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Netflix's One Piece showrunner steps down, citing his mental health ahead of season 2's release date

Matt Owens has been part of the crew for the live-action One Piece since the very beginning. It isn't clear if he'll return for season 3.

One Piece Live Action Cast — Image credit: Netflix

News by Trent Cannon, Senior Contributing writer

Published on Mon Mar 24 2025

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Despite what people think, making a show is hard, especially one on the size and scale of Netflix’s One Piece. There is intense pressure to follow up on the success of season one, which proved to fans that Netflix was capable of making a live-action anime adaptation that didn’t completely miss the point. Perhaps because of that pressure, the showrunner for One Piece seasons one and two has had to walk away from the show.

Matt Owens has been part of Netflix’s One Piece since the very beginning, serving as executive producer and co-showrunner for both seasons so far. However, on Saturday, he broke the news on his social media that he would be stepping away from One Piece even before we get an announcement for season two’s release date.

“The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey,” Owens wrote on Instagram. “A dream come true. It’s also been A LOT. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health… For now, I’m going to take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await.”

For now, it appears Joe Tracz is expected to guide One Piece through season two post-production. With Zoro’s actor already confirming that Netflix is bringing them back for season three, it isn’t clear if Owens will return to the show for future seasons.

One Piece season two is expected to come out sometime in 2026 on Netflix with season three beginning filming before the end of 2025.

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: