The huge importance of this One Piece character means Netflix’s show must mention them in season 2, even though it shouldn’t happen until season 4.

Netflix’s One Piece shouldn’t mention this vital character until season 4, according to the manga, but that would be far too late. Netflix’s One Piece has been hailed as one of the best live-action anime TV shows ever made, but the cross-medium voyage was far from smooth sailing. The biggest problem One Piece faced was the sheer amount of source material, with over 1100 chapters published since its debut in 1997. One Piece season 1’s ending took the story up to Luffy’s victory over Arlong. At that pace, season 2 will adapt the Alabasta arc, season 3 could cover Skypiea, then season 4 would be Water 7.

Another problem with adapting One Piece is knowledge of upcoming twists. In 2022, for example, the One Piece manga shockingly revealed Luffy’s Devil Fruit was not the Gum Gum Fruit, as had been believed for over two decades. Awareness of this twist completely changes how the viewer experiences Netflix’s show. Likewise, the manga’s introduction of haki created a continuity problem with earlier chapters, since strong characters were never seen using it. Netflix’s One Piece season 2, however, could potentially show characters like Crocodile wielding haki.

One Piece Season 4 Is Too Late To Mention Dr. Vegapunk

Netflix’s One Piece Needs To Drop Vegapunk’s Name In Season 2

By the same logic, One Piece cannot wait until season 4 before mentioning Dr. Vegapunk. It is no overstatement to say that Dr. Vegapunk is one of the most important characters in One Piece. As the World Government’s chief scientist and the highest authority on technology in the One Piece world, Vegapunk’s influence can be felt at almost every turn. If Netflix’s version stays faithful to its source, however, Dr. Vegapunk will not be referenced until season 4, since the manga first acknowledged his existence at the end of the Water 7 arc.

Dr. Vegapunk was first mentioned by Koby in chapter 433 and first appeared in chapter 1066.

That would be far too late for the live-action adaptation, as not only is Vegapunk a pillar of the World Government’s operations, he is famous on virtually every single island in One Piece. As Luffy and the Straw Hats enter the Grand Line and mix with Marines such as Captain Smoker in season 2, it seems ridiculous to think that three full seasons could pass before anyone brings up Vegapunk. The situation is similar to Netflix’s haki dilemma.

It may seem strange in hindsight that One Piece‘s strongest characters never used haki early in the manga’s story, but the real-life reason is obviously because Eiichiro Oda had not fully conceptualized haki when writing those early chapters. Similarly, it seems highly likely that Dr. Vegapunk was not mentioned until Water 7 because Oda simply hadn’t created the character before then, even if in-universe logic means it should have happened sooner. Netflix’s One Piece has the opportunity to plug that gap by dropping some kind of Vegapunk reference via a Marine character, a newspaper, or a throwaway line of dialogue during season 2.

One Piece’s Manga Story Means Vegapunk Has To Be Mentioned In Netflix’s Season 2

Vegapunk’s Immense Fame Is The Core Of His One Piece Manga Story

Live-action One Piece viewers should not expect Vegapunk to actually appear during season 2, since the character debuted in person well after chapter 1000. Since then, however, he has become a pivotal figure in Luffy’s adventures, as the entire Egghead Island arc revolves around the Straw Hats assisting Vegapunk’s escape from the World Government. Netflix’s adaptation may not reach that point since it would mean One Piece lasting over 10 seasons, but sowing the seeds of Vegapunk’s importance in season 2 would perfectly foreshadow his later importance to Luffy’s voyage.

Everyone in One Piece has heard of the scientist and his overly-generous forehead.

More importantly, recent events in the One Piece manga serve to underline why waiting until season 4 to mention Vegapunk wouldn’t work. At the time of writing, Vegapunk is broadcasting a message to the entire world, promising to reveal the World Government’s deepest secret. That message is being received far and wide, even in Luffy’s home of Windmill Village, highlighting how virtually everyone in One Piece has heard of the scientist and his overly-generous forehead. Since this manga storyline relies on Vegapunk’s worldwide fame, the prospect of Iñaki Godoy’s Luffy not hearing anything about him until season 4 becomes hard to justify.