I think there's a baseline standard that I hold for One Piece episodes. I know that the show doesn't have the privilege of looking expensive and slick every week, nor is it able to play around with the pacing a whole lot, locking it to about a manga chapter's worth of content per episode. That said, I still expect a level of care and attention to detail that I know this series is capable of. I don't agree with the assertion that the One Piece anime is an example of a bad adaptation, because it's often been very smartly directed despite its minimal resources. At least, that's true about half the time.
Right off the bat in this episode, I'm seeing the direction that I look for in One Piece. We continue the story in the middle of Cat Viper's fight with Jack, who has now revealed his original human form. The fight feels tight on those aforementioned resources, with what feels like some missing frames of animation, and yet the energy and momentum of the fight comes through completely. This is in notable contrast to the last couple episodes that felt so lethargic. An episode of One Piece may not be able to jam more than a chapter's worth of story into an episode, but it can pace individual scenes like a dream when necessary.
The story plows forward as we learn about the several days and nights spent fighting off Jack and his crew, with Cat Viper and Dogstorm switching in and out. This gives the fight a somewhat mythical quality that also paints Jack as a sturdy beast who seems impossible to take down. This alleviates the “just some guy” vibe I had been getting from the anime previously. The only reason the fight was ever able to end was because Jack had to leave to attempt to rescue Doflamingo from the Navy, a fact that Dogstorm in the present day recognizes is thanks to the Straw Hats.
The second part of this episode centers around Sanji's half of the Straw Hats happening upon Zou for the first time. This is a breath of fresh air, both because it feels good to see some Straw Hats be the center of attention (especially with Sanji, who has been M.I.A. in the current storyline) and because I love seeing Caesar Clown begrudgingly operating as a crew member, as they make their way to the top of the elephant. This scene, if nothing else, gives some variety to the story content we're seeing in this episode.
I'd hate to sound like I'm gushing over what's ultimately just a pretty good episode, but this is what happens with One Piece. It'll be super awesome and creative (i.e. the first three episodes of Zou) and then it will fall into a rut that makes its audience question if it's even worth continuing to keep up with, and then it will swing back around and remind us that yes, it does in fact know what it's doing. It's an okay episode by a lot of measures, the animation is mostly still subpar, but it's well directed in the ways that matter.
If I were to sum up Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! in a single word, that word would be “cute.”― If I were to sum up Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! in a single word, that word would be “cute.” Shiki and Fuyuki's interactions are a mixture of playful (and sometimes sexual) teasing and heartfelt feelings as the two come to value each other. They have real chemistry—and that drives the anime stra...
Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it.― Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed...
Series previously inspired 52-episode anime in 1993― This year's 24th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine revealed on Wednesday that Gosho Aoyama's Yaiba manga will be getting a new anime adaptation. Aoyama is supervising. The series follows the titular Yaiba Kurogane, a young samurai boy inspired by Miyamoto Musashi, the real-life swordsman who pioneered the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū sty...
Based on the novel by former Nogizaka46 member Kazumi Takayama, trapezium asks its audience to follow one girl who will use anything, and anyone, to achieve her dream.― Trapezium is a strange movie, to say the least. On the surface, it's a rather simple movie that explores youth, their dreams, and the lengths they'll go to achieve those dreams. It's a coming-of-age story wrapped in the veneer of the...
ZeroReq011 remembers what made Spice and Wolf a story for the ages, from its fully realized world and economics to Holo and Lawrence's romantic chemistry.― Back when Funimation was still its own company and not owned by Sony, long before its in-house streaming service was terminated in favor of Crunchyroll's streaming platform, it owned a TV channel. Legal streaming had yet to dominate the Western a...
Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations, from the Yuri on Ice movie to the second half of Stars Align.― Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations from the second half of Stars Align to the 2007 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views...
Welcome to the rankings for the Spring 2024 season! The perfect place to check out which hidden gems might have flown under your radar.― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated ...
Producer Masakazu Kubo shares the animation team's dedication to realism, including bringing in a pro golfer to produce the anime's sound effects.― 64-year-old Masakazu Kubo has been planning and producing anime for decades. He's had a major hand in everything from Pokémon and Detective Conan to Teasing Master Takagi-san and Dorohedoro. Recently, he sat down with us to talk about Tonbo!, his attemp...