When reactions are based solely on the weekly release of the anime, it's easy to forget to emphasize how masterful One Piece is at juggling and threading its immense number of subplots. Since the reveal of Pudding's dastardly nature, a lot has already changed. Luffy is out of prison, Pedro's finishing up his fight, Nami and Jimbei are off to reunite with the rest of the crew, and so on. I like how we get to enjoy the distinct feeling that most of the arc's conflicts are wrapping up, but just as things are settling down, Brook also gets captured. No matter how clean the path is to Luffy and Sanji's reconciliation, there's always going to be at least one more problem to take care of. One Straw Hat steps out of prison, and another just falls right in.
Brook's situation aside, this episode is probably the most positive development our heroes have gotten in a while. Just when things are starting to get hairy in Pedro's fight with Count Niwatori, the jaguar uses his trademark move (excessive amounts of dynamite) as a distraction to make his getaway, allowing Chopper and Carrot to pull him into the safe haven they've created in Brulee's mirror world. So that's three members of Team Straw Hat together, and then later they catch Nami and Jimbei running through the halls, bringing the gang up to five. Making the mirror world the meeting point for our main characters does a lot to pay off the endless padding we've spent on Carrot and Chopper's shenanigans up until now. Also, the sparkly shojo fanart that Carrot draws so that the sentient mirrors can locate their friends just makes me fall for her even harder. What a good bun.
The most mixed aspect of this episode is the amount of time spent on Luffy's dash through the Whole Cake Chateau looking for Sanji. It's probably the most well-animated portion of the episode, as Luffy picks fights with every enemy pirate that steps into his path, but it faces all the same padding challenges that we've come to sigh at. There's a lot that I like in this episode, but the story flow is very stiff as a result of drawn-out action that would have worked best zipping right past you.
In the theme of absolving the Straw Hats of conflict, Luffy finds himself in Reiju's hospital room, having just missed Sanji. Reiju catches Luffy up, confirming that Sanji knows about Pudding's lies and comforting anybody in the audience who might have been worried that this misconception would get in the way of the crew finally coming together. The efficiency at which the show addresses Every Little Thing that could keep Luffy and Sanji from making up would almost seem robotic if it weren't so charming. The only reason the story is delaying their reunion at this point is mostly a matter of poetry, as Luffy takes this chance to break out of the chateau and make a beeline for the spot where he and Sanji fought—the place where he promised he'd be waiting. Meanwhile, Sanji is struggling to decide what he wants to do. He has his freedom, but it's starting to become clear that he might have a problem leaving his family to die.
After an arc of ups and downs, it feels good to see the moving pieces start falling into place and for the real story to reveal itself. It's important that once Luffy and Sanji meet, there aren't any baggage or excuses for them not to be completely honest with each other, in direct contrast to what was going on in their fight where Sanji had to lie in order to appease his family. We're moving into the next big turning point of the Whole Cake Island arc, where clarity becomes one of the story's biggest strengths, and seeing things tidy up this elegantly goes a long way toward setting up that strong sense of focus.
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...