10 Most Anticipated Events in One Piece Live-Action Season 3

The Straw Hats
The Straw Hats (Image Credit: Netflix)

Netflix's live-action One Piece has blown up worldwide. Fans are already hyped for One Piece live-action season 3. Season 1 was a huge hit. Season 2 drops in 2026. And Netflix already confirmed season 3 is happening.

Filming starts in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 24, 2025. It wraps up on June 19, 2026. So, One Piece live-action season 3 should come out sometime in 2027. Season 3 will cover the Arabasta Arc. This is one of the most loved storylines in the whole series.


What to Expect from the Arabasta Arc in One Piece Live-Action Season 3

The Arabasta Arc (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
The Arabasta Arc (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 focuses on the Arabasta Arc. Luffy and the Straw Hats arrive in the desert kingdom of Arabasta. The kingdom is about to have a civil war. The crew has to stop the evil Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile. He runs a criminal group called Baroque Works. They want to take over the whole kingdom.

This arc is all about Princess Vivi trying to save her home. It also has some of the best fights in One Piece history. Every Straw Hat faces a tough enemy. Their skills get tested like never before.


1. Luffy Hits Ace and Smoker

Luffy, Smoker, and Ace (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Luffy, Smoker, and Ace (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 starts with a hilarious scene. Luffy arrives in Nanohana hungry. He rushes into a restaurant without looking. His older brother Ace is there. So is Marine Captain Smoker. The two of them are in the middle of a serious fight.

But Luffy doesn't even notice them. He just wants food. He hits both of them through the wall by accident. This shows off Luffy's goofy personality perfectly. It's also when viewers first meet Ace in One Piece live-action season 3. Ace is one of the most popular characters ever.


2. Ace Destroys Seven Ships

Ace destroys ships (Image Creddit: Toei Animation)
Ace destroys ships (Image Creddit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 shows how strong Ace really is. Luffy brings Smoker and his Marines right to the crew. Things look bad. But Ace jumps in to save his little brother. He helps the Straw Hats escape from the Marines.

Before he leaves, Ace does something crazy. He destroys seven ships full of Baroque Works agents. And he does it easily with his fire powers. This proves he's one of the strongest pirates out there. Fans will finally see the Mera Mera no Mi (Flare Flare Fruit) powers in action. One Piece live-action season 3 needs great special effects for this.


3. Crocodile's Deadly Trap

Crocodile's trap (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Crocodile's trap (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 has a super tense scene at Crocodile's casino. Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Smoker sneak into Rain Dinners. But they all get caught. Crocodile throws them in a huge cage made of kairoseki (seastone). This blocks Devil Fruit powers completely.

Then things get worse. He floods the room with water, and he also releases his pet Bananawani. These are giant crocodiles with weird banana shapes on their heads. One of them swallows the key to the cage. The crew could drown or be eaten. One Piece live-action season 3 needs to make this scene really scary.


4. Sanji Defeating a Bananawani

Sanji beats the Bananawani (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Sanji beats the Bananawani (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 shows how smart Sanji is. Everyone else is trapped in the cage, but Sanji escaped. He comes up with a really clever plan. He calls Crocodile on the phone and pretends he got caught outside the casino.

Crocodile leaves to check it out. Sanji uses Chopper to distract everyone, and he then destroys the bridge to Rain Dinners. This gives him time to find the right Bananawani. He kicks it until it spits up the key. He also makes Mr. 3 create a fake key with his wax powers. One Piece live-action season 3 proves Sanji isn't just a cook.


5. Luffy's First Defeat

Crocodile stabbing Luffy (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Crocodile stabbing Luffy (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 delivers a brutal moment. Luffy faces Crocodile alone in the desert. He promises to meet the crew later. But the fight goes really badly. Luffy's punches go right through Crocodile's body. That's because of his sand powers from the Suna Suna no Mi (Sand Sand Fruit).

Crocodile plays with Luffy for three minutes. Then he gets serious. He creates a huge sandstorm and sends it toward the town of Yuba. Then he stabs Luffy with his hook. He leaves Luffy to die in quicksand. This is the first time Luffy hasn't won. One Piece live-action season 3 has to show how brutal this loss is.


6. Zoro Learns to Cut Steel

Zoro beats Mr. 1 (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Zoro beats Mr. 1 (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 gives Zoro his biggest moment yet. He fights Mr. 1, the right-hand man of Crocodile. Mr. 1 ate the Supa Supa no Mi (Dice Dice Fruit). His whole body can turn into steel blades. Zoro can't cut through him, no matter how hard he tries.

Zoro gets pushed to his limit. He realizes he needs to become stronger. Then something clicks. He remembers his training as a child. He learns to sense the breath of all things. This lets him finally cut steel. He defeats Mr. 1 with one powerful hit. One Piece live-action season 3 marks a huge step in Zoro's dream to be the world's greatest swordsman.


7. The Secret of Pluton

Nico Robin in front of a Poneglyph (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Nico Robin in front of a Poneglyph (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 reveals a massive secret. Crocodile's plan was never just about taking over Arabasta. He wants something way bigger. He's searching for the ancient weapon Pluton that is supposed to be hidden in the kingdom somewhere.

He forces King Cobra to take him to a Poneglyph under the palace. He thinks it will show where Pluton is. This scene introduces Nico Robin's special skill; she can read the ancient languages on the Poneglyphs. It also hints at something called the True History. One Piece live-action season 3 sets up big mysteries for future seasons.


8. Water Luffy Appears

Water Luffy (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Water Luffy (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

One Piece live-action season 3 gives us a weird but awesome moment. Luffy has been beaten by Crocodile twice already. But he figures out that water makes Crocodile's sand body solid. During their third fight under the palace, Luffy grabs a barrel of water.

Crocodile tries to blow the water away. So Luffy drinks the whole barrel. His body fills up with water completely. He calls himself "Water Luffy," and he looks really silly. But it actually works. He finally lands real hits on Crocodile. Season 3 needs to make this funny and serious at the same time.


9. Pell's Ultimate Sacrifice

Pell carrying the bomb (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Pell carrying the bomb (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

Season 3 will make everyone cry. The Straw Hats find out that Crocodile planted a huge bomb in the clock tower that will blow up the whole capital city. They rush to stop it, but Vivi reaches the bomb first, and she stops the cannon from firing.

But then she realizes it's a time bomb. It's going to explode no matter what. Everything seems hopeless. And then, Pell shows up. He grabs the bomb and uses his falcon powers to fly way up in the sky. He lets it explode far above the city. He saves everyone by sacrificing himself. One Piece live-action season 3 needs to nail this emotional moment.


10. Crocodile's Final Defeat

Crocodile's defeat (Image Credit: Toei Animation)
Crocodile's defeat (Image Credit: Toei Animation)

The arc ends with an epic final battle. Luffy fights Crocodile for the third time. In the fight, Crocodile poisons him with his hook. Luffy is at his limit. But he refuses to give up. He promised to save Vivi and her kingdom.

Luffy uses his blood to hit Crocodile. As blood is a liquid, it makes sand solid, too. Crocodile tries to stab him with a hidden knife. Luffy dodges and jumps into the air. He uses his strongest attack called Gomu Gomu no Storm. He punches Crocodile through the roof and sends him flying. Crocodile lands in the middle of the city. One Piece live-action season 3 will show Luffy's tenacious spirit as he eventually defeats Crocodile.


Conclusion

Season 3 is going to be amazing. The Arabasta Arc has some of the best moments in the whole series. Fans have loved these scenes for over twenty years. Seeing them in live-action will be incredible.

Filming starts in November 2025. The show will probably drop in 2027. The wait will be tough. But it'll be worth it. Netflix did an awesome job with season 1. Season 3 will be even bigger and better. The Arabasta adventure is going to be unforgettable.

Edited by Priscillah Mueni