If we're judging pure chapter content compared to episode content, this arc has got to be the slowest One Piece's anime has ever been. People have always been harsh on the show at a chapter-per-episode pace, but that was pretty close to "just right" for me, considering how busy your average chapter of One Piece is. We're not moving even that fast right now, and considering the frequency with which the manga takes breaks these days, I wonder if we'll ever get back on track.
It's especially frustrating because I think this is the part of the arc where stuff starts to get really cool and there are all these things I'm excited to talk about, but every time I think we're about to get to some of it, the episode ends and I feel like I'm running through a cave in a JRPG, triggering a bunch of annoying random encounters.
This episode lies in the fallout of the Luffy vs. Sanji fight. Luffy's made up his mind that he isn't going to move an inch from where Sanji left him, preforming his own impromptu hunger strike. Even once the sky starts to rain syrup (which sounds very inconvenient and sticky), Luffy keeps his mouth shut, refusing to eat or taste anything that isn't made by Sanji. Normally when somebody tries to leave the crew for personal reasons, they need to learn to trust Luffy to fight on their behalf, but here Luffy's putting all his trust in Sanji not to stay separated for too long. This gesture is complicated since he's worn out by two very big fights, and now Big Mom's army of hundreds are on their way to avenge Cracker.
There's only a small amount of new story content getting covered in this episode, but what it tries to do with its time is admirable, as we're getting a good dose of the arc's bizarro Disney-musical motif. Sanji and the rest of the Vinsmokes get to meet with Big Mom in person for the first time for the engagement ceremony, and there's mounds of creativity bringing the singing tableware to life as they try to be as helpful as possible to Big Mom's guests. Also, the Whole Cake Island arc wouldn't be complete without creepy smiling food begging to be eaten, as if that's a totally normal thing to offer foreigners. Does Big Mom go out of her way to put souls into food? Where do the souls go when you eat them?! The morbid friendliness of Big Mom's kingdom is available in spades in this episode, extending to Big Mom's youngest children who all seem to be out to stab each other.
The outdoors portion of the episode, focusing on Luffy and Nami as a storm picks up, looks really nice and atmospheric, the awkward army of CGI soldiers approaching be damned. Luffy looks truly worn out and tattered, and one of the most mystifying details is his missing tooth from one of Sanji's kicks. Something like that would normally get cartoon-logic'd back into his face by now, but I really enjoy how the story goes on to play with it like it's a battle scar. It's one of those little things that should be inconsequential, but it bugs you just enough to keep your eye on it.
In the midst of meeting Big Mom, Sanji also has a moment to interact with his fiancée Pudding, who wants to talk to him in private. This thread is properly suspenseful in the moment (we don't get to see their conversation until the next episode), but pulling Sanji aside all happens within the span of a single manga chapter, and it's ultimately a simple setup for something else that happens down the line. We're creating all these extra story beats to buy time before the real rollercoaster can start, and this arc is already looking long enough as is. This episode does a good job keeping what it has to offer entertaining, and the world of Whole Cake Island has a lot to take in for those who want to dawdle and enjoy the environment, but man, I'm ready to speed things up.
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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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