Toki helps Oden recover from his bloated state and they begin to get to know one another. They instantly bond over having saved one another, and begin discussing their dreams: his to see the world beyond Wano, hers to finally see Wano. Eventually more pirates arrive, but Whitebeard returns and intervenes. Whitebeard's crew gave him no end of grief over how he treated Oden, and he begrudgingly allows Oden and Toki to come aboard with his crew.
They embark on years of adventure and trouble-making. They visit new islands, fight the navy, and make merriment. Oden is overjoyed at exploring more and more of the world, while he and Toki both ingratiate themselves with Whitebeard's crew. The couple eventually starts a family of their own, and Momonosuke is born aboard the ship.
Meanwhile, developments are afoot back on Wano. Oden's father is about to succumb to illness. Until Oden can return, he entrusts the care of Wano to Orochi, whom he says Oden loved like a brother. Yasuie finds this puzzling, and notices a sinister glint in Orochi's eyes. Back at Whitebeard's fleet, the crew continues to grow until there is a need to break up into divisions. Whitebeard gives Oden command of the 2nd division, and new crew members like Teech are brought on before we draw to a close.
Another solid episode of the Wano arc. I think the flashback does a good job of selling Toki and Oden's bond, which is the critical emotional portion of this arc. While I wouldn't exactly call their romance compelling, it does feel grounded and Momonosuke's birth also feels appropriately significant – more than it did in the manga for myself at least. The shot of them both standing with the sky sparkling behind them and seagulls flying overhead was particularly sweet.
The real treat is Oden's boundless enthusiasm. Seeing his wide-eyed wonder at exploring new places with an insatiable hunger for exploration is wonderful. In this aspect we see echoes of him in Luffy's own character, and that heedless charge into the unknown that they are both known for. Seeing Oden begin to write his journal also feels critically important, as he is one of the few characters who we primarily know of in the present tense through his personal writings.
We also got a shot of baby Shanks and baby Buggy D Clown, and that's all you need for a good episode of anime, folks.
Wandering Son creator's manga about girls in opera school ran from 2011 until this past March― Ohta Publishing announced on Thursday that Takako Shimura's Awajima Hyakkei manga is inspiring an anime. Ohta Publishing has not revealed any further details about the anime adaptation. The coming-of-age omnibus series follows the girls at an opera music school, with each chapter centering around different...
If I were to sum up Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! in a single word, that word would be “cute.”― If I were to sum up Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! in a single word, that word would be “cute.” Shiki and Fuyuki's interactions are a mixture of playful (and sometimes sexual) teasing and heartfelt feelings as the two come to value each other. They have real chemistry—and that drives the anime stra...
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...
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 ...
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...