Overview

• The Season 2 trailer revealed Charithra Chandran as Nefertari Vivi and triggered a wave of racist comments over her darker skin tone compared with the anime depiction.
• Chandran shared screenshots of hateful messages on her Instagram stories, drawing widespread attention to targeted online abuse.
• Creator Eiichiro Oda confirmed that he personally hand-picked Chandran for the role, underlining her fit with his vision for Vivi.
• Rob Colletti and Emily Rudd issued detailed Instagram statements condemning the harassment and urging fans to judge casting on performance rather than perceived canon.
• Defenders note that Alabasta draws on Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures, arguing that Chandran’s casting honors the story’s cultural inspirations.