This week, One Piece brings us an exciting—if somewhat simple—episode.
It can be a bit of a challenge to review episodes like these if I'm being honest. Many of One Piece's more prominent elements fade into the background. This episode does not feature any grandiose political maneuvering or dramatic appearances by previously hidden powerbrokers. There is no shocking lore reveals or hints at eras long past. If you're looking for heart-wrenching flashbacks or introspective moments of reflection, keep on walking.
This episode is about fighting, and whew Lord it's the good stuff.
Law and Kid square off against Big Mom and the big attacks start flying. Wano is an arc of big bruisers throwing big attacks at each other, so it's not outside the norm in any way. I think Law and Kid are a team up that is more than the sum of its parts, and the sort of Worst Generation trio they've formed with Luffy makes for a very funny dynamic. The sense of desperation is palpable as they face Big Mom and her seemingly endless hordes of backup, and despite it all, she still manages to come out on top.
The Toei Animation team is once again strutting their stuff and delivering absolutely gorgeous renditions of these attacks throughout the runtime. It's a veritable feast for the eyes, and while the quality and fluidity are high I think the big draw is the color. The entire episode just pops with these bright glowing purples and greens, almost candy-colored hues of a type that we don't see terribly often. The closeups on Big Mom's face are a real highlight for me, with her eyes turning into burning bubblegum fires. There's even more great play with lighting during the sequences where she is absorbing and rearranging life energy across the battlefield of Onigashima, streaming soul streaks cutting through the dark air.
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