Netflix's One Piece Season 3 Is Sadly Replacing A Fan Favorite Character From Seasons 1 & 2

Published Aug 20, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT Craig began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016 and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. After previously writing for various outlets, Craig's focus turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally became useful. Craig has previously been published by sites such as Den of Geek. Craig is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-elvy-5b31a3381/ From its irreverent tone to faithfully following Eiichiro Oda's source material, Netflix's live-action One Piece adaptation has done a lot of things right so far. What probably should have been an absolute disaster and a stain on the One Piece name has only enhanced the aura of a franchise that isn't slowing down whatsoever after nearly three decades of jolly piracy. One Piece's live-action cast has been an undoubted highlight. If ever a casting department deserved a raise, it's here, as note-perfect actor choices bring Oda's characters to glorious three-dimensional life. Unfortunately, not all of those amazing characters can stick around. The One Piece anime and manga is so vast, Netflix's version effectively has a seasonal wheel of supporting cast members revolving around the main Straw Hats. Some standout faces from One Piece season 1 were nowhere to be seen in season 2, including Craig Fairbrass' Zeff and Peter Gadiot's Shanks. From the class of season 2, viewers shouldn't expect to reunite with Katey Sagal's Kureha or Clive Russell's Crocus anytime soon, no matter how good their performances were. Alas, One Piece season 3 focusing on the battle for Alabasta means characters who appeared in both of Netflix's previous seasons may not have a role this time around, and the most notable casualty among this group is Buggy the Clown, played by Jeff Ward. As a character who veers between farcical comedy and genuine terror, all while dressed as a naval clown, Buggy should not have worked in live-action. It's testament to One Piece's tonal balance and Jeff Ward's performance that Buggy ended up being a surprise highlight of season 1, with Ward capturing all facets of the existing character while simultaneously adding his own chaotic humor to the mix. There was never a dull moment with Buggy onscreen, and that momentum carried forward into One Piece season 2, as the clown came one well-placed father away from ending Monkey D. Luffy's voyage for good. Unfortunately, Buggy's role was greatly reduced in One Piece's second season, per the manga, as the Straw Hat crew moved onto other business on the Grand Line. Continuing that course, Buggy looks set for an even smaller part in season 3. According to One Piece canon, Buggy's only appearance around this point comes via a brief encounter with Ace, who is confirmed to debut in Netflix's upcoming season. It'll be a glorified cameo, if it happens at all, and won't involve any interaction between Buggy and Luffy. Live-action One Piece has utilized inventive methods to keep cast members from season 1 involved in the story, including Zoro's imaginary conversations with Dracule Mihawk while decimating Baroque Works on Whisky Peak. One Piece season 3 could, in theory, do something similar with Buggy, but with so much material to cover on Alabasta, there may not be enough minutes for ongoing side stories that aren't relevant to the main plot. Another One Piece Character Is Taking Buggy's Place In Season 3 Across One Piece's first two live-action seasons, Buggy the Clown was positioned as an antagonist chasing Luffy across the seas, starting as a genuinely dangerous character but gradually posing less of a threat with each appearance. In the manga, Buggy slowly morphs from a villain into an antihero, and during his next significant appearance after Loguetown, actually teams up with Luffy. While Buggy's role in One Piece's next season on Netflix will be small to non-existent, another character will fill the gap: Captain Smoker. Just as Buggy tailed the Straw Hats across the East Blue, Smoker's job will be tracking down the Going Merry on the Grand Line, following Luffy's crew from Loguetown all the way to Alabasta. Smoker also follows the same basic arc as Buggy. When he first appeared in One Piece season 2, Smoker posed a very real threat, but it won't be long before Monkey D. Luffy eclipses the marine and Smoker begins turning into more of an antihero (and even reluctant ally) instead of an enemy. Release Date August 31, 2023 Network Netflix Showrunner Matt Owens, Steven Maeda, Joe Tracz Cast Iñaki Godoy Monkey D. Luffy Directors Tim Southam, Marc Jobst, Josef Kubota Wladyka Writers Tiffany Greshler, Diego Gutierrez, Allison Weintraub, Lindsay Gelfand Franchise(s) One Piece Creator(s) Matt Owens, Steven Maeda, Eiichiro Oda