Helmeppo in the 'One Piece' live-action is played by Aidan Scott, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance! I’ve been a fan of the anime for years, and Helmeppo’s transition from a sniveling brat to a more layered character in the manga had me skeptical about how he’d be adapted. But Scott nailed the arrogance and eventual growth arc—his facial expressions and delivery were spot-on, especially in those early Marine scenes with Koby.
What’s cool is how the live-action fleshed out certain moments that the anime rushed through, like Helmeppo’s dynamic with his father, Captain Morgan. Scott brought a weirdly endearing pettiness to the role that made him fun to hate at first, then slowly root for. I’m low-key hoping we get more of his Garp training arc in Season 2—his chemistry with McKinley Belcher III (who played Koby) was a highlight.