So we've managed to survive long enough in the Big Mom chase to finally board the Thousand Sunny. Things will never be easy, however, and now our heroes' next priority is to actually set sail, which is a real challenge while continuing to deal with Perospero (who this week proudly announces his 700 million berry bounty) and Katakuri (Mister One Billion). Big Mom's rampage is pushing the Straw Hats off the shore, and an entire enemy fleet is arriving to challenge them at sea.
It's hard to call this the official start of the Luffy vs. Katakuri fight, since it's a momentary skirmish so far, but there's a unique air between these two as Luffy tries to plow through his opponent's Mochi-Mochi powers. The real meat and potatoes of this week's episode lies on the shoulders of Pedro's fight with Perospero, since Perospero is adding his candy powers into the mix and locking the Sunny on the shore to block the Straw Hats' ability to use the Coup de Burst and fly away.
Long story short, this is the "death" of Pedro episode. This is yet again about half a chapter's worth of material being covered, but it's a rare instance where I don't mind so much, because the show does such a good job sucking you into the moment and helping you forget how long we've been in Big Mom's territory and how much needs to happen before we're out. The artificial pacing isn't at odds with the sense of power and scale they're trying to convey. This is Pedro's episode through and through, flashing back to his childhood admiration of Gold Roger and connecting that to his mission in favor of the Straw Hats.
The Alice in Wonderland influences in Whole Cake Island feel very appropriate, because there are a number of what I'd call "through the looking glass" moments—turning points where the audience can feel their expectations crumbling to dust in their hands. Pedro's sacrifice (using dynamite to blow himself and Perospero to smithereens) feels like it's been telegraphed for months, and yet it feels so sudden when it actually happens. I think the tragedy is in how much time and effort we've spent trying to save Sanji from throwing his own life away for the benefit of the crew, and then Pedro goes and does exactly that. The rest of the cast doesn't even have time to grieve. If they don't immediately embrace this new opening as a gift, they'll be next.
I have to put "death" in quotes because this is still One Piece, after all. With few exceptions, characters who commit a heroic sacrifice usually get up and dust themselves off in the post-arc or have their survival teased in the story years later. As of the manga, Pedro is still presumed dead, but anything's possible for this series. I think if he was for sure deceased, the story could get a lot more explicit and save the audience a debate, but on the other hand I think the mystery gives us an optional safety net from the arc's more sinister subtext. Whole Cake Island to me is at least partly about the ever-blurring line between noble self-sacrifice and pathological self-destruction. The arc began as a detour from the Kaido storyline, a quick adventure to get Sanji back and see the crew whole again, but now we'll be leaving it with more lost than gained.
This episode is notably strong in execution as well, sporting a lot of great art and indulging in a myriad of legacy OST tracks. I can't think of the last time I heard 'To the Grand Line' in this show, and it cements Pedro's death scene as an instant classic in my mind. This really feels like the anime staff going above and beyond to make something that feels just a little bigger than the source material, and I believe they have succeeded wonderfully.
The book feels like a deliberate combo of SAO, Log Horizon, and Suppose a Kid From the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, and that works better than you might expect.― If this story feels familiar, that's on purpose. In their afterword, author Nagawasabi64 says that they've noticed that the "trapped in a VRMMORPG" genre made popular by SAO has fallen out of favor, which made them want to ...
There's no question that Go! Go! Loser Ranger! is a dark deconstruction of Super Sentai/Power Rangers in anime form—but is that all it is? Chris and Lucas dive in to find out.― There's no question that Go! Go! Loser Ranger! is a dark deconstruction of Super Sentai/Power Rangers in anime form—but is that all it is? Chris and Lucas dive in to find out. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by ...
Takashi Shiina, Katsuyuki Sumisawa launched adaptation in September 2021― The seventh volume of the Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Hanyō no Yashahime) manga adaptation by Takashi Shiina and Katsuyuki Sumisawa revealed on May 17 that the series will enter the "final battle" in the eighth volume, which ships in fall 2024. Viz has the rights "to the digital streaming, EST, and home video" of the orig...
Games were scheduled for release on Tuesday― Idea Factory International (IFI) announced on Monday that it is delaying the Nintendo Switch versions of Compile Heart's Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth game series digitally in North America and Europe indefinitely until further notice. The company did not provide a reason. The games were scheduled for digital release on Switch in the West on Tuesday. T...
Crunchyroll to stream 18-episode series with new footage― Crunchyroll announced on Monday that it will begin screening a new television series version of the two-part anime film adaptation of Inio Asano's Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction worldwide on Thursday at 11:00 p.m. EDT (which is Friday in Japan). Crunchyroll will stream the 18 episodes weekly. Episodes will feature new footage not in t...
This is a good series to check out if you like more bite with your vampire romances.― Going into Bloody Sweet, I expected to find a fluffy rom-com about a girl and the vampire she accidentally gets attached to. Instead, I found a story about a bullied high school girl whose bullies are smart enough to evade all of the checks and balances the school has put in place. When Naerim accidentally awakens ...
In our brand-new column, Lynzee Loveridge comes clean about her backlog, starting with one of the most popular anime ever. Use this space here for critical finger-wagging and exclamations of disbelief.― I have a secret. A no-good, embarrassing, shame-inducing secret. I'm the executive editor at Anime News Network but there are, in fact, anime I have not watched. Not just forgettable mid-tier season...
Chiu shares how she brought the SEA simulcast service to the forefront after founding it at 17 years old.― Over the past six years, many streaming and simulcast services have catered to otaku in Asia, offering simulcasts of seasonal anime and theatrical anime screenings. One such service is Ani-One Asia, a Hong Kong-based Medialink Group brand that offers a competitive lineup of simulcasts every se...
'Eikyū -Tokoshie-' debuts in episode 2 on Sunday― The staff for the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc television anime confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday that HYDE×MY FIRST STORY is performing the new ending theme song "Eikyū -Tokoshie-" (Eternity -Eternity-), which premieres in the second episode on Sunday. Yuki Kajiura wrote the music and lyrics for the song, and also a...
The benefit of being committed to such a simple setup is that the story knows exactly what it needs to do to invoke the maximum emotional response for this type of story.― I Want You To Make Me Beautiful is a simple story that does everything it sets out to do. At its heart, it's a straightforward story about moving on from the pain of a bad breakup and reinventing yourself into something better. Th...
Laid-Back Camp narrowly claims the top spot this week, but Delicious in Dungeon is having none of that and bumps it down in the cumulative. Find out where your favorites rank this week!― 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 ...
Goodbye, Lara follows reborn mermaid, Ninja Skooler features ninja school― Kinema Citrus announced at its panel during this year's Anime Central event on Saturday that it is producing two new anime titled Goodbye, Lara (Sayonara Lara) and Ninja Skooler. Takushi Koide is directing the Goodbye, Lara anime with character designs by Shiori Tani. The anime is based on a concept by Kinema Citrus, and it t...
Honestly, you're getting a solid collection of character art with some disposable comic stories where you might get to enjoy some out-of-context obscure CAPCOM cameos.― As a lifelong fan of Street Fighter, it's easy to get excited about the potential of seeing my favorite fighters doing stuff in different mediums. The flip side is that Udon Entertainment's hold on the comic treatment of the characte...
The cast of the Demon Slayer stage play gave a memorable performance during the Japan Day Parade.― The Demon Slayer franchise continues to prove itself as an absolute powerhouse for fans worldwide. The hit manga by Koyoharu Gotouge has been adapted into multiple mediums, including anime, light novels, video games, and a stage play that has been running since 2020. Cast members of the stage play app...