How Netflix’s One Piece series has a major casting issue for future Seasons 

Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece, while being praised for adapting a manga into live-action and breathing life into animated characters, has undergone significant developments that will influence its casting in future seasons. The cast list of the show features Lera Abova stars as Nico Robin, Joe Manganiello as Mr. O(Crocodile), Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha, and Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiruluk, among others.

The series might face some problems with its progression. It will be difficult to maintain consistency in casting, especially with characters ageing naturally over extended production periods. Read on to explore in detail.

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One Piece needs to be careful about the age of its characters in future seasons

The show spans many seasons and adapts Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga and anime series titled the same into a live-action format. Season 1 debuted in August 2023, while season 2 is scheduled to be released in 2026, per IMDb. One Piece follows the journey of Monkey D. Luffy, a young and adventurous boy who dreams of becoming the King of the Pirates. For this, he needs to find a treasure located at the end of the Grand Line, a dangerous and mysterious stretch of ocean.

With Season Two under production and released almost 3 years after its previous season, the difficulties in matching the appropriate ages of the characters have become a matter of concern. This was the problem with many popular series like Stranger Things, Harry Potter, and other long-running franchises. To be true to the age of the character adapted and also deliver the seasons within a limited period is indeed a challenge, even for the makers of One Piece.

The main cast of characters is in their early 20s to early 30s, but the long timeline of the show and the growing nature of the story might lead to the issue of actors ageing noticeably while their characters need to remain at the same age for consistency.

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One Piece can resolve the problem by visibly aging the characters as the series progresses

The series features significant time skips in the original story, and this can help ensure that the ageing of the cast could potentially align with the ageing of their characters. One of the core themes of One Piece is the strong bond between Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. Over time, these bonds deepen as they face various challenges and adventures together. Therefore, if the series ages the characters, it would only look organic and complement the story.

Luffy’s final goal is to become the Pirate King. By the time the series reaches seasons 6, 12, or beyond, Luffy could easily be seen as a pirate who has spent decades on his journey, and this would mirror the idea that Shanks, Kaido, and other experienced pirates also had years to get to their current positions.

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The filming of season 2 is complete, and season 3 is also in the works, according to reports.