One Piece Season 2: Spoiler Rant

*Hey! This is a follow-up to my first review of the season, so you should probably read that first! Link here.*

My original plan was just to rant about the spoilers. But as this post gradually spiraled out of control (as most of my writing does), it transformed into a sort of sequel to my actual review. Largely because I committed a grave sin that must be amended.

I never talked about the music.

Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli have done an incredible job of giving this version of ‘One Piece’ a distinct musical identity. Just about every track is an absolute banger. At the same time, they work in tunes from the anime in subtle, even hilarious, ways; using ‘Believe’ as a hold tone while Sanji fights for his life had me in stitches.

They also collaborated with tons of other musical talent. Leo P brings his saxophone talents to ‘Whiskey Peak Saloon’, and it is stunning! ‘Pray To The Sun’ is an anthem for Nika, adding a great bit of foreshadowing that wasn’t in the manga; it gets my blood pumping every time, especially with the Mongolian throat singing. That one was brought to us by Declan de Barra and The HU. Finally, we have Chopper’s theme, ‘Am I Enough’, an enchanting melody sung by Au/Ra. These three stand as the highlights in an already astonishing OST.

Okay, let’s get into spoilers now. Starting with a quick pit stop before the Grand Line: Loguetown! My god, what an incredible start to the season!

Adding Bartolomeo into the story here was an absolutely inspired choice. Nahum Hughes gives a great performance as this harmless wannabe thief. It’s fun to see what he was like before becoming the world’s #1 Straw Hat fanboy. Him actually getting to hang out with Luffy and be inspired by him directly is a very nice touch.

I couldn’t be happier with how they handled Smoker and Tashigi. These two walked straight out of the manga, goofy quirks and all. They actually had Callum Kerr put two cigars in his mouth at once; maybe that’s why his voice is so deep and powerful. I’m honestly amazed at how well Smoker translated to live action; his fight with Luffy has some of the most impressive visual effects in the whole season!

Julia Rehwald delivers a very cute and likable performance as Tashigi. Her chemistry with Mackenyu’s Zoro is a lot of fun to watch. They also give her a new connection with Robin and Baroque Works; unfortunately, this hasn’t been paid off yet, so I can’t say whether it works at this point. We’ll have to wait for season three to see how those dice fall. At least this Tashigi actually gets to, you know, do stuff.

A performance that took me by surprise was James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu. In the manga, Matsu isn’t the most memorable character; he’s the guy who gives Zoro his swords, and that’s about it. But James’ performance goes a long way in making his limited role more impactful.

But the coolest of them all has to be Rigo Sanchez as Dragon. My god, this man’s voice sends shivers down my spine! All of his lines are ripped straight out of the manga, and it works surprisingly well. On top of all that, he just looks really cool! Live action Dragon has some serious aura! We even get a quick Sabo cameo!

Now, into the Grand Line! It’s time to talk about our favorite whale and crotchety doctor!

I absolutely love how this version handled Laboon. Adding a flashback of Brook and the Rumbar Pirates is a perfect choice. Martial Batchamen is an absolute joy as Brook; he’s so damn charming, his singing voice is gorgeous, and his laugh is perfect. More than that, it’s a strong setup for the climax. Luffy singing Binks’ Brew to Laboon almost had me in tears; he even does the Nika dance! Plus, making the whale’s stomach a perilous death trap for the other Straw Hats is an exciting set piece, and leads to some very strong character beats for the whole crew. Honestly, I prefer this to the original manga! Although I do miss the original Crocus gag.

Speaking of: Clive Russel does a great job playing the character. His chemistry with Iñaki is a delight to watch. The old tired cynic, stuck in a room with the young and energetic dreamer. The lighthouse set is also incredible, packed full of so many fun details and references you might miss if you’re not paying attention.

Our voyage carries on towards Whiskey Peak. This is definitely Zoro’s high point in the season. Having Mihawk haunt him, taunting him, is a fantastic creative choice. It’s a clever way of showcasing the pressure Zoro is feeling, his fear that he won’t be strong enough to protect the crew. Ten out of ten, no notes.

This is thanks in large part to Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9. He essentially takes the role of a video game boss, taunting Zoro as he sends waves of minions at him. It’s a ton of fun; this guy plays the arrogant snob incredibly well. Watching his composure slowly crumble as Zoro slowly climbs towards him is just so damn satisfying!

I do have complaints about how they wrote Sanji and Usopp in this section. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sanji getting duped by the two girls; him being so horny it makes him stupid is well within character. And him inviting Usopp along is a wholesome beat. What’s not in character is Usopp accepting. The live action version focused a lot on his romance with Kaya; I just don’t think Captain Usopp, the most ride-or-die man on the seas, would cheat on his girlfriend like that. Nor do I think Sanji would try to make him.

Actually, now that I think about it, Sanji probably doesn’t even know about Kaya. Or at least, he didn’t believe Usopp when he told him about her. That would have been a fun conversation.

Returning to a positive note: let’s talk about Igaram. This is a great portrayal of the character. Yonda Thomas delivers an incredibly charming and likable performance. His death is suitably dramatic; Vivi’s reaction, and Nami rushing to comfort her, is one of the strongest emotional beats of the season. I just hope it’s not a fake-out like it was in the manga.

His death is brought about by Jazzara Jaslyn‘s Miss Valentine and Camrus Johnson‘s Mr. 5. These two make such a fun villain duo. They perfectly balance comedic shenanigans with genuine menace. Johnson’s performance is so cool you almost forget his character fights with his boogers.

Our next stop on the journey is the prehistoric island: Little Garden! For the most part, this section is pretty accurate to the manga. The largest difference being the characterization of Mr. 3 and Ms. Goldenweek. They’re both much creepier than the manga and anime. Personally, I think this change worked pretty well. Especially for Ms. Goldenweek; it makes her a much more memorable villain. Sophia Anne Caruso plays the creepy child extremely well.

I was genuinely astonished to see David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3. He’s one of my favorite actors, and he does an amazing job with this character. You can tell he was having a blast with this part; he is a joy to watch. They even made his wax house with practical effects.

Speaking of special effects: oh my god, they actually did the Unluckies! And they look great! Sanji’s battle against them in the wax house is a ton of fun; it had me giggling like a school girl my first time watching it.

Of course, I have to talk about the giants. Brendan Sean Murray is an incredible pick for Brogy; his energy is infectious in every single scene. Opposite of the Red Ogre is the Blue, Dorry, played by Werner Coester. Their friendship and rivalry is hilarious; they even have their goofy laughs from the manga. The green screen effect can be obvious in some shots, but more often, it looks incredible. They even did the Hakoku Sovereignty!

The writers also took this chance to sneak in some foreshadowing not present in the manga. Both the giants worship Nika among the other gods, dueling in their honor. Brogy has a carved statue resembling Elbaph’s depiction of the Sun God, and Dorry actually says Nika’s name before the duel! It’s little additions like this that make me love this version of ‘One Piece’ so much.

While I have my complaints with Usopp on Whiskey Peak, I have none whatsoever with his role on Little Garden. He’s the real MVP of this section. His chemistry with Brogy is so wholesome; it’s a cute teacher-apprentice dynamic. This whole section is the perfect showcase for Usopp’s character, and I loved every second of it.

The last stop on our voyage brings us to the snowy mountains of Drum Kingdom. This was the highest point in the whole season for me. Sadly, a lot of the whimsy from the manga has been cut out for the sake of time and the special effects budget; no hiking bear or Lapahns, aside from one mounted head in the inn. A necessary sacrifice, I understand. But a tragic one nonetheless.

Most of the changes are for the better. Zoro’s role is significantly better here than in the manga; rather than getting lost in the snow, he becomes Dalton’s right-hand man in protecting the village. We also get a nice bit of conflict between him and Usopp, as the pressure of Nami’s illness gets to them both. It’s a great subplot with a very funny and wholesome ending.

Vivi’s character shines the brightest on this island. Unlike the manga, she actually gets to confront Wapol, giving her a chance to show her quality as a leader. We even get a flashback to a Reverie, giving us a glimpse at her father, Nefertari Cobra, played by Sendhil Ramamurthy. She even gets to take part in the final battle, which is a great touch.

(As an aside: Aroop Shergill does a great job as young Vivi in that flashback.)

Now then, let’s talk about Wapol. I’m honestly amazed at how well he translated to live action. He’s significantly more menacing than he was in the manga. Rob Colletti does a fantastic job as the spoiled dictator. The costume and effects team did an amazing job of making his bizarre Munch-Munch powers actually cool and threatening. He makes a great final boss for this season. Although I don’t like him working for Baroque Works; it makes the world feel smaller, and it doesn’t even make sense. Why the hell would the ultra-secretive and careful Crocodile entrust any knowledge of his organization to the man who literally has the biggest mouth in the world?

Another stand-out performance this season comes from Ty Keogh as Dalton. I love this version of the character. You can feel the weight of his despair in just about every scene. His exchange with Hiriluk is beautiful; he is all but begging the old quack to give him something, anything, to hold onto hope. My one complaint is his Devil Fruit; this is where the special effects really start to get rough.

Finally, we have Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha. Ten out of ten casting choice, no notes. She does a remarkable job of balancing the kindly healer with the stone-cold witch. There’s so much subtlety in her expressions and voice cadence. Even when she’s shouting and being utterly heartless, you can tell that the character really does care.

With that, the season comes to an end. But not before we get a little teaser for Alabasta. Starring one of my favorite villains in the whole series: Sir Crocodile, AKA Mr. 0, played by Joe Manganiello. You might recognize him as Flash Thompson from the original Spider-Man film; man has come a long way from shoving Peter Parker in a locker. We only get two scenes with him in the whole season, and you can’t even see his face in the first one. Even so, his presence has all the menace and gravity a great villain needs. I cannot wait to see more of him in Alabasta.

I’m still astonished at how good season two of ‘One Piece’ is. The first season felt like lightning in a bottle. Then they went and caught a second bolt, this one even grander than the first! Let’s hope they can keep this momentum going in season three!