We're two for two on the Zou arc so far. The One Piece anime has been stagnating these last few months, and now we're in for a breath of fresh air with new characters, locations, and an overall much more engaged production. It just feels good to have a ton of great things to say about One Piece again.
In pursuit of finding Luffy and Law's remaining crew members on Zou, our heroes have reached the top of the elephant only to run into the tribe of animal people that inhabit the area. These people are the Minks, and we get introduced to the dog woman, Wanda (Get it? "Wan" is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a dog barking) and the rabbit girl, Carrot. I noticed that the events of this episode were paced slightly different than in the manga, so the question of whether these Minks are friends or foes gets unceremoniously deflated as the episode goes on. They ultimately seem like allies who are already familiar with Sanji and company, despite how standoffish and vague their goals seemed at the beginning of the episode.
Otherwise, the strongest aspect of this episode is the direction. Again, the anime was suffering from some stagnation recently, so it feels like a miracle to see an episode get so creative with all that padding that other episodes always feel burdened with. It's nice to see moments like Luffy's break from the group as he explores the forest, or the rest of the crew taking their time to observe a rundown town. The slower moments exist so that the story can breathe, and we can appreciate the atmosphere. That feeling just hasn't been common enough in this show as of late.
More on the production side, this episode has some of that Naotoshi Shida shininess to it throughout. Normally, that look is reserved for key scenes, but it's all over the place this time. I'm not in tune with all that sakuga stuff enough to say that Shida was involved for sure, but the look is noteworthy enough. Honestly, it contributes to some wonky off-model shots, especially in the character's faces, but the episode in general is so kinetic that it balances out. Everything involving the Minks looks super cool, with Wanda and Carrot looking great in motion. From the manga, I've become a real big fan of Carrot's character specifically, and I'm very happy with the way she looks and sounds in the anime.
The Zou arc marks the beginning of many things in One Piece, most notably the quote-unquote "Four Emperors Saga." If you count Punk Hazard, that means we've been under Doflamingo's reign for well over 150 episodes, so now I think we can declare this a new reset point for the series where a person with a tentative grasp on the story might want to jump in. You can feel a new sense of energy coming from the production, which makes me very happy as a fan who was getting really bummed out about this show just a couple of episodes ago. I don't expect it to last for an astonishingly long time, but Toei has had a track record for nailing the beginnings of these arcs, and I expect to see a few more home runs in the near future.
As Slam Dunk reached its final stretch, I can see why this series is considered the sports classic that it is today.― This is the largest batch of Slam Dunk episodes that I've reviewed thus far. Originally, I wanted to review the show in more even seasons, but given its overall pacing and release, it wasn't easy to find a moment where it felt right to stop and start again. However, as we approached ...
Main cast, staff, teaser visual, video revealed― A website opened on Thursday to reveal a television anime adaptation of Kogitsunemaru's Izure Saikyō no Renkinjutsu-shi? (Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?) light novel series, which will premiere in January 2025. The website also revealed the anime's main cast, staff, and a teaser promotional video and visual. The novel series' illustrator Hi...
James and Lynzee discuss the latest episode of Yatagarsu. Plus, GoHands keeps making anime, and we don't know WHY.― Yatagarasu Gets Violent! James and Lynzee discuss the latest episode of Yatagarsu, in which Wakamiya plays his hand to find out the truth behind his older brother's scheming to obtain the throne. Plus, GoHands keeps making anime, and we don't know WHY; Hunter x Hunter manga is on its ...
Making a sequel to Code Geass is a daunting task. But with its fantastic main character and a story that doesn't undercut what came before, Rozé of the Recapture is on the right track.― Making a sequel to Code Geass—especially one set close to the end of the series—is a daunting task. Any story that involves an ongoing war massively undercuts both the finale of the original anime and the sacrifices ...
The Switch sequel console is finally happening! The details are scarce, but you can find out more in this week's column. Also: an interview with El Shaddai's Sawaki Takeyasu, Microsoft layoffs, and more.― Welcome back, folks! What a wild week this has been for the gaming industry. We'll go further into it, but jeez. This past week also saw the disappearance of Capcom's Dark Void and Dark Void Zero. ...
The Code Geass creator discusses his new project with Web3 company Azuki, Enter the Garden, and his hope that this new path could help the medium evolve.― Los Angeles-based Web3 anime-styled brand Azuki and advertising conglomerate Dentsu debuted the first nine-minute episode of their joint anime endeavor, Enter the Garden, on April 30. The episode, which has already racked up a quarter of a million...
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...
Special cereal box honors Goku Day― Dragon Ball Z... for breakfast?! Alright, it isn't actually that surprising since General Mills' Reese's Puffs cereal has been rocking the dragon with a limited-time collaboration with Dragon Ball Z since earlier this year. The collaboration is still ongoing, but now Reese's Puffs has reached its FINAL FORM! In honor of Goku Day (May 9 because the numbers for "5" ...
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...
Final volume ships in fall― The 25th compiled book volume of Yuki Sato's Tomodachi Game (Friends Games) manga revealed on Thursday that the series will end with the 26th volume's release in fall. The story, based on Mikoto Yamaguchi's original concept, centers on Yūichi Katagiri, a young man with a perfect student life who has four friends with difficult lives. His peaceful daily life comes to an e...
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...
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...