The second season ofOne Piecehas wrapped filming with old and new fans of the franchise alike waiting to see where Monkey D. Luffy’s (Iñaki Godoy) journey takes him next. Based on the manga byEiichiroOda, the live-action adaptation ofOne Piecearrived in 2023 and established itself as a massive success forNetflix. Key to the show’s success on the streamer was the authenticity of its characters, and none delivered on his role quite like Japanese actor,Mackenyu, who plays Roronoa Zoro. From the iconic green hair to his unique multi-sword fighting style, Mackenyu embodied Zoro perfectly from the very beginning. So, how did that come about?
Zoro is arguably one of the most beloved anime and manga characters there is. So there was understandably some skepticism surrounding the authenticity of his adaptation. However,Netflix’sOne Pieceproperly squashed those fears, and Mackenyu has revealed the secret behind this successful portrayal. In an interview viaaugustman.com,the actor revealed that a deep respect for the original character was at the core of his mind while approaching the role. A fan ofOne Piecehimself, Mackenyu chose to bring Zoro to life with authenticity and depth, rather than reinvent or modernize him. The actor’s comments read:
“I’m a huge One Piece fan, I love Zoro. I didn’t want to change him. I wanted to be loyal to the manga, but series scripts were different. I took the time to embody what manga Zoro is like & I did my best to deliver that.”
A “Deadlier and Cooler” Zoro in ‘One Piece’ Season 2
Beyond the surface-level aesthetics, Mackenyu’s portrayal of Zoro brought on the other parts of his character, including his quiet intensity, loyalty, and dry humor, among others. In a previous interview, Mackenyu says that his goal for Zoro in Season 2 would beto make him deadlier and cooler. “The first season I was trying to find how to bring Zoro to life. That was my main goal for season one. But for season two, the goal was to make him a lot deadlier and cooler, just level this badass character up,” he said at the time.
The continuation of Netflix’sOne Pieceinto Season 2 means the introduction of new characters even as Luffy continues his quest to become theKing of the Pirates. The returning main cast will includeEmily Ruddas Nami,Jacob Romeroas Usopp, andTaz Skylar as Sanji, alongside Mackenyu and Godoy. The newbies for Season 2 includeDavid Dastmalchianas Mr. 3,Katey Sagalas Dr. Kureha,Sendhil Ramamurthyas Nefertari Cobra,Charithra Chandranas Miss Wednesday,Crocodile (Joe Manganiello), and Nico Robin (Lera Abova)aka the Devil Child, withJulia Rehwald as Tashigi, the latest addition.
The second season of Netflix’sOne Piecehas no official premiere date. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Source:augustman.com
