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One Piece
Episode 1139

by Grant Jones,

How would you rate episode 1139 of
One Piece (TV 1999) ?
Community score: 4.4

op1139.png
© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Episode 1139 of One Piece is a solid enough entry that can't help but feel a little drawn out after so many weeks of heavy-hitting flashbacks.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this episode, but it doesn't do much to wow either. The Buster Call arrives at last, and its announcement, importance, and opening salvoes are the lion's share of the events. It is a huge deal – that goes without saying. The Buster Call is a catastrophic event that devastates an island, destroying its place, its people, and ultimately erasing the memory of its existence. Every time it is invoked, it rightfully sends a shiver down the collective spines of the audience, and this is no different.

I only wish that the on-screen time had more practical impact than it does in theory. I couldn't quite put my finger on it initially while watching the episode, but I wasn't invested in the Buster Call scenes despite intellectually understanding how big a deal it was. I think the problem is that the Bonney and Kuma flashbacks – which only just ended, mind you – told a deeply emotional and personal set of stories. Watching those personal and familial tragedies unfold across the generations, all because of the evils of the World Government, was very impactful. It becomes a bit of a challenge to come back to a macro-level threat of a Buster Call, and trying to have the same weight or impact when we, as the audience, don't have the same strong connection with these folks as Kuma, Bonney, etc. All of these characters have lives, hopes, dreams, etc., just as important as Kuma and Bonney, and the rest. Still, it's hard to fight against the tide of human nature in terms of the personal connection we have with those focal point characters versus the faceless masses, so to speak.

The episode is not without its pluses, however. For one thing, the brand new opening is terrific as a viewing experience and as a general bop. I think it's a strong opening, maybe not a series best, but certainly a good track. Though it was hard to connect to the struggles of the Buster Call, the moment where Kuma and Bonney hugged each other as they fell was a real punch in the gut (complimentary). I also liked the choice to have the sounds muted/warped during the fight at sea by placing the camera below the battle with the Navy ship as the debris floated down from the surface. A brilliant bit of cinematography.

Rating:

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