Despite my misgivings about the direction that Wano goes sometimes, I think One Piece episode 1057 is a great example of when the arc is at its best.
“Now Grant,” I hear you say, “I'm wise to your game.” What game? “This episode was full of Nico Robin content,” you continue. “About how important she is and how others would die to protect her and also there is a lot of her smiling.” All right, cards on the table—you got me there. A fair chunk of 1057 is thinly veiled Nico Robin propaganda, and I already have a significant bias toward her (though significant may not be a strong enough word). That said, I think it fits canonically for her to be such a valuable target for the World Government/CP-0 and this is also my review column so I'll be biased if I want to be.
There's also a significant amount of Sanji content, which should weigh negatively for me, but honestly, I think it's the stronger stuff from him. While I'm a bit head-scratchy about his criteria, I do think the fundamental premise of whether he is willing to use the monstrous technology his father created to achieve victory is a fascinating question for Sanji. It is probably the most compelling question surrounding Sanji in a long time, and it's nice having a bit of pathos in the mix for the ol' cook. The juxtaposition between him and Zoro and their shared ride-or-die objectives for Luffy is a good one too. Their essential dynamic as the wings of the pirate king has their fates entwined, and they would rather kill each other than stray from that path (also, the Zosan folks out there had to be losing it this entire episode).
And of course, the animation is gorgeous, well shot, and exciting. The Toei team has so consistently delivered in that regard it's almost a cliche to comment on it at this point but it is still true. Ultimately, what makes this episode so strong to me is that it focuses on the main cast of One Piece—the Straw Hats!—through the emotional beats and stories they still have to tell. As much as I love Oda's new characters, at the end of the day these are the cast members I care about.
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Art resurfaces when he was announced as judge for Shonen Jump's Sports Manga Award― Being talented in one aspect of your life doesn't stop you from being talented in other aspects. For instance, former seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to have a prolific acting career. But what about Shōhei Ohtani, the biggest name in sports today? Well, it turns out he's not just one of the great...
I can't recommend the series, nor think that any hypothetical viewer would enjoy it, but it is the kind of trash TV that's rewarding to dissect.― Have you ever wondered what Baki would be like if it had a conservative bent instead of queer undertones? Well, look no further because the answer is Kengan Ashura! While Kengan is trying to convey the same spectacle and white-knuckle action of the long-ru...
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Director Tomotaka Shibayama's latest film, My Oni Girl, is an action-adventure drama with elements of a buddy comedy and a relatable coming-of-age story. The film, produced by Studio Colorido, was released in theaters in Japan and on Netflix on May 24, foll...
Kaiju No. 8 takes the top spot this week while Tonari no Yōkai-san pushes to #3 in the cmulative! Check out 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 rankings are based on how people rated in...
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