So we've managed to survive long enough in the Big Mom chase to finally board the Thousand Sunny. Things will never be easy, however, and now our heroes' next priority is to actually set sail, which is a real challenge while continuing to deal with Perospero (who this week proudly announces his 700 million berry bounty) and Katakuri (Mister One Billion). Big Mom's rampage is pushing the Straw Hats off the shore, and an entire enemy fleet is arriving to challenge them at sea.
It's hard to call this the official start of the Luffy vs. Katakuri fight, since it's a momentary skirmish so far, but there's a unique air between these two as Luffy tries to plow through his opponent's Mochi-Mochi powers. The real meat and potatoes of this week's episode lies on the shoulders of Pedro's fight with Perospero, since Perospero is adding his candy powers into the mix and locking the Sunny on the shore to block the Straw Hats' ability to use the Coup de Burst and fly away.
Long story short, this is the "death" of Pedro episode. This is yet again about half a chapter's worth of material being covered, but it's a rare instance where I don't mind so much, because the show does such a good job sucking you into the moment and helping you forget how long we've been in Big Mom's territory and how much needs to happen before we're out. The artificial pacing isn't at odds with the sense of power and scale they're trying to convey. This is Pedro's episode through and through, flashing back to his childhood admiration of Gold Roger and connecting that to his mission in favor of the Straw Hats.
The Alice in Wonderland influences in Whole Cake Island feel very appropriate, because there are a number of what I'd call "through the looking glass" moments—turning points where the audience can feel their expectations crumbling to dust in their hands. Pedro's sacrifice (using dynamite to blow himself and Perospero to smithereens) feels like it's been telegraphed for months, and yet it feels so sudden when it actually happens. I think the tragedy is in how much time and effort we've spent trying to save Sanji from throwing his own life away for the benefit of the crew, and then Pedro goes and does exactly that. The rest of the cast doesn't even have time to grieve. If they don't immediately embrace this new opening as a gift, they'll be next.
I have to put "death" in quotes because this is still One Piece, after all. With few exceptions, characters who commit a heroic sacrifice usually get up and dust themselves off in the post-arc or have their survival teased in the story years later. As of the manga, Pedro is still presumed dead, but anything's possible for this series. I think if he was for sure deceased, the story could get a lot more explicit and save the audience a debate, but on the other hand I think the mystery gives us an optional safety net from the arc's more sinister subtext. Whole Cake Island to me is at least partly about the ever-blurring line between noble self-sacrifice and pathological self-destruction. The arc began as a detour from the Kaido storyline, a quick adventure to get Sanji back and see the crew whole again, but now we'll be leaving it with more lost than gained.
This episode is notably strong in execution as well, sporting a lot of great art and indulging in a myriad of legacy OST tracks. I can't think of the last time I heard 'To the Grand Line' in this show, and it cements Pedro's death scene as an instant classic in my mind. This really feels like the anime staff going above and beyond to make something that feels just a little bigger than the source material, and I believe they have succeeded wonderfully.
When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad.― When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad. That's assuming, of course, that you weren't prepared for it going in. The fate of Astrea Familia is well-known to readers and viewers (and players) of the various Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon iterations, and the most recent season of ...
The documentary was full of cool tidbits about the 82-year-old producer and the anime he's worked on—including Ninja Scroll, Pluto, and In This Corner of the World.― Late last month, Japanese television network NHK put out a documentary on anime producer Masao Maruyama as part of their Anime Manga Explosion series. In it, the show delves into the now 82-year-old producer's life, philosophies, and so...
Masaki Watanabe directs anime at TMS Entertainment― Shueisha announced on Monday in its first "Jump Press" video that Yuuto Suzuki's Sakamoto Days manga will get a television anime series in January 2025 starring Tomokazu Sugita as Taro Sakamoto. The video also revealed the main staff. Masaki Watanabe (KADO - The Right Answer, Bartender, several Battle Spirits anime) is directing the anime at TMS En...
This is where the series earns its place in anime history, setting a precedent that other magical girl shows will follow.― It's a moment of magical girl history, right there on the screen: in episode forty-six of Fairy Princess Minky Momo's original 1982-83 television series, Momo is hit by a truck and dies. Even putting aside the question of whether or not this is Truck-kun's first victim, this is ...
Ayane Sakura, Daisuke Ono join cast as Tokyo Blade play's creative team― A Sunday live-streamed program for the second Oshi no Ko anime season debuted the first main promotional video, a new main visual, and new character visuals for the season. The program and the video both revealed two more cast members, the opening theme song, and the July 3 premiere for the season. Sunday's program also announc...
Teaser video streamed― Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on Saturday that the Ghost in the Shell franchise is getting a new television anime series in 2026. Science Saru will produce the anime, which is tentatively titled Kōkaku Kidōtai (The Ghost in the Shell). Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, Science Saru, and Production I.G are on the production committee for the series. Bandai Namco Filmworks al...
This is a movie I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is.― Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Part 2 is a film I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is. The film is full of well-developed and memorable characters—especiall...
Company acquires studio behind Lu over the wall, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim anime, Tatami Time Machine Blues― The entertainment company Toho announced on Thursday that its board of directors has decided to acquire all shares of the anime studio Science Saru, effective on June 19. Toho will then make Science Saru its consolidated subsidiary from the second quarter (June-August) of the fiscal year ending i...
Chillin' in Another World pulls off a major dramatic spike and goes from trawling the bottom to #2 this week! See how all your favorites fared in 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 ran...
If you're a Haikyu!! fanatic, or if you can overcome this background knowledge hurdle, you're in for a pretty good time and some of the best editing to come from an anime in recent memory.― To begin, I should note that this film is a continuation of the Haikyu!! anime and a canon adaptation of the manga. As such, if you're not caught up on the anime or at least generally aware of the franchise and i...
The touchstone visual novel Kanon is coming to Steam! Plus, Gundam in Call of Duty, Nintendo's latest studio buy, and more!― Welcome back, folks! Last weekend, I had a sudden pang of nostalgia, and I started missing Avalon Code. Avalon Code was one of the many offbeat RPGs released on the Nintendo DS, this one by Matrix Software (and released in the US by Xseed). It had a fun concept: the world is g...
We sat down with game creator Suda51 ahead of his MomoCon appearance to talk about his new game Hotel Barcelona, his current must-watch TV shows, and more.― The renowned Suda51 has been responsible for countless cult-favorite video games. From the psychedelia of Killer7 to the hells of Shadows of the Damned, from the sunny streets of Santa Destroy in No More Heroes to the blood-soaked setting of the...
Nestled in a Japanese neighborhood is the Tokiwaso Manga Museum, a detailed replica of the sharehouse that Osamu Tezuka, Shōtarō Ishinomori, and more manga artists called home.― In the midst of the modern Toshima ward in Tokyo, there's a two-story, multi-flat building with an appearance straight out of the 1950s. It sits behind a wrought-iron gate, flanked by children's play equipment. The outer fa...