Adapting anime-only filler might seem like an odd thing for Netflix's One Piece season 2 to do, but one scene deserves to be included in live-action. The bane of many an anime fan's existence, filler is the catch-all term used when a series based on a manga adds new scenes that were not present in the source material. This can take the form of a select few subtle inclusions, or can involve entirely new storylines stretching across dozens of episodes.

Compared to other long-running anime series like Naruto and Bleach, One Piece season 2's Loguetown arc would benefit hugely if it makes time for a poignant scene that was created especially for the anime.

One Piece Season 2 Should Include The Loguetown Bar Scene From The Anime

Because Sometimes Filler Just Works

Raoul looking grumpy in the One Piece anime.

The big beats of One Piece's Loguetown arc include Smoker's arrival, Zoro buying new swords, Luffy almost getting executed by Buggy's alliance of One Piece villains, and the spine-chilling debut of Luffy's father, Monkey D. Dragon. Audiences can reasonably expect all of these moments to feature in Netflix's live-action One Piece when season 2 airs. As well as those iconic scenes, however, One Piece's anime embellished the manga's Loguetown arc in several places, and most notably with the original character Raoul.

Raoul carries a special significance, despite not being officially canon.

A bartender by trade, Raoul is old enough to recall the original Pirate King, Gold Roger, drinking in his establishment years prior. Upon meeting Luffy, Raoul is visibly shaken by the youngster's resolve and similarities to Roger, and the two characters share a touching exchange. After closing his bar, Raoul shows genuine faith in Luffy's ambitious quest, validating the protagonist's voyage onto the Grand Line.

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Other characters in One Piece have compared Luffy to Roger, but Raoul carries a special significance, despite not being officially canon. Loguetown not only represents the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, but also marks the starting point for the Grand Line and the route towards the One Piece itself. When one of the few people in Loguetown old enough to Roger draws a comparison between the Pirate King and Monkey D. Luffy, that means something, and begins the next chapter of One Piece on an emotive and powerful note to foreshadow Luffy's future and further Roger parallels to come.

Netflix’s One Piece Has Already Acknowledged How Similar Luffy Is To Gold Roger

The Luffy-Roger Comparison Is A Central Tenet Of One Piece

Raoul is, in fairness, not the first One Piece character to notice similarities between Luffy and Gold Roger - even within Netflix's live-action adaptation. In One Piece season 1 alone, both Red-Leg Zeff and Monkey D. Garp made the same connection. Red-Leg Zeff expressed his firm belief that Luffy possessed the spirit and determination to take Roger's place as Pirate King, whereas Garp noted how Luffy and Roger would laugh in the same hearty and carefree way.

Raoul, however, is unique enough to warrant inclusion in One Piece season 2's Loguetown sequences. As Sanji's mentor and Luffy's grandfather, respectively, both Zeff and Garp possess a vested interest in Luffy's success, even if Garp would rather that success came as a marine, not a pirate. Raoul carries no ties to Luffy or the Straw Hat Pirates, no skin in the game whatsoever - just a vague memory of the great Gold Roger. For that reason, Raoul taking Luffy's Pirate King claim seriously, and in Loguetown of all places, says something about the two pirates that One Piece season 1 did not.

One Piece’s Loguetown Episodes Could Give Us Some Important Gold Roger Flashbacks

The More Roger, The Better

Gold Roger pointing his sword alongside his crew in One Piece.

The other benefit of One Piece season 2 adapting Loguetown's bar sequence with Raoul is the opportunity for flashbacks starring Gold Roger himself. Emulating the anime and manga, One Piece season 1 showed only brief glimpses of Roger, usually midway through being executed. Delving into Raoul's memories would offer a rare chance for a Roger flashback where the Pirate King is in his prime years.

Raoul and his bar offer the perfect compromise.

As One Piece's story progresses, Roger's role in history becomes increasingly more relevant, making the character not just the man who kick-started Luffy's adventure, but a crucial through-line for the entire series. Showing slightly more of Roger in One Piece season 2 would help to keep him involved in the narrative, and rather than reusing season 1's footage of Roger's body and head about to part ways, Luffy visiting Raoul's bar can facilitate brand-new Roger flashbacks.

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It's far too early to show Gold Roger in full swing, fighting enemies and sailing the seas (although live-action One Piece could get there eventually). Raoul and his bar offer the perfect compromise by revealing a younger Roger, while still saving the reveal of his abilities and introductions to crew for a future episode.

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One Piece (Live-Action)
Release Date
August 31, 2023
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Matt Owens
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Iñaki Godoy
    Monkey D. Luffy
  • Headshot Of Emily Rudd
    Emily Rudd
    Nami

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

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.

Story By
Eiichiro Oda