After many long weeks, One Piece is back. What a glorious day.
This episode is a solid return to form for the consistently strong Wano arc. There are plenty of fight scenes and more than a few flashbacks, and it all fits together well without feeling overwhelming. There's no big standout moment, but being consistent and, well, back is sufficient enough.
There are lots of fun little moments in this episode as well, such as scenes of Chōpper demonstrating battlefield medical science – it's rare that he gets any screen time, let alone showcase his medical background. We also get lots of Marco showing off his blazing pineapple powers which I know will please the Marco lovers out there.
But the real meat of the episode is a rumination on what Wano means to Ace, and what Ace means to Wano. Ace's place in One Piece is interesting because his demise is one of the few high-profile character deaths in the entirety of its 25-year run. It was definitely one of the definitive moments of the series and I still get pangs in my chest (sorry, too soon) just thinking about him. So it's interesting that Oda has Chōsen to tie Wano into his past through flashbacks as a way to loop it more fully into Luffy's personal story.
Oda is a huge proponent of hard-hitting flashbacks, but I think using Ace this way is smart. Because we so rarely get much information about Ace, having his dream be tied to Wano gives us that much more reason to root for Luffy's success. The flashbacks to Yamato and Tama spending time with Ace further underscores how important they are, while adding a bit of gravitas to their relatively recent appearances in the story.
There are a few bombastic fight sequences to round out the episode too. Queen and King make their “official” combat debuts against Marco, plus we get some really terrific Musou-esque explosions of goons when Luffy comes in swinging right at the end. All in all a great episode that hopefully heralds a return to regular airing for the show.
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...
Anime will star Hiroshi Kamiya, Kotaro Nishiyama, Kotaro Nishiyama― Distribution company Remow announced on Tuesday that Yura Urushibara's Tougen Anki: Dark Demon of Paradise manga will get a television anime in 2025. The company revealed the trailer, key visual, and main cast for the anime. The anime's cast includes:
Kazuki Ura as Shiki Ichinose, the protagonist who inherits the blood of an Oni. Sh...
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...