Is Netflix's One Piece season 2 teasing a big difference from the anime and manga?

The live-action adaptation of the beloved manga and anime franchise brings some bold choices to its second season The second season of Netflix’s successful live-action adaptation of the best-selling manga in history, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, is finally here. After shocking fans and critics by producing the first great live-action version of a manga or anime (truth be told, the Japanese Death Note movie wasn’t that bad, but everybody remembers Dragon Ball Evolution), showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda still have a lot to prove with season 2. One of the biggest challenges for Netflix’s One Piece is to carve out its spot in a franchise that’s been going on for close to 30 years. One Piece fans are familiar with the saga and its story beats, so any creative liberty taken by Owens and Maeda comes under scrutiny. On the other hand, a big slice of the show’s audience is made up of viewers who are not familiar with the manga or anime. Torn between catering to the existing fanbase and carving its own path, Netflix’s One Piece could have ended up in a weird spot, but season 2 suggests the show has already chosen a side. [Ed. Note: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s One Piece season 2 and for