There's a unique aura going into this episode. By this point we're all equipped with the knowledge that the One Piece anime is getting a face lift starting next week to kick off the Wano arc. I really like how all the previews have looked so far, and I'm excited for this series to get a much needed shot in the arm. This episode is a hello and a goodbye—a transition into a new age.
With Whole Cake Island and the Reverie behind us, it's time for our heroes to figure out what this Wano country business is all about. The Thousand Sunny crew is approaching their destination, but that doesn't mean entering the country is going to be easy. Like Whole Cake before it, Wano is cut off from the world around it. People aren't expected to enter or leave all that often, and our first obstacle is some crazy weather that leaves even Nami concerned about the crew's navigational fortitude. Part of what's interesting about this episode is that, while the anime hasn't formally changed art styles yet, we're still witnessing an aesthetic transformation to emphasize Wano's roots in traditional Japanese imagery. The waves surrounding the island look like an Ukiyo-e painting and giant koi fish become our primary mode of transportation, not to mention the stellar soundtrack throughout the entire episode. To actually get into the country, the crew must follow the koi fish up a raging waterfall, calling back to the famous legend about koi turning into dragons. (Hmm. I wonder if there will be dragons in Wano?) The layers of cultural pastiche are as thick as they come.
Holding the episode back is how little story the anime has to spread over its runtime. There's a small bit of recap to remind us of Luffy and Momonosuke's partnership, but it's not as substantial as the previous clip shows we've been seeing. This episode is otherwise centered exclusively around sailing into stormy waters and trying to make sense of the landscape, ending with the ship getting sucked into a whirlpool and Luffy drowning. As exciting as the upcoming anime reboot is, the question of pacing might not be something the show can meaningfully address. Wano is still running in the manga and barely feels like it's gotten started, so hopefully the anime staff have a thoughtful strategy for how they're going to tackle filler.
I don't think I'm ever going to be particularly nostalgic for this era of the One Piece anime. Be it the character designs or the style of visual compositing, it always felt like the best case scenario was for talented animators to do good work in spite of the stiff plastic sheen that's haunted many of Toei's properties in recent years. Between this and Dragon Ball Super, it's comforting to see such dramatic shifts being made to help these stories feel more like artistic labors of love over vapid commercial products. I wish I could I could say more about this episode beyond "The times, they are a-changin'!", but that's definitely the prevailing feeling that I'm experiencing this week.
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...
2019-20 anime was itself a follow-up to first 2013-16 Ace of Diamond anime― Production on a sequel to the 2019-2020 television anime of Yūji Terajima's Ace of Diamond Act II (Daiya no A Act II) manga has been green-lit. Terajima drew an illustration to commemorate the news: Terajima's original Ace of Diamond baseball manga inspired a television anime that premiered in 2013, and Crunchyroll streamed ...
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...
2-hour programming block airs on Fridays starting on May 31― Adult Swim's Toonami programming block announced on Friday that it is creating a new block called Toonami Rewind that is dedicated to running anime, or versions of the series, that aired on the original Toonami prior to its 2012 revival. Toonami Rewind will air on Fridays starting on May 31 at 5:00 p.m. EDT, and it will feature Sailor Moo...
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...
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,...