Zoro. They leave the island immediately.
Back in Loguetown, Miss All Sunday tries to recruit Tashigi into the Baroque Works while in the bar. She leaves just as Smoker arrives. Smoker then explains to Tashigi why he's so determined to take down pirates. Before leaving, he tells her to get some rest because the next morning they're going to hunt down the Straw Hats.
The first episode then ends with the Straw Hats finally arriving at Reverse Mountain, aka the entrance to the Grand Line.
One Piece season 2 episode 1 review
The season 2 premiere of One Piece wastes absolutely no time throwing viewers back into the world of pirates, Marines, and dangerous new enemies. From the opening attack by Baroque Works to the chaos at Loguetown, the episode moves at a fast pace while still giving each Straw Hat a memorable moment.
The fight scenes were exciting without feeling overwhelming, and it was exciting to see the return of familiar villains like Buggy and Alvida. Overall, the premiere was a thrilling start to the new season, keeping the spirit of adventure alive while promising even bigger, crazier moments to come.
One Piece season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.