The Worst Generation and their crews have arrived. Zoro and Usopp launch an attack and damage one of the Beast Pirates' ships, which is the signal for everyone else to join the fray. Kanjuro is surprised that the Thousand Sunny is here, since Orochi sent agents to destroy it at the port. A flashback reveals that the Straw Hats were relaxing at shore when they were alerted by an explosion near the Sunny, but since it is crafted from the Jewel Tree Adam, it easily survived the explosion (save the sails, hence the Straw Hats' tardiness). The Straw Hats wonder where everyone else is, and Kinemon admits that it was his blunder that exposed their plan.
The Straw Hats join the fray, with Nami, Robin, and Sanji getting a chance to shine. The Beast Pirates reveal that they sunk all the ships docked at the port the night before, and that Orochi destroyed all major bridges connecting the regions – no one else would be coming to their aid. They fire a barrage at Kinemon and crew, but Bepo and the Heart Pirates deflect the cannonballs. The Beast Pirates further reveal that Kaido and Big Mom will be sealing their alliance tonight. All hope seems lost.
The rest of the Worst Generation engage the enemy while bickering the entire time. Law, Kid, and Luffy annihilate the Beast Pirates in a methodical, super-charged display of their martial prowess. Finally, Kyoshiro arrives on his ship, but betrays the Beast Pirates by launching an attack that shatters the ship – then the To Be Continued card flashes.
I am no longer asking you to watch One Piece, I am telling you.
A visual feast for the eyes – I don't know how else to describe this episode. Every week that passes since I brought up the comparisons with the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie, the gap between this weekly(!) production and that high watermark gets smaller. I don't know how the Toei team is doing it – it's truly astounding.
What can I say? The cinematography is as beautiful as it is hilarious. You've got the Worst Generation captains overlaid in rainbow outlines transposed over their readier crews. You've got cut-in reaction shots from Luffy where he is grabbing the edges and practically about to break down the fourth wall before cracking an enemy skull. Nami and Robin getting their own lavishly animated monstrous attacks.
And that finale.
Usopp above, what a finale.
If last week leaned a little heavy on the flashbacks, it makes more sense in the context of this week's episode. I imagine the team needed a bit of a lower ebb to build up steam for this tour de force. I don't know if I can find the words to adequately describe the majesty of the sequence wherein the Worst Generation attack the Beast Pirates. Every frame a painting, every movement a flourish, every impact a bone-breaker. It's 90 seconds of pure heaven, the nectar of the gods poured through your irises. I cannot believe this is weekly television, my God.
And on a strictly personal note, this episode had numerous Nico Robin smiles and a Beast Pirates goon licking a weapon (even if it wasn't strictly a blade), so I was more than satisfied.
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...