Up until now, most episodes of Wano are of an extremely high caliber, whether due to phenomenal production quality, impactful events and character beats, or quite often a combination of both. Wano has been a terrific arc from start to finish as a manga reader, and watching the anime alongside it has only heightened my appreciation for the material on display.
Don't take this the wrong way either, because this is by no means a bad episode. In fact, I'd say it is a solid episode of weekly television! A few choice cuts of high quality animation here, a few dramatic character reveals there...what's not to enjoy, right? Ace is here! Nico Robin in the beast pirates outfit! The Brachio tank doing its cute little run! All should be good in One Piece reviewer land.
At the same time, however, an episode like this also highlights the strain of the material. Because the episode is neither excellent nor terrible and exists in a sort of average middle area (in other words, simply “good”, which I feel spoiled to say), it is easier to see just how much Wano there is. I mean, I've been covering Wano ever since I started my stint as the One Piece anime reviewer… and I started writing for ANN fifteen (!) months ago. And at this point, we are only just now meeting Yamato, who has to be one of the most developed and pivotal characters in the entire arc.
Folks… we have a long way to go.
In many ways I think that's terrific. Wano is good, and often great, and when the dust settles I think the general consensus will be that it is a superb arc in a series chock full of them. But given that most of the runtime in this episode is either flashbacks or introducing another dozen or so character designs for goons, merely acting as connective tissue… it can be a bit draining. I fully believe that the length of One Piece is its strength, but that can also make One Piece a weary watch sometimes, and this week I was feeling that pretty heavily. No matter how much meat there is, sometimes you just end up chewing the fat for twenty two minutes.
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...
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 ...
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...