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.
Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf.― Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.S...
You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable.― You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable. You and I Are Polar Opposites is based on the tried-and-true formula of a thousand romantic comedies: Suzuki is a popular girl, and Tani is the class nerd. She's bright and perky,...
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James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film!― Could There Be More Evangelion on the Horizon? James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film! Plus, we catch up with Kafka and the Ka...
Grant Jones dives into the wild world of giant monsters and how Kaiju No. 8 builds on their legacy.― Kaiju No. 8 is a series that wears its influences on its sleeves. As the first word in its title suggests, it comes from a long line of works in the kaiju genre, using giant monsters and burning skylines as a backdrop to tell stories. While many likely know kaiju in a passing sense, it may help to h...
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Director adds that there are no definite plans, but it would be helmed by "someone other than himself"― In a recent interview with The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, director Hideaki Anno acknowledged that "there may be plans" for more in the Evangelion anime franchise, but possibly with "someone other than [himself]" at the helm, who would receive a high degree of freedom. He added that there are no defi...
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Train to the End of the World and Voice Actor Radio are getting a lot of love these last few weeks! Discover which other series stand out in our weekly user rankings!― 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...
Crystal Kay previously sang themes for 2004's Fullmetal Alchemist and Nodame Cantabile― Recently, Anime News Network was able to sit down with singer-songwriter Crystal Kay and talk about not only her involvement with anime over the years but also what it was like to grow up in Japan as the child of a Korean-Japanese mother and an African-American father. Anime fans likely know of Crystal Kay throug...
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