Episode 1113 provides a big shakeup in locale and focus from most of the current arc's focus.
So, we're not in Kansas, er, Egghead Island anymore (or at least this week). We instead find the central drama on Beehive Island where Blackbeard reigns and Koby is captured. It creates a fresh canvas for one thing and gives us a chance to check in on fan-favorite supporting characters who are not always in the limelight. That's always a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.
It also helps that this is an engaging hook at face value. Prison-break scenarios are always fun and easy to understand regardless of the particulars. Sure, not every prison-break scenario has sentient islands and the ability to summon ghosts, but the general outline of these situations makes them easy to understand in most instances. Koby is trying to escape—and is doing so in his typical selfless manner: attempting to draw the attention of his captors to allow innocents to flee. I may be wrong about this but I think this is the first time we get any major detail on what SWORD is too. I know we've seen them in Wano with Koby and Drake's interactions but I wasn't sure we got much detail beyond them being a special operations unit with the Navy—so the details of this group were a welcome addition.
The new Marine characters are good stuff too. I'm always a sucker for the gooey clay warrior trope—and the fact that the Marines can field entire units of these guys is quite fascinating. Perhaps it's another artificial devil fruit power situation? I'd be curious to find out what the details are there. The only real downside to the episode is that it does break the flow of the Egghead Island story somewhat. I'm curious if we're going to jump back and forth between these two events or have a clutch of episodes entirely zeroed in on Beehive Island. Time will tell.
BAKERU is a fantastic game for kids and kids at heart.― Late last year, BAKERU's initial Japanese release seemed to spark what could only be described as “pure, nostalgic joy” among those who played the 3D platformer. Particularly, a nostalgia for the Ganbare Goemon series and its Nintendo 64 installment, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. Which makes a lot of sense when one considers that BAKERU's dev...
While most of Anya's schemes go hilariously sideways, now is her time to shine.― It's hard to go wrong with an Anya-centric storyline. As wonderful as it's been to get Loid's difficult past and to see Yor steal the spotlight, Anya remains one of Spy x Family's most endearing characters, as well as the one it's easiest to get an entertaining plot out of. She's the ultimate wild card, a little kid who...
The classic 90s anime Ninja Scroll returns to theaters this week, and ANN has a shikishi board signed by the film's director, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, to give away!― Attention ANN readers and fans of classic anime! We have a very special item to give to ONE lucky reader courtesy of our friends at Iconic Events Releasing. Read on to learn more! Iconic Events Releasing partners with Anime Expo for AX Cinem...
The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time is one of the better villainess light novel series to make it over.― Villainess stories, whether in novel, manga, or anime format, all share a few basic truths, and one of them is that if the “villainess” turns out to be good, it must follow that the “heroine” is actually bad. Bakufu Narayama's The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time does use that genre ...
An overlooked ninja game, the death of the Visions of Mana studio, and a CAPCOM stalwart moves on to new pastures.― Welcome back, folks! I had a nice experience this past weekend; I decided to visit my local GameStop to see if they had some titles I was looking for (I wanted Shadow of the Ninja Reborn and Gravity Circuit). They didn't have 'em, but they were nice enough to try and put the order thro...
The director sheds light on his in-progress Showa-era film starring an aging yakuza and how it differs from his critically-acclaimed ODDTAXI anime series.― Three years after ODDTAXI, Baku Kinoshita is back with a feature film, Housenka. This movie will be focused on an old yakuza, agonizing in his cell and remembering his past life while chatting with his talking flower. The director was present at...
While the top spots are stable, we see Suicide Squad Isekai and Senpai is an Otokonoko gradually rise through the middle ranks. Check out 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 ar...
Is Shadow of the Ninja Reborn a sharp remake of a semi-classic NES game? Or is it something much more?― The original Shadow of the Ninja had its moment, but it wasn't very long. Critics and players rightly saw it as a well-crafted and harshly challenging side-scroller back in 1990, yet it arrived in the busiest time for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was rapidly swept aside without gaining se...
Chris and Lucas dive into the Sargasso Sea of marketable plastic goodies and the all-consuming monster that is capitalism in the anime world.― Chris and Lucas dive into the Sargasso Sea of marketable plastic goodies and the all-consuming monster that is capitalism in the anime world. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Net...
Anime based on Brocco Lee's manga of Nekoko's light novels― The 11th compiled book volume of Brocco Lee's manga adaptation of Nekoko's The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System (Tsuihō Sareta Tensei Jū Kishi wa Game Chishiki de Musō Suru) light novel series confirmed the franchise's listed a television anime adaptation on Thursday. The announcement noted that the anime is specifically ada...
