One Piece season 2 has wrapped filming and will be out some time in 2025, Netflix has confirmed, but after this, it’s going to lose a key piece of its puzzle, its co-showrunner.
One Piece co-showrunner Matt Owens has said that he’s stepping away from the show after season 2, after it’s taken up more than half a decade of his life and it’s time for a break for at least some amount of time. Here’s what he said about it:
“The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream come true. It’s also been A LOT. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health.”
“Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work. For now I’m gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await. Thanks to everyone who has supported me. See you real soon!”
I don’t have any idea how people run shows at all, much less one as ambitious as a live-action One Piece, one of the most storied anime properties of all time, but Owen clearly has done a great job. Taking a break for his mental health is totally understandable and should be applauded, as no show is worth that kind of cost if you need a breather. Hopefully he can maybe regroup and come back later, as he does seem to indicate, but if he wants to move on, so be it.
Netflix is wholly on board with this and posted a message in support on Instagram, reposting his story. “You set us on a course for something truly special,” they said.
As said, Owens has been co-showrunner. After season 1, his old co-showrunner Steven Maeda left to become an executive producer (the two had developed the show together) and Joe Tracz stepped in for season 2. Now, it appears Tracz will be the sole showrunner for season 3 (which has not been confirmed by Netflix, but seems more than likely to happen).
While it’s disappointing Owens is leaving, given what a great job he did, it’s totally understandable to want a break. Maybe you’ll run into him in a Marvel Rivals match.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
