The stir for One Piece live-action has once again risen to its peak as the creators of the Netflix series have announced two new castings of key characters for the upcoming season. The second season of the insanely popular adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga is allegedly going to follow the Alabasta saga, which is one of the most crucial narratives in the entire series.
Thus, the casting of the characters was equally important, and the showrunners have once again marveled at the One Piece fanbase by announcing the cast of Dr. Hiriluk in the series. Hiriluk’s character is significant because of his connection with Tony Tony Chopper and the foreshadowing that he did during the Drum Island arc.
The actor who will play the role of Hiriluk in the upcoming series is none other than the famous Mark Harelik, known for his roles in popular series and movies like Jurassic Park III, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory, Prison Break, etc. Now he will be joining the successful live-action series and proving his acting skills by playing one of the most complex characters.
Dr. Hiriluk’s Importance in the Alabasta Saga
As One Piece fans know, Hiriluk is one of the most underrated characters of the series. Hiriluk was like a father to Chopper, and he was one of the most qualified doctors in Drum Island. He took Chopper in and built a strong relationship with him as his first friend.
Although Hiriluk made a lot of mistakes, he was very compassionate and focused on finding the cure for every illness in the world. He believed that there is no disease that cannot be cured, and that’s what he taught Chopper too. However, his role was short, as he died very early in the series.
His death becomes the perfect motivator for Chopper, as he then goes on to study medicine under Dr. Kureha and tries to follow Hiriluk’s dream. He decided to take his legacy forward, and even after joining the Straw Hat Pirates, he still believes in Hiriluk’s ideologies.
Mark Harelik is the Perfect Actor To Play Dr. Hiriluk
On August 21, 2024, the official X account of One Piece live-action by Netflix shared a tweet revealing Harelik’s inclusion in the second season of the series. The post came as a surprise to many One Piece fans, and they are happy with the showrunners choosing Mark Harelik for the complex role.
With the creators announcing Harelik joining the cast, many major character roles have been filled out for the One Piece live-action season 2.
Mark Harelik will be playing the role of Dr.Hiriluk in OnePiece Live Action pic.twitter.com/SVSEFtwjI9
— Pew (@pewpiece) August 21, 2024
These roles have also confirmed the narrative that will be portrayed in the upcoming season, as the live-action had to make several modifications.
Now One Piece fans are eagerly waiting for the remaining characters to be cast in the series. These characters are Nico Robin, Crocodile, Ace, and probably the voice actor for Chopper. Also, by announcing these castings, One Piece live-action has hinted that the series has gone into production and it can announce the release date any day now.
One Piece live-action is available to watch on Netflix.
