One Piece Live Action season 2 may not have learnt from its Garp-sized season 1 mistake, and Cobra's casting shows how

Modified Aug 26, 2024 16:50 GMT

King Cobra as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei) — King Cobra as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The production of One Piece Live Action season 2 has officially commenced, and the casting for several key characters has been finalized. Among these characters is Nefertari Cobra, the ruler of the Alabasta Kingdom. This role will be portrayed by Indian-American actor Sendhil Ramamurthy, known for his performances in films and shows such as Shor in the City and Never Have I Ever.

However, casting Sendhil Ramamurthy has divided the fandom. In the original manga and anime, King Cobra is depicted as an elderly Middle Eastern character. This has led to concerns regarding faithful representation in the live-action adaptation.

Making casting decisions like this can be tricky for creators, but it is worth noting that actors often surprise audiences with their transformations for roles. Moreover, the series has been praised for successfully recreating characters for the live-action format.

A more pressing issue for fans to consider is the execution of the series, especially in light of the portrayal of Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp in the first season. How the series develops the characters and the storylines will be key to its success and how fans react to it.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

Too much focus on Nefertari Cobra could spell disaster for One Piece Live Action season 2

Garp as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

It will be crucial for the creators to carefully consider how they adapt Eiichiro Oda’s manga for One Piece Live Action season 2. If they stick to the same structure as the first season, it could lead to some unfavorable reviews. It all depends on how they use King Cobra’s character.

Although the first season is considered one of the best live-action adaptations of an anime, it is not without its flaws, and fans have been vocal about them. One major criticism from fans is regarding the parallel storyline involving Garp.

In the live-action adaptation, he was introduced much earlier than in the original series and it was also revealed that he is the protagonist Luffy's grandfather. The attention given to the character unfortunately took away from the main storyline and the overall viewing experience. To many, it seemed like an unnecessary addition.

A similar issue could arise in One Piece Live Action season 2 with the character King Cobra if there is a focus on him at this early stage. Eiichiro Oda has confirmed that the second season of the series will adapt the story from the Loguetown Arc of the East Blue Saga to the Drum Island Arc of the Alabasta Saga.

King Cobra will be seen in One Piece Live Action season 2 (Image via Toei Animation)

This means that in One Piece Live Action season 2, the Straw Hats' journey will kick off with a pretty intense encounter with the Marines at the site of Gol D. Roger's execution and come to an end at Drum Island, where the Straw Hat Pirates will spend some time with the island's doctors after Nami falls ill. However, in the manga, King Cobra only makes a brief appearance in this arc and that is in a flashback.

Given the limitations of live-action adaptations, where stories need to be tweaked and certain parts omitted, it seems like King Cobra's character could have been left out entirely from One Piece Live Action season 2.

This makes one wonder whether King Cobra will get the same treatment as Garp, with an early introduction and a parallel storyline. Such a treatment would not suit King Cobra's character, although it might be appropriate for other characters who will be introduced in the following season.

As fans of the original manga and anime already know, several of these characters will play a big part in the story right up until the Final Saga. However, all of this is still just speculation, and hopefully, none of this will turn out to be true.