Popverse's top stories

• Critical Role's The Mighty Nein showrunner, Tasha Huo, reveals a Campaign 2 scene that didn't make it into the Prime Video adaptation
• If you thought Absolute Batman was built like a tank, wait until you see Absolute Robin in this first look
• Chainsaw Man anime was fully funded by MAPPA so the studio could have full creative ownership of the manga adaptation

There are plenty of standout characters in One Piece Season 2. You’ve got the adorable monstrosity Tony Tony Chopper, the undercover princess Vivi, and, of course, the hard-drinking Dr. Kureha from the iconic Drum Island arc. While Katey Sagal wasn’t familiar with the character before she got cast, the Futurama and Married… with Children actor was drawn to Kureha as a badass older woman with her shit together.

During a recent interview, Katey Sagal explained that she joined the cast of One Piece Season 2 without having to audition, saying, “You get jobs where you’re just like, ‘Oh my God.’ It came pretty much after I’d watched [the first season]. It was a wonderful call to get. I was out of my mind. Then they started sending me the images and who the character is.”

Once she got involved in the production and found out a bit more about Dr. Kureha, Sagal fell in love with the multiple layers of the character. “She was such a badass, but also heartwarming and a little bit squishy on the inside. I found her young in spirit, even though she’s supposed to be 140. And what does time mean, really? I loved that she was an older woman who just kept her shit together and wasn’t afraid to wear tight t-shirts.”

Dr. Kureha is certainly all of those things, and Katey Sagal’s portrayal in the Netflix One Piece live-action adaptation helped showcase why manga fans have enjoyed this version so much. It feels fresh and faithful to the source material at the same time. She's the epitome of a badass with a heart of gold, and we love her for it.

One Piece season 2 is streaming on Netflix now.

THE ONE PIECE IS REAL...ly important to Popverse! That's why we've put together the key articles to keep your fandom of the manga-turned-anime-turned-live-action-show alive:

• How to watch One Piece One Piece in chronological and release order (All 1,100+ episodes plus the movies!)
• When the next episode of One Piece is coming
• Netflix almost missed casting Superman star Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper because the audition materials were too vague
• Netflix enlists a Bridgerton star to show off the first big set piece of One Piece season 2, with a Loguetown that is full of easter eggs from the manga
• Why One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy is the perfect hero for the dark times ahead
• Every difference between the live-action One Piece and the original manga
• One Piece Gear 5 Form: Everything we know about Luffy's latest transformation
• Ranking the One Piece anime's arcs, from best to worst
• Why is One Piece more popular now that the anime is 25 years old? We asked around and found out
• The English cast of One Piece explain what they love about Eiichiro Oda's storytelling - "He's a genius!"