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Although she is originally introduced to us as a villain, few members of the Straw Hats have become as beloved as Nico Robin. As One Piece fans will note, she has one of the most complex and tragic backstories in the manga, which is why her inclusion in season two of Netflix’s live-action One Piece is so exciting. Actress Lera Abova, who is bringing Miss All Sunday to life in One Piece season two, has summed up why One Piece remains one of the biggest franchises in the pop culture world.

“It’s actually not about the One Piece,” Abova said in an interview from just before she finished filming season two of One Piece in Capetown. “It’s about the adventure. It’s about the people you meet. It’s about the troubles you conquer together. It’s an incredibly beautiful message.”

Look, you don’t have to sell us on One Piece; we’ve loved the manga and the anime for years now and we were surprisingly pleased with how faithful Netflix was when adapting the series to live action. But it is more than just trying to make Luffy stretch or convince us that Zoro holding that sword in his mouth isn’t ridiculous. The most important thing about One Piece is the heart of it; the beautiful and tragic story of this band of misfits who come together and change the world.

That is what Nico Robin’s actress is saying and that is why we can’t wait for One Piece season two to finally arrive sometime in 2026.

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
• The One Piece English cast shared the life lessons they've learned playing the Straw Hats for nearly 20 years
• 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
• Wondering what ethnicity and nationality the One Piece pirates are? Here is what Oda himself has to say
• 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!"