One Piece may well be the best live-action anime adaptation around, but there is one way that Zoro could be improved. Played by the Japanese musician and actor Mackenyu, Roronoa Zoro will be one of the most important One Piece season 2 characters after commanding the screen in season 1. As one of the core Straw Hat Pirates, Zoro’s significance to the live-action Netflix show simply can’t be underestimated. That’s why season 2 should lean into one big Zoro improvement that could even make the live-action show beat the anime.
By the One Piece season 1 ending, it was abundantly clear that this was no ordinary live-action anime adaptation. Most live-action versions of anime have been subpar at best and abysmal at worst, but Netflix pulled a winner out of its hat. The writer of the manga, Eiichiro Oda, was at the helm of the live-action show, which most likely had a lot to do with its brilliance. That’s why it’s slightly surprising that the live-action show took the character of Roronoa Zoro in the direction it did. There is one important way in which season 2 should turn this around.
One Piece Season 1’s Zoro Was A Little Too Serious Compared To The Source Material
Zoro Is Hilarious In The One Piece Anime
Roronoa Zoro is hilarious in the One Piece manga and anime, but the Netflix show isn’t exhibiting this as fully as it could. Zoro has almost come off feeling like one of the biggest differences between the One Piece manga and the live-action show, bearing in mind his lack of humor in the Netflix show. The cast’s diversity is a large part of what makes the show work so well and appeal to such a broad demographic. However, considering the diversity of the cast, Mackenyu is a great actor for Zoro, representing the story’s Japanese origins, which is incredibly important.
Zoro could be made funnier, and his moments of humor could be made more obvious in the live-action show.
The world of One Piece is wide, wonderful, and bizarre, so characters could be forgiven for getting lost. But Zoro getting lost on a straight path during the Davy Beck fight in the anime was probably his worst and most hilarious demonstration of a terrible sense of direction. This sense of direction was represented subtly as Zoro got lost on his way to Kaya’s mansion in season 1, episode 4, “The Pirates are Coming.” This worked, but Zoro could be made funnier and his moments of humor could be made more obvious in the live-action show, by and large.
Zoro Taking Himself Too Seriously Is Often Used For Humor In The One Piece Manga
The One Piece Manga Mocks Zoro Lovingly
The Netflix live-action show takes Roronoa Zoro a bit too seriously, in general, while the manga and anime character was mocked for being so serious. The narrative of the manga and anime frequently made Zoro the ʙuтт of a joke about taking oneself too seriously. While hilarious, Zoro getting lost on the way to Kaya’s mansion felt like one of the live-action One Piece anime or manga Easter eggs in the show, when it could have felt like a running gag the whole time. This would have made the show more rewarding for long-term fans and more amusing for new ones.
Zoro getting hilariously stuck in the chimney in Water 7 and strangling Chopper in the aftermath must be one of Zoro’s highlights.
The Zoro humor in “The Pirates are Coming” is just one example of how funny Zoro could be in live-action if his comedic character elements were just baked into the script a little more. One Piece is probably the best of Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations, even despite this minor flaw. Zoro getting hilariously stuck in the chimney in Water 7 and strangling Chopper in the aftermath must be one of Zoro’s highlights, and the live-action would benefit greatly from including more little moments like this. Zoro could be comedy gold that the show needs.
I Hope One Piece Season 2 Embraces How Silly Zoro Can Be
One Piece Season 2 Will Have Lots Of Character Development To Do
One Piece season 2 must bring out Roronoa Zoro’s comedy moments, so that it can grow beyond the exposition of season 1. There is a great anime moment involving Zoro bursting into laughter at Pica, who is supposed to be terrifying, that should be recreated in the live-action. This proves that Zoro isn’t just someone who takes himself far too seriously much of the time. After all, he has a tough past, like most of the Straw Hat Pirates. Therefore, Zoro’s seriousness is a valuable and moving part of who he is. Mackenyu nails this in the live-action.
Zoro laughing at Pica’s voice brings out that Zoro is capable of laughing at others, and even sometimes himself. This is important in Zoro’s character development, which must remain strong throughout the live-action show. If there’s anything that the epically long-running One Piece manga is brilliant at, it is character development. As Zoro laughs at Pica, One Piece’s seven warlords can also start to be explored more, ensuring strong alignment with the manga and anime, and some of the series’ best storylines. The Donquixote Pirates present numerous opportunities for Zoro humor and much more.
In the U.S., the One Piece anime can be watched on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
However, it is important to remember that the Netflix show does bear some key differences from the manga and anime, and that some of those are for very good reasons. Zoro was introduced in the live-action show differently from how he entered the manga or anime, showing off his fighting skills before he met Helmeppo. Onboarding a diverse new audience involved setting Zoro up as a bit more of a mystery and a violent force of nature. The One Piece live-action had to soften the character up before it could make him hilarious, but it should make him funnier in season 2.
