One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga

Episode 14

Episode 14 of One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga delivers the other emotional high watermark for the arc with skill and aplomb.

The curtain closes for Queen Otohime in our grand tale. It's a sad state of affairs - she strived for a better world without bloodshed or airing out old grudges. It was a noble goal, to be sure, but her end is violent and her methods are burned to ash. It's a sober reflection on change in our own world and how fragile new things can be. At this point, it is unclear whether it was a human assassin or perhaps another triggerman, but Hody Jones seizes on the opportunity regardless.

Therein lies an important lesson in all this. The fact that the identity of the shooter is so crucial shows how fraught and sensitive the situation is. It is so fraught because of the unending violence of the World Government being used against the Fishmen. As shown before with the branching paths of characters like Fisher Tiger, Arlong, Jinbei, and now Hody Jones, the people most subject to the violence of this powerful entity are often at odds with one another and forced to wrestle with moral predicaments. “What is the best method to fight back against tyranny?” The question itself gives up a bit of the game that we have to pose it at all: tyranny is already present, violence is the result, and something must change for the Fishmen to be freed.

This week the Toei team did well bringing all this emotion and turmoil front and center. I was particularly impressed with Queen Otohime's passing. It has a shojo-esque air with bright faces, tearful glances, and mother-of-pearl background colors. That bright injection of color and life juxtaposes well with the tragic death on display and the end of Queen Otohime's dream.

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One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.