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One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was Netflix’s One Piece adaptation simply because it was so much better than anyone expected. While some of the special effects were more body horror than whimsical, the cast and settings all leaned into the joyful rebellion that is at the heart of One Piece – something the English voice cast of the One Piece anime picked up on.

During their panel on the packed Main Stage at MCM London in May 2024, the One Piece English dub cast was asked what they thought of the Netflix show. It turns out, they all liked it. Chris Sabat, who has played the swordsman Zoro since 2007, had a particular appreciation for what Mackenyu brought to the character during the live-action One Piece adaptation.

“I was a little worried in the very beginning of the first episode because I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is moving real fast,’ but it really catches the groove really soon,” Sabat told the crowd. “And I love [Mackenyu], his mannerisms and his physicality as Zoro. I thought it was incredible.”

Sabat wasn’t the only one who had positive words to say about their live-action counterpart in Netflix’s One Piece. “My first thought was, ‘That Usopp is way too cool,’ and then he got scared and I went, ‘Okay, this kid’s a genius. He’s amazing,’” explained Sonny Strait, who has been voicing Usopp for nearly two decades, referring to Jacob Romero Gibson’s turn as the boisterous yet cowardly marksman in the Straw Hat’s crew. “So, I loved it.”

We were similarly impressed with a lot of the performances in Netflix’s One Piece, so it isn’t surprising that the show has gotten such a positive reception from both fans and those who have been working on the show for nearly 20 years. Now we just need to wait patiently for the second season to finally arrive.

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