One Piece’s ending tease is a whole thing in the manga

The popular anime and manga series One Piece now has a live-action adaptation of its very own. While we don’t know for sure if the series will be renewed for a second season yet, showrunners teased at what the Straw Hat Pirates next adventure would be if Netflix picks up the show for another season.

[Ed. note: This story contains spoilers for season 1 of One Piece.]

One Piece follows the story of Luffy, a pirate with the power to stretch like rubber. Luffy wants to become the world’s greatest pirate, but he has a few baddies to beat first. Season 1 concludes after a fight between Luffy and the infamous fish-man captain, Arlong, where Luffy saves the inhabitants of Conomi Islands. The season ends on a relatively cheery note as Luffy sails out to sea on his shiny new boat with newfound friends and a massive bounty out on him. However, just before ending the show teases a new character who’s out to get Luffy. Here is the entire pre-credits teaser, explained.

Who appears in the One Piece Netflix live-action credit scene?

At the end of the final episode of season 1, “Worst in the East,” we see the back of a character sitting in a chair. As the camera pans, we see only the character’s hands, some items on a desk, and Luffy’s wanted poster. Although we don’t see his face, the objects on his desk are enough to tell us who the character is.

The teaser shows the Marine Captain Smoker. We know it’s Smoker at the end because the two cigars are a dead giveaway. Smoker almost always appears while smoking two cigars at once in both the manga and anime — it’s pretty much his thing. Plus there are other details, like his characteristic naval uniform lined with green fur show that it’s him.

Who is Smoker in One Piece?

Smoker is an antagonist who appears in the One Piece anime and manga. When Luffy and friends meet him for the first time in the manga, he is a Marine captain in charge of Loguetown. Smoker ate the Moku Moku no Mi Fruit, a special Devil Fruit that allows him to create and transform his body into smoke. Although his first brush with Luffy ends relatively quickly in the manga, Smoker goes on to become a recurring antagonist in several arcs down the line.

His appearance at the end of the live-action show lines up with the current pacing of the series. In the manga and anime, the crew journeys to the town of Loguetown right after the events of the live-action series’ season 1 finale. For reference, the live-action series ends roughly 96 chapters in to the manga. Smoker debuts in chapter 97, So it’s no surprise that he’s the next villain the show teases.