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One Piece
Episode 1144

by Grant Jones,

How would you rate episode 1144 of
One Piece (TV 1999) ?
Community score: 4.6

op1144.png
© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Episode 1144 of One Piece is equal parts foreboding and delightful.

This week upped the ante nearly to the breaking point while still managing to stick the landing. The arrival of the five elders is yet another tectonic shift in scale and importance the likes of which we haven't seen before. Their monstrous forms are imposing and downright cool, the kinds of world-ending beasts with the terrible strength required to control the entire planet. Their monster forms are given a lot of screen time here, and it's a good call because they're varied, cool-looking, and frightening. It is only fitting that Dr. Vegapunk looks like Albert Einstein, because here comes Death on a pale horse. Their aesthetic is an eclectic mix of bestial phenotypes that give an impression like the infamous Horsemen of the Apocalypse while existing on a scale akin to kaiju monsters. Luffy's Gear 5 form needs serious opposition to be under any real threat - and this episode makes it clear that the five elders are up to the challenge. No wonder Dorry and Broggy have to swoop in and save Luffy's bacon.

The Rob Lucci and Zoro fight reaches its conclusion as well. I'm torn about the fight intellectually, but not emotionally. Intellectually this is “just another Zoro fight” - allow me to explain. See, for a while now you could argue that Zoro's battles have been meaningless back and forths until the green-haired goofball randomly gets bored and decides to pull out one big mega attack and end things. This fight is, in that sense, no different than most of his other battles.

But on the other hand - this looks super sick. Zoro cuts Lucci so badly his STRIPES start bleeding off. That's crazy, I love it. So yeah big thumbs up from me despite being more of the same.

Their wanton destruction is chock full of impressive animation. The aforementioned Zoroa and Lucci fight is full of all the laser-lights and collateral damage we have come to expect form the Toei team when the fighting heats up and it looks terrific. Zoro in particular gets all the love what with the glowing effects and red eye close-ups and what have you. They just can't help but make him the coolest looking guy ever (not that I'm complaining, mind you). Beyond that the city-leveling quakes, Pacifista-disabling slices, and fiery emissions all look and sound terrific. The whole package is an embarrassment of riches for a twenty minute episode of weekly television.

Rating:

One Piece is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners, or sponsors.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners, or sponsors.
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