As has happened so often in the Wano arc, 1050 is one of those episodes cursed to follow an absolute animation peak like 1049, so on some level it was set up to fail. That said, the Toei team deserves a break, and this episode nevertheless does a good job of leaning into flashbacks and building up the emotional stakes for a big finale.
Momonosuke is a character I have mixed feelings on. I don't really care for him much on an individual level and most of his joke bits fall flat for me. That said, he means a lot to characters I really enjoy (like Kinemon) and I like his role in the story as the inheritor of Oden's legacy. It's interesting juxtaposing him with the Akazaya Nine in particular – whereas they chose to follow Oden in life and even after his death, Momo has been thrust into this against his will. He never chose any of this, so his reluctance/fear to live up to his father's towering legacy is understandable; how hard is it to not only be your own person, but escape the shadow of a parent who has become a legend in his own lifetime? That's a lot to ask of a small child.
The actual fight doesn't look all that incredible visually, but the emotional pop from everyone in Onigashima sells it. The tears in his eyes, the strain to break Kaido's scales, the great pacing. The added triumph of Luffy's survival adding a big double-whammy boost to the freedom fighters' morale makes the ending of the episode feel like we're building to even more excitement for next week. 1050 certainly does a lot with a little.
Nick and Lucas use last week's Chainsaw Man manga chapter as a springboard to discuss sex and sexuality in manga, from messy to raunchy to endearing depictions.― Nick and Lucas use last week's Chainsaw Man manga chapter as a springboard to discuss sex and sexuality in manga, from messy to raunchy to endearing depictions. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatl...
If the first part of Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture was bringing the story back to its roots, this second part is all about reminding us what sprang from those roots.― If the first part of Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture was bringing the story back to its roots, this second part reminds us what sprang from those roots. Lelouch inadvertently and intentionally changed the world, and many things c...
Mei Nagano, Takeru Satō star as Red, White Blood Cells― The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the live-action film of Akane Shimizu's Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibō) manga posted a "early teaser trailer" on Tuesday. The teaser announces the film's main cast and December premiere. Mei Nagano (live-action My Broken Mariko, Ni no Kuni, Peach Girl, Burn the House Down, Teasing Master Takagi-san)...
Voice actor admitted to 4-year affair with acknowledged abuse last month― Atlus announced on Tuesday that it has removed voice actor Tōru Furuya from the cast of its upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio fantasy role-playing game "due to various circumstances," and will announce the replacement cast member sometime in July. Atlus had not previously announced which character or role Furuya would be playing i...
Even if some small details are still missing, when finished, Look Back should, without a doubt, be acclaimed by most people.― Creating a manga is like creating a TV series: every week, readers wait for a new chapter to be published in their favorite magazine, and then they can also buy a full "season" when a compiled volume is published. Tatsuki Fujimoto is very familiar with this process as he seri...
Anime News Network's editorial team is digging deep into their repressed anime memories to trudge up the moments that left them in tears. What was the first anime to make you cry?― Anime News Network's editorial team is digging deep into their repressed anime memories to trudge up the moments that left them in tears. Below are some of the most affecting moments, from major character deaths to bitte...
Visual revealed for new season― The staff for the Spy x Family anime revealed on Sunday that the anime is getting a third season. The staff also revealed a visual for the third season. Anime character designer and chief animation director Kazuaki Shimada drew the below visual. Art director Yuni Yoshida designed the visual. The first anime season's first half premiered in April 2022. Crunchyroll stre...