Episode 1115 is a whirlwind of electrifying animation from start to finish.
This week's and last week's episodes make for an interesting comparison. See, last week was a single punch—brilliantly animated and stretched across an episode. A flurry of events happened on multiple islands this week and it's also drop-dead gorgeous throughout. The Toei team can never get enough praise as far as I'm concerned. What they bring every week has changed my expectations for what weekly television animation can look like.
The flashback sequence with Aokiji palling around with the Blackbeard pirates is a real treat. I loved watching them banter back and forth somewhat jovially yet touching on broader Navy and pirate philosophies—not to mention that the sequences where everyone is laughing and drinking are paced and shot beautifully. We rarely get to see a celebratory scene like this outside of the end of a major arc. It helps flesh out why Aokiji ended up where he did after the battle with Akainu and leaving the Navy. I liked the little impression he made, in particular.
The actual battles are excellent in this episode too. Obviously, we have become quite accustomed to the terrific look of One Piece battles, so the Aokiji versus Garp and Bepo versus Blackbeard pirates fights are as amazing as expected. The choreography is really top-notch—which is an area I rarely get to compliment. I love a giant punch slugfest as much as the next person, but the more careful considerations of movement, attacks, and placement make the battles far more engaging. Bepo doing his little kicks in the air after the giant boulder tackle stands out.
Alas, the Heart pirates appear to be down for the count. I'm glad Bepo and Law escaped, but it's looking grim for the Worst Generation on the whole…
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