Netflix is hours away from dropping season 2 of ‘perfect emotional rollercoaster’ TV show

One Piece fans have just a few more hours to wait until the highly anticipated second season finally drops on Netflix.

Two years ago, Matt Owens and Steven Maeda’s adaptation of the 1997 manga series by Eiichiro Oda was released on the streaming platform.

For the uninitiated, the series follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as they pursue their individual goals together and seek the ‘One Piece’, a legendary treasure found and hidden by the former King of the Pirates, Gold Roger.

The first season – which ran for eight episodes – was hailed by several critics as one of the best live-action manga/anime adaptations of all time.

As Empire detailed in its review: ‘It’s the fun, quirky adaptation that One Piece fans and newbies alike deserve.’

Meanwhile Mashable declared: ‘Whether you’re a diehard One Piece fan or a novice like myself, you’ll find something to love here. Heck, you may even start to have more faith in live-action anime and manga adaptations.’

‘Given everything stacked against it, it’s pretty impressive how much Netflix’s version fits into such a short season, and it’ll be a relief for novices and die-hard fans alike that the end result is an enjoyable ​summer binge-watch,’ The Wrap added.

Fans also praised the series, which they admitted they’d held extremely high expectations for.

‘I have to admit I was sceptical at first, not believing that an anime adaptation could be brought to life successfully. It’s an emotional rollercoaster. Extremely well made!’ user GP posted on Rotten Tomatoes.

Following its release, the first season of One Piece became the most-watched Netflix show during the second half of 2023.

Just two weeks after it hit screens, the series was also renewed for a second season, which will be released overnight. The new episodes are set to drop on Netflix for UK viewers at midnight.

According to Tudum, the Straw Hats will face their ‘fiercer adversaries and the most perilous quests yet’.

As teased in the official synopsis: ‘Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line – a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world’s greatest treasure, they’ll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies.’

The first season starred Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skylar as the Straw Hat Pirates.

This time around there is a string of new characters, including Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper, Rigo Sanchez as Dragon, Yonda Thomas as Igaram, Callum Kerr as Smoker, Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday, and Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0.

When the trailer for season 2 was released a few weeks ago, many fans said they ‘couldn’t wait’ to tune in. ‘When a trailer makes you smile all the way through. you know that it has delivered something very special, we cannot wait,’ @DeanWindow-yo4vc commented on YouTube.

‘I cannot believe how much they invested into the CGI here. They are not scared to get fantastical. I love it,’ @nandatou shared.

‘To the Netflix Execs: I’m willing to pay an absurd amount of money for this series. Keep it on, keep it good,’ @cameronedy3364 added.

The One Piece manga was introduced in 1997 and currently has over 600 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it the best-selling manga series ever and the best-selling comic series in volume format.

The Netflix series has also already been renewed for a third season.

One Piece is streaming on Netflix.

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