Monkey D. Garp’s story was One Piece’s biggest lore change for the live-action adaptation, and it created a major problem for the upcoming season 2. The first season of One Piece covered the East Blue saga, which is when audiences are introduced to the main characters as Luffy forms his crew. One Piece season 2 is now set to cover the Arabasta saga, which consists of the Straw Hats’ first few adventures in the Grand Line. While One Piece season 1 was arguably Netflix’s best live-action adaptation, bringing the Arabasta saga into live-action will not be easy.

Compared to how fascinatingly weird and imaginative the world of One Piece gets once Luffy enters the Line, the East Blue saga barely scratched the potential of the source material. There will be plenty more devil fruit users in One Piece season 2 according to the manga, not to mention the creatures and the incredible locations. In addition to nailing all of these important aspects of the Arabasta saga, Netflix’s One Piece will also have to handle characters from the previous season who don’t have a big role in the next few arcs. This includes Monkey D. Garp.

Netflix’s One Piece Changed Monkey D. Garp’s Role In The Story

Garp doesn’t appear until much later in the anime

Monkey D. Garp appeared in all episodes of One Piece season 1 in what was perhaps the show’s biggest change from the source material. Not only did One Piece incorporate Garp into the story much sooner than the manga or the anime, but it also revealed that he was Luffy’s grandfather way before it was supposed to happen. In the manga, Garp only begins to show up during the cover page stories known as Diary of Koby-Meppo. These stories were first told after the East Blue saga and followed Koby and Helmeppo’s training under Garp.

Further changing Garp’s role in One Piece could lead to major canon problems going forward, yet it may be too late for the live-action show to write off the character.

It was only hundreds of chapters later, after the end of the Water 7 saga, that One Piece revealed Garp was related to Luffy. One Piece would later establish a connection between Garp and Gold Roger and offer more insight into Luffy’s family, particularly his father. Netflix’s One Piece, however, opened with Garp being part of Gold Roger’s execution, which did not happen in the source material. Luffy’s grandfather served as the primary antagonist of season 1, chasing down Luffy from one village to another. Koby and Helmeppo also appeared way more than their anime counterparts in East Blue.

One Piece’s Current Straw Hat Pirates
Actor

Monkey D. Luffy
Inãki Godoy

Roronoa Zoro
Mackenyu

Nami
Emily Rudd

Usopp

Jacob Gibson

Sanji
Taz Skylar

On one hand, having an overarching antagonist in One Piece season 1 helped the show streamline the anime’s story – Garp served as a link between different corners of the story, from Shellstown to Arlong Park. On the other hand, changing the role of such an important character from the anime for the live-action adaptation was a risky decision. Netflix’s One Piece followed the source material very closely, especially regarding the Straw Hat pirates and their origins, yet it changed canon significantly when it came to Garp. While this approach worked for season 1, it created a major problem for season 2.

One Piece Season 2 Cannot Write Garp Off After His Season 1 Role

Garp, Koby, and Helmeppo became too important in season 1

Further changing Garp’s role in One Piece could lead to tricky canon problems going forward, yet it may be too late for the live-action show to write off the character. One Piece season 1 ends with Garp promising to train Koby and Helmeppo, meaning viewers will expect to see more of them in season 2. Those familiar with One Piece, or with any anime in general, are not strange to characters disappearing for hundreds of episodes. However, those who have been introduced to this world through the Netflix series might find it strange if three main characters suddenly disappear.

Garp and Luffy found common ground at the end of season 1, with the former finally understanding that the latter was ready to be a pirate. Still, Garp had way too big of a role in season 1 for him to be written off the show in season 2. Even though his story does not intersect with Luffy’s for now, there is still the matter of Koby and Helmeppo. By having Koby and Helmeppo appear in every episode, One Piece made it difficult to believe that they would not return in season 2.

Adding Garp Into One Piece Season 2 Will Be Difficult

The Arabasta saga is already filled with characters and storylines

Writing off Garp might not work, but having him be part of season 2 will not be easy. One Piece is now set to cover the Arabasta saga, which is longer than the East Blue saga and involves even more characters. The Straw Hats are now heading into the Grand Line, where they will run into stranger islands and bigger pirates. As soon as Luffy and his friends enter the Grand Line, One Piece raises the stakes and massively expands the scope of the story. This is something the live-action show must capture.

Considering Garp and Luffy are now on good terms, the Vice Admiral will no longer be chasing down his grandson.

One Piece season 1’s post-credits scene introduced Smoker, who should be just one of many villains Luffy will run into in the next season. Crocodile and the other members of the Baroque Works, including Miss All Sunday Nico Robin, should also have a significant role in season 2. That is not to mention the new friends Luffy will make in season 1, including but not limited to Tony Tony Chopper, and Princess Vivi. With dozens of new characters expected to appear in season 2, finding time for Garp, Koby, and Helmeppo will be tricky.

How Garp Can Return In One Piece Season 2 (Without Ruining Canon)

One Piece must be careful with Garp’s return

Considering Garp and Luffy are now on good terms, the Vice Admiral will no longer be chasing down his grandson. This means that, if Garp returns in season 2, his role on the show will be quite different from the first season. Smoker, the White Hunter, is now the one who will chase down Luffy based on what happens in the anime. The idea of a Marine officer chasing down the Straw Hats from one island to another has already been used in season 1, though, so it will be interesting to see how different Smoker will be from Garp.

Garp’s storyline could now be entirely tied to Koby and Helmeppo instead of Luffy. One Piece season 2 could show some portions of their training under Garp, which happens mostly offscreen in the anime. Another option is to have Monkey D. Garp and his men be involved in the events of the Arabasta saga. For example, Garp could have been in Arabasta during the war. This, however, would mark another major change from the source material. Lastly, Netflix’s One Piece could show more of Garp in flashbacks set before Gold Roger’s death.