Netflix’s live-action One Piece will introduce a key character in the show’s second season — one that won’t quite be live action.
The series based on the long-running manga will have Tony Tony Chopper join the Straw Hat Pirates in season two. The streamer introduced the actress playing the character, Mikaela Hoover, Saturday at its Tudum fan event, with help from One Piece stars Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero and Taz Skylar.
Hoover will provide Chopper’s voice and the face capture for the CG-animated character, who in One Piece lore is the ship’s doctor and a senior officer of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Netflix also offered up a first look at the character Saturday; see it below.
Hoover joins a host of new additions to the One Piece cast, including Charithra Chandran, Joe Manganiello, Katey Sagal, Lera Abova, Mark Harelik, Sophia Anne Caruso, Yonda Thomas, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Brendan Sean Murray, Callum Kerr, Camrus Johnson, Clive Russell, Daniel Lasker, David Dastmalchian, Jazzara Jaslyn, Julia Rehwald, Rob Colletti, Ty Keogh, Werner Coetser, Rigo Sanchez, James Hiroyuki Liao, Mark Penwill and Anton Jeftha. Ilia Isorelys Paulino, Jeff Ward and Michael Dorman will also reprise their roles alongside Godoy, Mackenyu, Rudd, Romero and Skylar.
Hoover will be seen in Superman this summer and has a role in season two of Netflix’s anthology Beef. Her credits also include voice work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Suicide Squad and Holidate.
One Piece is created in partnership with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partner) and Netflix. Matt Owens (who stepped down after season two wrapped production) and Joe Tracz are co-showrunners for season two and executive produce with One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes and Steven Maeda. Season two is set to premiere in 2026.
