Warning: Spoilers ahead for One Piece’s Arabasta Saga, which the Netflix show will cover next.
One Pieceseason 2 will feature a lot of new faces, but I’m starting to think one of my favorite characters won’t be included. In an open letter to fans of the show,One Piececreator Eiichiro Odaoffered major updates on the upcoming second season and revealed which arcs will be covered. Unlike the first season, which covered all of East Blue in eight episodes,One Pieceseason 2won’t get through all of the Arabasta Saga. The announcement was quite surprising considering just how many arcsOne Piecelive-action has yet to get through.
WhileOne Pieceseason 1 cut a few characters, locations, and events from the story, it did a good job of covering the first 60 or so episodes of the anime within eight-hour-long live-action episodes. Covering Arabasta would always going to be a trickier challenge, though. Whereas the East Blue saga consists of 100 manga chapters, Arabasta has 117. Not only isOne Piece’s next saga longer, but it also introduces a lot of new characters and concepts that will continue to be important on the show. This includes Portgas D. Ace, Luffy’s older brother.
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If One Piece Season 2 Isn’t Covering Arabasta, It Probably Won’t Include Ace
Ace Debuts Right As The Straw Hats Are About To Go To Arabasta
Ace first appeared inOne Piecechapter #154, or episode 91in the anime. Titled “To Arabasta,” this chapter saw the Straw Hat pirates leaving Drum Island as they prepared to go to the Kingdom of Arabasta. This is when learn from Dr. Kureha that the “D.” in Monkey D. Luffy’s name is more important than we think and ties into something called “Will of the D.” It is also when we discover that Gold Roger was actually called Gol D. Roger. Kureha was looking at Luffy’s bounty poster, which was given to a local by a man named Ace.
45 and 48-53
61-63
64-67
70-77
Drum Island
78-91
Ace asked those at Drum Island that, if they ever saw that pirate in the post again, they should tell Luffy that Ace would be waiting for him in Arabasta. Ace then plays a small but important role during the Arabasta arc. However, given thatOne Pieceseason 2 will only go from Loguetown to Drum Island, Ace might not appear at all. Even if he does briefly appear at the end of the Drum Island arc,Luffy’s brother would only interact with the other characters in a potential season 3.
Saving Ace Until One Piece Season 3 Is A Risky Strategy
One Piece Season 2 Might Be Less Interesting Than It Could Be
Ace is one of the most popular and belovedOne Piececharacterswho have yet to make his live-action debut. Although Ace is not a recurrent presence in the anime like some of the other characters who will be introduced in the season – namely Robin and Chopper – his live-action debut has been highly anticipated.One Pieceseason 1 got Luffy and the others right, meaning there is no reason to believe live-action Ace won’t be just as good. Still,saving Ace’s debut for season 3 is a risky strategy that ties into a larger problem faced by the Netflix show.
Ace’s live-action debut could be the biggest selling point of season 3.
By not covering Arabasta in season 2,One Pieceis saving the best, most important part of this portion of the story for a third season that has yet to be officially confirmed.Even thoughOne Pieceseason 3 seems likely, it may take a while before it premiers given how long season 2 is taking. The journey from Reverse Mountain to Drum Island is fun and sees the introduction of some beloved characters, but it all culminates in Arabasta. That said, Ace’s live-action debut could be the biggest selling point of season 3.
One Piece Season 2 Could Include Ace In A Final Post-Credits Scene
Ace Could Be The Sequel Hook For Season 3
Ace’s debut in the anime very much plays like a “sequel hook” teasing what is to come. The character announces he plans to meet Luffy at Arabasta, which would be the perfect way to end season 2.One Piececould also save Ace’s first appearance for a post-credits scene, similar to how Smoker was teased in season 1. However, the Netflix show may prefer to save its post-credits scene for a different character entirely — Crocodile, leader ofthe Baroque Works, who should be the main villain of season 3.
One Pieceseason 2 doesn’t have a release date yet.
Regardless if at the end of the final episode or in a post-credits scene, the fact is thatOne Pieceseason 2 should include Ace or at least tease his arrival. If that happens, it would be interesting if Netflix did not announce who is playing Luffy’s brother in live-action until the release of the second season. Assuming that Vivi, Chopper, and Robin will steal the show in season 2,One Pieceseason 3 could be Ace’s time to shine, even if briefly.
One Piece
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One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
