Who Is Buggy? The One Piece Pirate Clown, Explained
The Netflix One Piece live-action adaptation has been taking the world by storm, and one of the characters that is already standing out with fans is the show’s live-action portrayal of Buggy. Played by Jeff Ward in the Netflix series, the clown-faced pirate instantly stands out in a literal sea of unique characters, and anime or manga fans know that he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. So, who is this pirate clown anyway?
One Piece flashbacks reveal that Buggy once traveled with the Roger Pirates as an apprentice along with Shanks.
The One Piece manga, and subsequently the show, introduces Buggy pretty early on. As the main antagonist of the Orange Town arc, he quickly establishes himself as a worthy adversary to Luffy and the other Straw Hats. Also, you learn that he has a connection to Shanks, the pirate who inspires Luffy and who gave Luffy his Straw Hat.
One Piece flashbacks reveal that Buggy once traveled with the Roger Pirates as an apprentice along with Shanks. The fact that he and Shanks knew each other as kids adds to the relationship between him and Luffy. Also, the clown-like pirate captain–like Luffy–has powers from a Devil Fruit.
Of course, Devil Fruit are plenty rare in the world of One Piece, as they grant the person who eats them a unique power at the cost of the ability to swim. Buggy consumed the Bara Bara no Mi, or Chop Chop Fruit, which allows him to split his body into pieces and reassemble them. This is a pretty creepy power, but it’s bolstered by the fact that he can also telekinetically control and levitate his body parts after they become unattached from his body.
Although you’ll see One Piece portray Buggy with clown-like makeup that he always wears, his nose actually isn’t a part of his clown getup. He was born with a round red nose, which is something that he’s quite sensitive about. Those who dare to make fun of his nose are typically punished and even executed if it makes him angry enough.
Although you’ll see One Piece portray Buggy with clown-like makeup that he always wears, his nose actually isn’t a part of his clown getup.
The One Piece live-action adaptation introduced Buggy in just the second episode, and he continued to play an integral role throughout the rest of the season. He was an instant hit with fans, who even funnily made some thirst videos about the character, which is something that the creators probably did not see coming. Regardless, fans of his character can expect to see a lot more of him in the future.
Without spoiling anything from the One Piece anime and manga, Buggy will continue to factor into the live-action adaptation for the foreseeable future. With the massive popularity of the series, it seems almost inevitable that the live-action adaptation will receive a second season (though Netflix has yet to make anything official). Still, the scripts for the second season are apparently done, so the series will likely begin filming again once Netflix gives it the green light and once the SAG-AFTRA strike is over.
Without spoiling anything from the One Piece anime and manga, Buggy will continue to factor into the live-action adaptation for the foreseeable future
The One Piece live-action adaptation stars Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skylar as the main Straw Hats, with Jeff Ward playing Buggy. Undoubtedly, they will all be back to reprise their roles in Season 2. Stay tuned for more news about the Netflix series!
