One Piece is having a whale of the time at the moment. Not only are the manga and original anime still ongoing, but a new anime is also being released, and there’s Netflix’s ongoing live-action adaptation! A new casting has been announced as the latter shifts to its second season.
The second season of the live-action adaptation from Netflix is making headlines as more announcements continue to roll on out. Series creator Eiichiro Oda himself told us what arcs we can expect the upcoming season to cover, and now casting for new characters is being announced.
The latest is that of the character Nefertari Cobra, King of the Arabasta Kingdom. Sendhil Ramamurthy is taking on the regal role, joining fellow castmates Katey Sagal and Mark Harelik, who have been cast as Dr. Kureha and Dr. Hiriluk respectively. Ramamurthy is an Indian-American actor and has worked across a number of projects in the States, India, and Britain, having graduated from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
You will have likely spotted him in TV series such as Heroes, The Flash, and playing Devi’s deceased father Mohan in Never Have I Ever. His latest role is that of the King of Arabasta in the second season of One Piece, but who is that?
The King of Arabasta, Nefertari Cobra
The second season of the show is adapting the Arabasta Saga. It is finishing off the East Blue Saga first, with the Loguetown Arc, before moving on to the Arabasta Saga’s Reverse Mountain Arc, Whiskey Peak Arc, Little Garden Arc, and Drum Island Arc. Notably, the Arabasta Arc is missing from the season two schedule, looking as if it will appear instead in the third season. That’s not to worry, though, as we actually meet Nefertari in the Drum Island Arc.
Nefertari Cobra is husband to Nefertari Titi and father to Nefertari Vivi, a major character in the Arabasta Arc. In the manga, we first meet Cobra in a flashback scene that takes place at the Levely, a council formed by the World Government that consists of 50 of the world’s leaders. Here he shows his maturity and regality compared to the immature and rude Wapol (King of Drum Island). Cobra is written as a fair and kind leader, one who puts the welfare and safety of his subjects above even his own life.
We have already seen Ramamurthy take on a fatherly role as Mohan in Never Have I Ever, with Devi looking up to him and remembering all the sage advice he gave her and how he built up her confidence and supported her. I am sure we will see more of this kind of energy from Ramamurthy in his role as Cobra in the much anticipated second season of One Piece.
Published: Aug 23, 2024 10:34 am