Emily Rudd, who plays Nami in Netflix’s One Piece, made a personal sacrifice to ensure her character looked exactly like the anime version in the newly released second season. The actress chose to wear a tiny skirt while filming in winter conditions just to stay faithful to the source material.
The second season of One Piece arrived on Netflix on March 10, 2026 . It covers major story arcs including Loguetown, Reverse Mountain, Whisky Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island . Throughout these episodes, Nami goes through several costume changes, and Rudd made sure each one honored the original manga designs .
The Costume Debate That Showed Rudd’s Dedication
During the Reverse Mountain arc, Nami’s outfit in the manga features a sleeveless baby-blue shirt with a heart symbol, a dark-blue miniskirt, and brown sandals . However, the production team faced a practical problem. They were shooting in the middle of winter, and the weather was freezing cold.
Kerry Anne Barnard, the costume designer for Season 2, explained in a behind-the-scenes featurette how they handled this situation. The team decided to add long sleeves to Rudd’s top to keep her warm during filming. Barnard said they “blurred the lines a wee bit from practicality to manga original” because Rudd had to perform many action sequences in the cold .
But when it came to the skirt, Rudd put her foot down.
“She was really having to do all that action in a teeny tiny little skirt. She knew it was going to be cold, but as she said to me, ‘This is for the fans. I want to get this as correct as possible,’ and she was really, really badass about it because it really was cold.” – Kerry Anne Barnard, Costume Designer
Barnard shared that Rudd insisted on wearing the little skirt as part of Nami’s outfit despite the low temperatures . The actress wanted to give the fans an accurate portrayal even if it meant she would be uncomfortable during filming.
Why Accuracy Matters for the One Piece Live-Action
Emily Rudd’s commitment to getting Nami right goes beyond just this one costume choice . She has openly talked about feeling connected to the character in a deep way. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Rudd shared her thoughts about playing Nami .
“I know I was joking when I said I was born to play Nami, but she truly is the first character in my career that I have ever been like: ‘Oh, of course. Of course, it’s her. Of course it’s me.’” – Emily Rudd
Rudd spent three years trying to get cast in One Piece . Her patience and preparation paid off, as fans have praised her performance since Season 1 dropped in 2023.
The attention to detail in the costumes helped build trust with longtime fans of the anime and manga . While some Netflix live-action adaptations have faced criticism for changing iconic looks—like Cowboy Bebop did with Faye Valentine—One Piece took a different approach.
In Season 1, the costume team focused on Nami’s nurturing personality rather than making her overly sexualized . Diana Cilliers, who designed costumes for the first season, told Insider that they wanted to keep the “innocence and purity” of One Piece while showing Nami as the “big sister” figure who guides the crew.
By Season 2, Rudd made sure that balance continued while pushing for more accuracy where it counted.
What Nami Wears Throughout Season 2
Emily Rudd’s Nami goes through multiple wardrobe changes in the new season as the Straw Hat Pirates travel to different islands.
- Loguetown Arc: A deep blue shirt paired with a black skirt
- Reverse Mountain Arc: The sleeveless vest (changed to long sleeves for warmth) with the dark-blue miniskirt
- Whisky Peak Arc: Another sleeveless top design
- Little Garden Arc: A long-sleeved shirt with blue sleeves and a yellow mini-skirt
Each outfit matches what Nami wears in the corresponding manga chapters, with only the sleeve length changed for practical reasons in the Reverse Mountain look.
The Challenges of Filming Season 2
The cast faced tough conditions while shooting One Piece Season 2 in South Africa . Jacob Romero, who plays Usopp, mentioned during promotional interviews that they missed some characters from Season 1, including Jeff Ward’s Buggy and McKinley Belcher III’s Arlong.
Mackenyu (Zoro) joked that Usopp is like John Cena in Season 2 because “you can’t even see him,” hinting that Romero’s character has less screen time in these arcs.
The cast also spoke about bringing the new CGI character Tony Tony Chopper to life . Mikaela Hoover provides the voice and motion capture for Chopper, while several other performers help create the character on set . Rudd laughed about doing “so many takes” for Chopper because the character requires multiple people to bring him to life.
Rudd’s Future Hopes for Nami
Emily Rudd has made it clear she wants to play Nami for as long as Netflix continues the series . In an Instagram Q&A, she shared which future storyline she is most excited to film.
Rudd is looking forward to the Enies Lobby arc, which comes later in the story . This arc fundamentally changes the Straw Hat crew and puts them in direct conflict with the World Government . Rudd said she feels connected to Nami on such a deep level that “I am her and she is me”.
Netflix has already renewed One Piece for a third season, with filming that began in late 2025 in Cape Town and expected to continue through June 2026 . Season 3 will likely cover the Alabasta arc, where the crew helps Princess Vivi save her kingdom from Crocodile (played by Joe Manganiello) and Nico Robin (Lera Abova).
Where to Watch One Piece Season 2
All eight episodes of One Piece Season 2 are now streaming on Netflix . Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India can watch the series with subtitles or dubbed options in multiple languages.
The season introduces new characters including:
- Tony Tony Chopper (voiced by Mikaela Hoover)
- Princess Vivi (Charithra Chandran)
- Crocodile (Joe Manganiello)
- Nico Robin (Lera Abova)
- Smoker (Callum Kerr)
- Tashigi (Julia Rehwald)
- Dr. Kureha (Katey Sagal)
- King Wapol (Rob Colletti)
Fans can also rewatch Season 1 on Netflix to refresh their memory before diving into the new episodes.
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