One Piece Episode 1093 provides a lot of the classic excitement that the series is known for with the modern pizzazz that Toei has been delivering in recent years.
This is the beginning of another big throwdown that has been a long time coming: Trafalgar Law versus Blackbeard. This is certainly a fight that a lot of folks have been looking forward to and it features big fan-favorite characters. While Egghead Island is visually and thematically barreling towards the future, the Law and Blackbeard fight is firmly rooted in past sensibilities. Pirates that we care about and their crews full of weirdos battling it out for domination of the high seas. It's good fun and there's great action aplenty, hard to find much fault with any of it.
The unique spices in the mix are the refreshing combat tricks and the shenanigans of the Sick-Sick fruit. What I appreciate about Law and Blackbeard fighting is that it is a bit more involved than a simple slug match. Sure, I like big knockout punches as much as the next person, but I think we've gotten plenty of direct confrontations for a while. It's a pleasant surprise that Law and Blackbeard are engaging in a more traditional Devil Fruit fight, where there is play and counter-play of powers. It feels like either one could have the edge or get the killing blow at any given moment. The inclusion of the ship battle between the crews helps add to the sense of a conventional fight with human stakes.
The Sick-Sick Fruit also works its havoc on Law and crew, giving everyone a rather noticeable makeover. I've never been Trafalgar Law's biggest fan, but add in a more feminine persuasion… look, I get it now. The Sicko-Sicko fruit has worked on me, I'm a true believer.
Unsurprisingly, the Toei team turns in stellar work throughout. Fluid animation, expertly paced fights, and bombastic power effects cover the screen from one end of the runtime to the other. Perhaps most impressive is the sequence with Van Ogre and Kuzan, from the steadily encroaching ice effects to the shadow-like form Kuzan takes on in his most malicious moments. It's a tour de frost, one might say.
Rating:
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