We open with Hiyori, Zoro, and Kawamatsu discussing her father's blade Enma. Kawamatsu objects to giving such an important blade to Zoro, but Hiyori insists. She also underscores the importance of returning Shusui to Wano, and Zoro agrees – since a replacement is involved.
Back at the prison quarters in Rasetsu town, many samurai are still being held captive. The samurai attempt to explain that it was all just a prank by Yasui, but the guards aren't having it. Meanwhile, below ground Law has Hawkins subdued. Hawkins reveals that Apoo betrayed them for Kaido, as well as his belief that Kid will die trying to defy Kaido. As Law goes to leave, he tells a shadowy figure that he knows of their plot to let him escape.
Kinemon calls around Wano to the various co-conspirators. He notifies them that they need to change the rebellion's symbol by adding two lines at the bottom. The various leaders recognize the coded meaning right away. Nami tries to decipher it but Kinemon explains that it only makes sense if you know the names of the ports of Wano. By adding two lines, the snake becomes a lizard, and this changes the rendezvous point from Habu Port to Tokage Port. The Akazaya Nine are thankful for Yasui's brilliance in designing the flyer for such an eventuality.
Back at Onigashima, waves crash and alcohol flows. Apoo arrives via ship and breaks through the waterfall thanks to Kaido's permission. He even has Numbers in tow, enormous monsters that shake the earth beneath their tread.
In the final moments, Kaido and Big Mom announce that they have formed an alliance. The Big Mom Pirates and Animal Kingdom Pirates have joined forces as the title card flashes.
An entertaining enough episode for what was essentially exposition.
I have said in the past that the care involved in the creation of the series keeps even this from being boring, and I stand by that. That being said, Wano does have a lot of moving parts and it can take an entire episode just to touch base with everyone. The vast majority of the runtime is Kinemon making snail calls to his lieutenants, so of course your mileage may vary in the excitement department. The direction and cinematography in these scenes are also standard fare to ensure clarity.
That being said there is still the trademark One Piece creativity and drama on display. The explanation for the ingenuity of Kinemon's change to the flyer was neat (if a bit long-winded for my tastes), and likewise the one about the importance of Shusui to Wano was a fun look back at Zoro's duel with Ryuma. This episode was heavy on the maps and diagrams too, with plenty of detail provided in regards to the secret waterfall entrance in Kaido's fortress. These details are part of the series DNA, but it is a touch dryer than the emotional or political stakes going on elsewhere.
The episode was not entirely dry though. The constant joy of the transponder snails will forever be a joy, and watching all the little snails take on the aspect of the caller makes me smile every time. Law fans will be pleased with his dramatic scenes beneath the prison and their accompanying gravitas. Mitsuaki Madono's line delivery as Scratchman Apoo is terrific and brimming with his signature energy. And lastly, the alliance between Big Mom and Kaido cannot be overstated in its importance. Luffy and crew have quite the challenge ahead...
Pokémon Horizons continues to display some of the best the franchise offers with great character work, creative setpieces, surprisingly strong direction, and a focus on a plot that continues to feel engaging.― Pokémon Horizons felt like a breath of fresh air as a new mainline Pokémon series. With a more timid and empathic main character and a stronger emphasis on the adventuring aspect of being a Po...
Sony and Square-Enix are both reorganizing, from new CEOs to staff cutbacks. Also, sad news about Penny Blood, more Cotton, and the latest video game news!― Welcome back, folks! You know, it's always nice to discover old stuff from a franchise you love that you didn't know existed. For example, I didn't know that the old Captain N: The Game Master cartoon had an episode that featured the world of Dr...
Ahead of the romance anime's second season, director Takehiro Kubota discusses the choices, the challenges, and balancing the story between the everyday and the supernatural.― My Happy Marriage began its life as a series of novels written by Akumi Agitogi, and it has since been adapted both as manga and, as of July 2023, an anime series simulcast by Netflix. Agitogi's tale, set in a nebulous time t...
Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf.― Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.S...
You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable.― You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable. You and I Are Polar Opposites is based on the tried-and-true formula of a thousand romantic comedies: Suzuki is a popular girl, and Tani is the class nerd. She's bright and perky,...
Suzumura to concentrate on recovering from deteriorating health condition― Talent agency Intention announced on Thursday that Kenichi Suzumura will take a break to concentrate on resting due to poor health. The agency stated that Suzumura's health condition continued to deteriorate, and after a diagnosis from the doctor, it was decided that he needs to take a break. The agency stated that it will pr...
Games have both individual, double pack releases― Update: Spike Chunsoft confirmed in a press release on Friday that it is releasing both games and the double pack for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam in North America and Europe on May 23 as digital downloads. Source: Press release The PlayStation Store and Nintendo Switch eShop began listing on Thursday the first two visual novels in The Q...
Crunchyroll to stream upcoming anime― Aniplex and Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that the late manga creator Hisaya Nakajo's Hana-Kimi manga is inspiring an anime. In addition, Crunchyroll announced that it will stream the anime when it premieres in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS, and India. The announcement did not reveal the deb...
James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film!― Could There Be More Evangelion on the Horizon? James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film! Plus, we catch up with Kafka and the Ka...
Grant Jones dives into the wild world of giant monsters and how Kaiju No. 8 builds on their legacy.― Kaiju No. 8 is a series that wears its influences on its sleeves. As the first word in its title suggests, it comes from a long line of works in the kaiju genre, using giant monsters and burning skylines as a backdrop to tell stories. While many likely know kaiju in a passing sense, it may help to h...
This steamy manga's appeal is going to depend on how much you can stomach a female protagonist who kicks off the romance by assaulting her former fiance.― This is a tricky one. Before You Discard Me, I Shall Have My Way with You is, to all appearances, a story that opens with a sexual assault. Agnès has been betrothed to Crown Prince Lucilleur since childhood, and she's been in love with him just as...
Japanese studio to handle production slated for broadcast, streaming globally― Kadokawa and Singaporean game developer and publisher Garena announced on Monday that they are co-producing an anime adaptation of Garena's Garena Free Fire battle royale shooting game, with a Japanese studio handling the animation. Kadokawa's Kadokawa Qingyu subsidiary is the production manager. The anime is planned to b...
Healer Nanna's powers have one very unique caveat: she has to have sex with the person to heal them. See why Rebecca Silverman calls it "a cute story, decently racy, and generally good, fluffy fun."― One of the fun things about Seven Seas' Steamship line of racy manga aimed at a female audience is finding which romance tropes are prevalent in any given release. While every genre has its tropes and s...
What's the perfect recipe for waifu supremacy? Lucas and Nick look at fan-favorites from Yu Yu Hakusho to Spice & Wolf.― What's the perfect recipe for waifu supremacy? Lucas and Nick look at fan-favorites from Yu Yu Hakusho to Spice & Wolf. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the s...
Train to the End of the World and Voice Actor Radio are getting a lot of love these last few weeks! Discover which other series stand out 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 rankings...