Remember how last week all I did was hoot and holler about how good One Piece is?
I'm afraid to tell you that the hooting and hollering will continue.
Because wow gang, One Piece 995 is a tour de force. It already has all the hallmarks of a “standard” Wano episode by this point: solid animation that even at its lowest ebbs is unmatched by entire seasons of other currently airing shows, strong characterization that leverages both the expansive past of the series and the new frontiers of recently introduced cast members, careful direction that juggles deep pathos and knee-slapping laughs, and terrific music.
But then, this episode feels like so much more than “merely” good. The culmination of Momonosuke's emotional arc at the top of Onigashima is a high watermark for his character. To say that I've not really been his biggest fan is to put it mildly, but seeing his memories of his father just before he proudly declares his name when cowardice would have been understandable – it gave me chills. And of course Yamato's escape from the bomb shackles provided another wave of emotion, in addition to the hilarity of the expressions post-explosion.
But who are we kidding? The real draw here are those final few minutes.
It's really astounding that this is weekly animation. The approach of the Akazaya Nine heading towards Kaido embodies nearly all of Wano's thematic elements. It is at once a thoroughly modern piece of animation, replete with skilled flourishes from the Toei Animation team, while at the same time decidedly retro in its execution. You get a real sense of the gritty tenacity and quiet impact that characterized the chanbara and jidaegeki films that likely filled Oda's youth. Black-and-white is stained with splashes of red as the Akazaya Nine burst forth from the past injustices into the full bloom of the violent now. Witnessing this collision of past and present, it's hard not to stand up and cheer.
Blades slice. Tyrants tumble. Blood flows.
Wano's grand finale, twenty years in the making, has begun. We are bearing witness to history.
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 ...
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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...
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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...
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