One Piece season 2 was confirmed mere weeks after the Netflix adaptation began, with the story set to cover everything from the Loguetown Arc to the Drum Island Arc of the manga. This has included the addition of multiple new cast who will be portraying familiar characters from these parts of the source material. It also means new sets that will be familiar to longtime readers and viewers of the manga and anime.

Now, One Piece has posted a message from Oda himself, praising season 2 and hyping it up as even better than season 1. The creator explains how he was heavily involved in choosing the new cast , and believes they are all perfect for their roles after meeting them. Included are behind-the-scenes images of him on-set, teasing new characters, locations, and plenty of excitement for what's to come. Check out what Oda had to say, alongside new images of the production, below:

I went to South Africa!!

Cape Town is where the Netflix live-action show is being filmed!! I got to see firsthand the hard work of so many crew across various fields!! The sets? Huge! The attention to detail? Insane! The crew's love for the project? Off the chats!! And the food? Amazing!! Now I feel an even greater sense of responsibility given my role. I also managed to speak with not only the returning cast from season 1 but also each of the new cast . My own casting selections were made from Japan over photos and videos, but seeing them all in person convinced me:

"They were absolutely the perfect choice!!!"

The vibe on set was just the best, too! Trust me, this is going to sur season 1! Stay tuned for season 2!

What Oda's Praise For One Piece Live-Action Means For Season 2

Events Are About To Get Bigger & Better

The cast of One Piece season 2 includes plenty of important characters set to be introduced, including Smoker (Callum Kerr), Nefertari Vivi (Charithra Chandran), Crocodile (Joe Manganiello), and Nico Robin (Lera Abova). Oda's statement indicates he had an important say in their casting, emphasizing his involvement in ensuring the series lives up to the vision of the manga. As season 2's production continues, it's clear he's hopeful the series can reach even greater heights as the Arabasta Saga begins.

One Piece season 1 ended with some important confrontations for the Straw Hat Pirates, including Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) defeating Arlong (McKinley Belcher III), destroying his Tower in the process. However, the crew isn't headed for the Grand Line just yet, with a stop in Loguetown necessitating the introduction of new characters, furthering the events of the show and what to expect. While each season isn't adapting a full Saga of the manga, Oda's vision is still being adhered to, as the series continues to maintain faithfulness to its source material.

Our Take On Oda's Excitement For One Piece Season 2

The New Cast Will Bring The Show's Next Chapter To Life

Given how excited Oda is for the next chapter of the adaptation, it's clear the cast chosen for the characters will embody the personality of their source material counterparts. This means One Piece season 2 could be even better than season 1, as the world widens and the Grand Line finally starts to get explored. With plenty of wild events on the way and new characters to get introduced, the creator's praise is a great sign for the Netflix series' future.

With One Piece season 2 still in production, there is no release date yet for the episodes.

Source: One Piece/Twitter