It's easy to forget that all the living objects and trees within Whole Cake Island are animated by the souls of individual people. Pudding reminds us of this when she creates a clearing for the Straw Hats in the forest by using her Memo-Memo powers to return the attacking trees to their original consciousness, at least for the time being. It's a little tragic to think that this arc is basically Thriller Bark 2.0, but without the happy ending where we see the souls return to their original owners.
This is a surprisingly good-looking episode, despite how little story progress is made. This is my platonic ideal for how I'd like the anime to look on a more regular basis, where even the less animation intensive scenes look nice and polished, like the artists actually had time to draw multiple drafts before airing. This would be a perfect episode if anything happened in it, but sadly this is about half a chapter's worth of running forward. Thankfully, this seems to be the end of the Big Mom foot chase before we transition into naval combat, as the rest of the Straw Hats finally arrive to assist Chopper and Brook on the Sunny.
Chopper and Brook's side of the fight continues to be really cool, with Brook now fighting with his Soul King ghost hanging off him like a JoJo's Stand. I hope that's just how he fights from now on. It's a little frustrating to know how strong Katakuri and Perospero must be and for them to not just murder Chopper and Brook with the blink of an eye. Part of that is the anime's pacing, but Perospero's involvement in the fight includes trapping his opponents in candy and then literally putting a clock on their heads to wait for them to suffocate. I believe circumstances demand a little more efficiency on the villains' part at the moment.
Still, the villains' lazy confidence does lead to the highlight of the episode, where Perospero watches the Seducing Woods from a distance and assumes Mom has killed the Straw Hats by now, only for them to emerge intact in a sequence that has some real kick to it. We get to watch the enemy's stunned face as they realize their barrage of obstacles hasn't slowed Luffy and company down at all, and it feels great. The finale also tops the episode off with a well-animated action scene where Luffy plows his way through Perospero's giant candy attacks. It really gets your blood pumping to see the heroes putting so much effort into avoiding Big Mom, as well as trying to throw the other powerful villains off the ship so they can finally take off.
So the Straw Hats sans Sanji have at long last made it to the Sunny, meaning we can only change gears from here. Sanji, Pudding, and Chiffon are off to Cacao Island to rebuild Mom's wedding cake, so the crew's best bet is to sail between the various islands of Totto Land while the baking commences. I'd really prefer that we not still be taking things this slow, but I have a lot of affection for the execution of this episode in all other regards. That fun adventurous spirit can finally breathe, and I hope we get to spend at least a few more episodes at this level of quality as the story delves into heavier stuff up ahead.
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...
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...
Masaaki Mizunaka, KENN, Daiki Yamashita, Maria Naganawa, more join cast― The staff for the anime of Kaoru Shinozaki's Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-level Spells (Hazure Waku no "Jōtai Ijō Skill" de Saikyō ni Natta Ore ga Subete wo Jūrin Suru made) light novel series revealed on Sunday the anime's ending theme song's title and artist, additional cast member...
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...
Pokémon Horizons continues to display some of the best the franchise offers with great character work, creative setpieces, surprisingly strong direction, and a focus on a plot that continues to feel engaging.― Pokémon Horizons felt like a breath of fresh air as a new mainline Pokémon series. With a more timid and empathic main character and a stronger emphasis on the adventuring aspect of being a Po...
Sony and Square-Enix are both reorganizing, from new CEOs to staff cutbacks. Also, sad news about Penny Blood, more Cotton, and the latest video game news!― Welcome back, folks! You know, it's always nice to discover old stuff from a franchise you love that you didn't know existed. For example, I didn't know that the old Captain N: The Game Master cartoon had an episode that featured the world of Dr...
Ahead of the romance anime's second season, director Takehiro Kubota discusses the choices, the challenges, and balancing the story between the everyday and the supernatural.― My Happy Marriage began its life as a series of novels written by Akumi Agitogi, and it has since been adapted both as manga and, as of July 2023, an anime series simulcast by Netflix. Agitogi's tale, set in a nebulous time t...