Summary
The cast for the live-actionOne Pieceadaptation on Netflix has been growing steadily since its successful first season, and one new addition for the upcoming second season is really passionate about their iconic new role.
One Piecefinally found success in live action after more than a decade of dominance in the manga and anime sphere, thanks to the Netflix adaptation. With the series’ unique character designs and a main character with an ability verging on body horror, it was a herculean task adapting the visuals in a manner that would appeal to a general audience. However, the show would manage to do just that and put out a perfect cast for the first season, crossing off the first few arcs of the manga in a compressed eight-episode installment. As a result, renewing the show was a no-brainer, and thesecond season of Netflix’sOne Piecehas already finished filmingwith a third in view.
The casting has continued to look great going into the new seasons, and one that has fans pretty excited is the eagerly anticipated debut ofJoe Manganiello as Crocodile in Netflix’sOne Pieceseason two. The star seems just as excited about taking on the role, and in a recent interview withParade available on YouTube, he opens up about how much thought he’s put into his portrayal of the show’s next major villain. “You know, I am missing an arm…. And so it made me think about, ‘H ow did I lose this?'” Magnaniello explained. “Because there are things that have never been explained about the character in either the manga or the anime, and I had the opportunity to talk to Oda about my thoughts on where his scar came from, how the lost limb happened and the hook was replaced, his new choice of profession as casino owner and mob boss rather than pirate, the devil fruit.”
So, while also tipping my hat to the existing fan base and paying respect to the 1300+ episodes of the cartoon that Japanese fans and fans around the world love. So, I am paying my respects to them through my performance also. It has been a blast. It’s been a blast.
It’s clear from these comments that Manganiello is acutely aware of the gravity of the role given to him, and that’s a great thing.Crocodile remains one of the series’ best antagonistsand characters despite his manga debut coming over 25 real-world years ago in a story arc more than a thousand chapters behind the current events. In that time, the character has managed to survive the series’ deadliest confrontations, amass even greater wealth, infamy, and combat prowess, and ally himself with Dracule Mihawk, one of the few characters arguably as cool as he is. Having a star who understands how much fans adore him, even beyond the characterization that he receives in the arc that’s going to play out over the next two seasons, will give the best possible performance.
While both original showrunners have now departed the project for personal reasons, Manganiello’s attitude is just the sort of mindset that allowedOne Pieceto break the live-action anime adaptation cursein the first place. All the stars on the show seem to really take their roles seriously and have been doubly excited about the upcoming second season, so fans are sure to be in for more of the same great work that made the first installment such a hit with new and veteran viewers alike.
Netflix’s Live-ActionOne Pieceis available to stream on Netflix, with Season 2 set for a late 2025 release.
