One Piece’s live-action adaptation is a hit for Netflix, with the Eiichiro Oda-produced series sticking close to its source material. Keeping this in mind, it wasn’t a surprise when the streaming service announced that the second season would be introducing some classic vilains into the mix. Specifically, actors Callum Kerr and Julia Rehwald are set to play the parts of Smoker and Tashigi, the two military members looking to stop the Straw Hat Pirates’ journey in the Grand Line. In a recent interview, the duo discussed what they’re looking forward to most while also debuting Smoker’s patented Billower Bike.
Surprisingly, Smoker’s Billower Bike looks as though it was ripped straight from the pages of One Piece’s manga. In talking about season two, Kerr discussed what scene he’s most looking forward to as the cigar-chomping militaryman, “I think the scene I’m looking forward to seeing the most is when the little girl spills her ice cream on my trousers. And then you look up and your buttons are all messed up. You’re like ‘reporting for duty’ and I’m like ‘you’ve got two buttons. You know what? Let’s go.” On the flip side, Julia Rehwald was anxious to see how her fight against Zoro would turn out, “My fight with Mackenyu, definitely, I’ve been training for that. I like our scene right before we leave town together where you’re trying to leave without me, but I’m like ‘I’m coming with you.’”
Smoker’s Debut
While Tashigi is a dedicated member of the military and an adept swordsman, she pales in comparison to her higher-up, Smoker in the power department. Thanks to chowing down on the Moku Moku no Mi Devil Fruit, the officer has the power to control smoke and transform into it, giving shonen fans plenty of reason to understand why he’s always smoking cigars. Smoker, ironically enough, was the big reveal in the first season’s post-credits scene, though the antagonist wasn’t cast at that time. Thanks to trailers hyping up season two, we’ve had the chance to see Kerr as the villainous character.
Unfortunately, shonen fans have yet to learn when we can expect One Piece’s second season will arrive on Netflix. The live-action adaptation will arrive next year, though the streaming service has been tight-lipped regarding when it will specifically land. At present, the upcoming episodes are confirmed to explore storylines such as Loguetown, Whiskey Peak, Reverse Mountain, and Drum Island, to name a few.
As for Smoker and Tashigi, anime fans know that the second season’s arcs are far from the only place that the military representatives will play a role. Even though it hasn’t been confirmed, Kerr and Rehwald will most likely show up in the third season of One Piece’s live-action series, as that batch of episodes will more than likely explore the legendary locale known as Alabasta.
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