True to form, just as the One Piece anime is finally, finally about to depart Dressrosa and bid it farewell, it needs to slow things down. It's almost as if Toei isn't ready to leave and is digging its nails into the ground, desperately hoping to stay just a little bit longer.
Joking aside, I know One Piece is in a tricky situation as far as pacing goes, since its story is dangerously close to the manga's content right now. Just for our sanity's sake, they should probably detour into a filler arc before reaching Zou. Though I realize that would mean keeping the crew separated for even longer than they already have been, but hey, the series' hesitation towards substantial filler arcs is what got us in this situation to begin with.
It's the Fujitora show this week as the blind, Zatoichi-style admiral goes on the offensive to fulfill his duties as a protector of the innocent. Clearly he doesn't have anything personal against the Straw Hats, he more than likely even respects them, but a marine's got to do what a marine's got to do and he begins to dish out his gravity powers to possibly their most absurd extant yet. All the rubble left over from the fight with the Doflamingo family rises up high in the sky, and soon a huge, island-sized CGI ball of debris is hovering over everybody's heads. Fujitora may seem like a wise old man type, but in practice he ends up being one of the most brash and reckless characters we've ever seen in the show. Even the citizens, who he's supposed to be protecting, are fearing for their lives thanks to this terrifying monstrosity above them.
The episode hinges on Luffy's arrival on the scene, fresh from dropping Rebecca off. It quickly becomes a fight and then even quicker halts in its tracks. Most of the battle is stretched out beyond belief and features Luffy calling out his attacks like "I'm about to punch you!" or "Here comes a kick!" out of guilt for beating on a blind man, and it gets very repetitive. The fight doesn't even conclude by the end of the episode and if memory serves correctly it was only a few pages in the manga.
Otherwise, there's a fairly nice scene at the beginning of the episode between Law and Sengoku where they share their memories of Corazón. Despite being a pirate and a marine respectively, they share this relationship in common and agree that what Cora would have wanted is for them to simply carry on his memory and live life however they please. Again, it's a nice scene continued from last week, but it's a real bummer that we're stretching things out so much that otherwise short sequences are getting split between episodes. The promise of a new arc, whether we sail straight to Zou or indulge in a filler side story, keeps being dangled in front of our faces and I'm as ready for something fresh as anybody.
When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad.― When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad. That's assuming, of course, that you weren't prepared for it going in. The fate of Astrea Familia is well-known to readers and viewers (and players) of the various Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon iterations, and the most recent season of ...
The documentary was full of cool tidbits about the 82-year-old producer and the anime he's worked on—including Ninja Scroll, Pluto, and In This Corner of the World.― Late last month, Japanese television network NHK put out a documentary on anime producer Masao Maruyama as part of their Anime Manga Explosion series. In it, the show delves into the now 82-year-old producer's life, philosophies, and so...
Masaki Watanabe directs anime at TMS Entertainment― Shueisha announced on Monday in its first "Jump Press" video that Yuuto Suzuki's Sakamoto Days manga will get a television anime series in January 2025 starring Tomokazu Sugita as Taro Sakamoto. The video also revealed the main staff. Masaki Watanabe (KADO - The Right Answer, Bartender, several Battle Spirits anime) is directing the anime at TMS En...
This is where the series earns its place in anime history, setting a precedent that other magical girl shows will follow.― It's a moment of magical girl history, right there on the screen: in episode forty-six of Fairy Princess Minky Momo's original 1982-83 television series, Momo is hit by a truck and dies. Even putting aside the question of whether or not this is Truck-kun's first victim, this is ...
Ayane Sakura, Daisuke Ono join cast as Tokyo Blade play's creative team― A Sunday live-streamed program for the second Oshi no Ko anime season debuted the first main promotional video, a new main visual, and new character visuals for the season. The program and the video both revealed two more cast members, the opening theme song, and the July 3 premiere for the season. Sunday's program also announc...
Teaser video streamed― Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on Saturday that the Ghost in the Shell franchise is getting a new television anime series in 2026. Science Saru will produce the anime, which is tentatively titled Kōkaku Kidōtai (The Ghost in the Shell). Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, Science Saru, and Production I.G are on the production committee for the series. Bandai Namco Filmworks al...
This is a movie I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is.― Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Part 2 is a film I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is. The film is full of well-developed and memorable characters—especiall...
Company acquires studio behind Lu over the wall, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim anime, Tatami Time Machine Blues― The entertainment company Toho announced on Thursday that its board of directors has decided to acquire all shares of the anime studio Science Saru, effective on June 19. Toho will then make Science Saru its consolidated subsidiary from the second quarter (June-August) of the fiscal year ending i...
Chillin' in Another World pulls off a major dramatic spike and goes from trawling the bottom to #2 this week! See how all your favorites fared in our weekly user rankings.― 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 ran...
If you're a Haikyu!! fanatic, or if you can overcome this background knowledge hurdle, you're in for a pretty good time and some of the best editing to come from an anime in recent memory.― To begin, I should note that this film is a continuation of the Haikyu!! anime and a canon adaptation of the manga. As such, if you're not caught up on the anime or at least generally aware of the franchise and i...
The touchstone visual novel Kanon is coming to Steam! Plus, Gundam in Call of Duty, Nintendo's latest studio buy, and more!― Welcome back, folks! Last weekend, I had a sudden pang of nostalgia, and I started missing Avalon Code. Avalon Code was one of the many offbeat RPGs released on the Nintendo DS, this one by Matrix Software (and released in the US by Xseed). It had a fun concept: the world is g...
We sat down with game creator Suda51 ahead of his MomoCon appearance to talk about his new game Hotel Barcelona, his current must-watch TV shows, and more.― The renowned Suda51 has been responsible for countless cult-favorite video games. From the psychedelia of Killer7 to the hells of Shadows of the Damned, from the sunny streets of Santa Destroy in No More Heroes to the blood-soaked setting of the...
Nestled in a Japanese neighborhood is the Tokiwaso Manga Museum, a detailed replica of the sharehouse that Osamu Tezuka, Shōtarō Ishinomori, and more manga artists called home.― In the midst of the modern Toshima ward in Tokyo, there's a two-story, multi-flat building with an appearance straight out of the 1950s. It sits behind a wrought-iron gate, flanked by children's play equipment. The outer fa...
The ANN After Show is at episode 100! Let's reflect on some of our favorite moments, catch up on Kaiju No. 8, Yatagarasu, and more this week!― 100 Episodes of the ANN Aftershow!? The ANN After Show is at episode 100! Let's catch up on Kaiju No. 8, Yatagarasu, and more this week! The ANN After Show streams live on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter Spaces on Tuesdays at 6pm PT/9pm ET. You can listen to ...