'One Piece's King of the Pirates Teases the Arrival of a 'Cobra Kai' Icon to Netflix's Hit Series [Exclusive]

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Xolo Mariduena, Gianni DeCenzo, and Jacob Bertrand in 'Cobra Kai'

Published Mar 9, 2026, 4:57 PM EDT

In addition to being a die-hard fan of filmmaking, television, video gaming, and anything else with a gripping narrative, Aidan Kelley is also a passionate and detail-oriented writer and journalist at Collider.com. In addition to his work as a Senior Resource Writer, Aidan has also contributed to Collider's features and news reporting sections. He has covered major industry events, such as San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo, and has had the privelege of interviewing industry stars like Bruce Campbell, Maggie Q, Chad Stahelski, and more. This sincere love for the art of storytelling began at a young age, with Aidan making video movie reviews for the news program at his local high school. That love only increased over the years, with an ongoing career in independent filmmaking and screenwriting after graduating with a degree in Film and television from DePaul University.

Of all the attempts to adapt a manga or anime series into live-action, Netflix's One Piece has become the undisputed pioneer. Adapting Eiichiro Oda's wonderfully weird pirate adventure is no small feat, as it has so many out-there ideas that could feel completely out of place if handled incorrectly. The fact that this is a pirate show with a grieving samurai, a talking shapeshifting reindeer, and a suave suit-wearing chef with a love for kicking things, and Netflix manages to make all of that feel cohesive and organic is nothing short of a modern miracle — and much of that can be attributed to the show's consistently pitch-perfect casting.

The main members of the Straw Hat crew alone are enough to prove that fact, but Netflix's One Piece truly has yet to miscast a single cast member, and that momentum continues in the show's long-awaited second season. However, Netflix is so confident in the new season's success that work on Season 3 is already well-underway, and we already know who will be showing up. Following a very successful fan campaign, the breakout star of Cobra Kai, Xolo Maridueña, has officially joined the cast of Season 3 as the fan-favorite Fire Fist Ace: a massively important character from the original One Piece story. Season 3 is still a ways away, but in preparation for the show's second season, the future King of the Pirates himself, Iñaki Godoy (who is also a close personal friend of Maridueña's who spent months campaigning for the Blue Beetle star to get the Fire First Ace role), cannot wait for fans to see the beloved character come to life in his live-action debut. Godoy said so himself in our recent Season 2 interview with him and the rest of the Straw Hat crew:

"When I heard that Xolo was going to be joining the show, I thought in my head, 'My boy!' I was like, 'Yeah! My buddy! My buddy Xolo is going to be with me.' Working with your friends is always a blessing. It makes me super happy that Xolo was able to join. He's a super cool guy. He's really talented, and I can't wait for all of you guys to see his performance in Season 3."

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'One Piece' Is Going "Into the Grand Line" for Season 2

Before Xolo Maridueña makes his grand debut in the hit Netflix series, things are just getting started for Luffy (Godoy), Zoro (Mackenyu), Nami (Emily Rudd), Usopp (Jacob Romero), and Sanji (Taz Skylar). Picking up right where Season 1 left off, with Luffy now officially being a wanted pirate, the Straw Hat crew is finally heading into the notorious Grand Line to officially start their search for the elusive "One Piece" treasure. However, the heroes almost immediately run into all manner of dangers, including a relentless marine, a prehistoric island, and an extremely dangerous organization of deadly assassins, all of which will make the journey to Season 3 an extremely difficult one.

One Piece officially returns with Season 2 on March 10, 2026. And stay tuned at Collider for more from our interviews with the cast.