Sometimes I enjoy One Piece for its expansive lore.
Sometimes I enjoy One Piece for its vast interconnected web of characters.
And sometimes I enjoy One Piece for its big dudes doing big hits.
It's honestly incredible that after all these years, some of One Piece's best moments are comprised of its most basic elements. We're approaching the three-decade mark for the series, and seeing Zoro do a big sword slash while Sanji does a big fire kick remains a consistently engaging event.
Episode 1046 gives us fire kicks and slashy swords in spades, with plenty of fan service slathered across every cell. Other than a few shots of Hyogoro and the other samurai talking which are your pretty standard fare, nearly every single sequence in 1046 is dynamite. Fluid motion, blazing fires, and ground-shaking impacts make it feel like Onigashima is coming to life right before your eyes only to be destroyed by the bombastic Straw Hats.
And it's the centering of Sanji and Zoro here that really sell this whole episode. I could be reductive and just summarize the events as “Sanji and Zoro fight Queen and King” and while that's technically true, I think the episode is doing what it should, which is slowing down and putting the spotlight on the Straw Hats in this critical moment. Despite all the new Wano characters who I dearly love, this is ultimately what I'm here for: the journey of Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates. I love how Onigashima has taken time to give the core crew members their moments to shine, and this episode is no exception.
To my mind, seeing Zoro and Sanji do a giant team attack while bickering is akin to hearing Luffy say “I'm going to be the king of the pirates!” No matter how many times it happens, I jump out of my seat and get hyped every time – and I will for years to come.
Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it.― Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed...
Series previously inspired 52-episode anime in 1993― This year's 24th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine revealed on Wednesday that Gosho Aoyama's Yaiba manga will be getting a new anime adaptation. Aoyama is supervising. The series follows the titular Yaiba Kurogane, a young samurai boy inspired by Miyamoto Musashi, the real-life swordsman who pioneered the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū sty...
Based on the novel by former Nogizaka46 member Kazumi Takayama, trapezium asks its audience to follow one girl who will use anything, and anyone, to achieve her dream.― Trapezium is a strange movie, to say the least. On the surface, it's a rather simple movie that explores youth, their dreams, and the lengths they'll go to achieve those dreams. It's a coming-of-age story wrapped in the veneer of the...
ZeroReq011 remembers what made Spice and Wolf a story for the ages, from its fully realized world and economics to Holo and Lawrence's romantic chemistry.― Back when Funimation was still its own company and not owned by Sony, long before its in-house streaming service was terminated in favor of Crunchyroll's streaming platform, it owned a TV channel. Legal streaming had yet to dominate the Western a...
Anime will star Hiroshi Kamiya, Kotaro Nishiyama, Kotaro Nishiyama― Distribution company Remow announced on Tuesday that Yura Urushibara's Tougen Anki: Dark Demon of Paradise manga will get a television anime in 2025. The company revealed the trailer, key visual, and main cast for the anime. The anime's cast includes:
Kazuki Ura as Shiki Ichinose, the protagonist who inherits the blood of an Oni. Sh...
Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations, from the Yuri on Ice movie to the second half of Stars Align.― Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations from the second half of Stars Align to the 2007 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views...
Welcome to the rankings for the Spring 2024 season! The perfect place to check out which hidden gems might have flown under your radar.― 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 ...
The final Spring 2024 Manga Guide update includes not-yet-released series from this month, including Sword Art Online Re:Aincrad,Bungo Stray Dogs: The Official Comic Anthology, A Sign of Affection and more.― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it a...
Producer Masakazu Kubo shares the animation team's dedication to realism, including bringing in a pro golfer to produce the anime's sound effects.― 64-year-old Masakazu Kubo has been planning and producing anime for decades. He's had a major hand in everything from Pokémon and Detective Conan to Teasing Master Takagi-san and Dorohedoro. Recently, he sat down with us to talk about Tonbo!, his attemp...