The Straw Hat Pirates have lost a key crew member. Announced on Instagram Friday, Matt Owens, the co-showrunner of Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation, has resigned. Owens says he’s leaving the Going Merry for calmer shores and to focus on his mental health. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the show recently wrapped filming on its second season. Owens’ co-showrunner, Joe Tracz, will finish the season, which has yet to receive a release date.
“The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream co*e true. It’s also been A LOT,” Owens wrote. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health.”
Owens arrived at One Piece and was well-acquainted with Netflix, having worked on the streamer’s MCU-adjacent superhero shows Luke Cage and The Defenders. In his post, Owens says that after “some therapy” and ranking up in Marvel Rival, he’ll return “refreshed for the new adventures that await.” It’s unclear if this is just a leave of absence or if he’s moving on from the show indefinitely. However, considering the One Piece anime currently spans over one thousand episodes, he has plenty of time to row his dingy back to the Going Merry when he’s ready.