Elbaph Arc

The Harley Mural, the Most Important Lore in One Piece, is Revealed

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Episode 1168 Review

This is it. Of all the episodes of One Piece that I’ve been looking forward to all year, this is probably one of my top three. The chapter that this episode is adapting was one of the biggest and most talked-about in the entire series. Given how the series has been ongoing for almost three decades and 1100 chapters and counting, that’s saying something. However, I can attest to the fact that the two big events of that chapter left the fandom foaming at the mouth. Not only did it confirm a long-standing theory that apparently existed, but it dropped some of the biggest lore in the entire franchise!

Shanks Has an Evil Twin

I don’t know who first came up with it or when, but there was this theory going around about Red-Haired Shanks, the pirate who inspired Luffy to become one himself. It all stems back to this one scene at the Reverie, the summit where world leaders meet to discuss important matters. We saw what looked like Shanks meeting with the Five Elders of the World Government. Since Shanks is a pirate, that should be impossible. I guess someone thought that this means that Shanks might be a Celestial Dragon by birth. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but then this guy from the God’s Knights showed up on Elbaph looking like Shanks with longer hair. And all of a sudden, fans were saying that this mystery guy was Shanks’ evil twin brother! And you know what? They were right! As Shamrock and Gunko finish beating the tar out of Loki, the former reveals that Shanks is his younger twin brother!

Oda pretty much dropped a live bomb in the room with this reveal, and I remember the tweets and Reddit posts and discord servers going crazy over it. Suddenly, people were asking all kinds of questions about Shanks’ backstory, and it revealed just how little we actually knew about him. The most we knew was that Gol D. Roger and the Roger Pirates found him in a treasure chest after this big adventure and adopted him. How could a baby Celestial Dragon end up like that?

Well, regardless, fans were glad that this ended up happening, because it was the best thing that could happen to Shanks. Being raised by the Roger Pirates saved Shanks from becoming as cruel and sadistic as the majority of the Celestial Dragons, who are among the most toxic groups of people I have ever seen in fiction.

Speaking of Shanks, when Luffy is talking with those Giant guards and they say Shanks jumped him, Luffy adamantly refuses to believe it. They argue that it looked exactly like Shanks, but in a rare show of intelligence, Luffy is able to point out several flaws in their logic. Firstly, Shanks is chill, while Shamrock is arrogant and a jerk. Secondly, Shanks would never become violent unless he had to. And when the evil twin theory is mentioned, Luffy remembers how Shanks never mentioned his biological family. As far as he knew, the Roger Pirates were his family…except for Buggy. Loved the shade thrown at Buggy.

Good on Luffy for not being fooled by this. He’s always been a good judge of character, and if he says someone is good, then we should take his word for it.

All of that, though, takes a backseat in comparison to the part that set the entire fandom ablaze: the Harley Mural.

They Will Meet again

As Franky and Ripley are exploring the massive tree that covers the island, they come across a mural that’s believed to have been painted during the Void Century. This gets juxtaposed with Robin, Chopper, and Saul back at the Owl Library as they read this ancient book called the Harley that tells the story of the Sun God, Nika. We hear Robin begin reading the story aloud as we join Franky looking at the mural, and the anime went above and beyond for this. In the manga, everything was summarized in a single panel over a look at the Mural, but the anime has the whole thing revealed bit by bit as Robin reads the story, which I will now show to you.

In the days and weeks after this chapter, there so many video essays about this story that I found online. The most die-hard fans of the franchise poured everything into deciphering the meaning behind the story, and I will be including one of the most prominent at the end of this post. In a nutshell, though, it’s saying that the world has been destroyed twice in the past. Someone tried to stop it from happening, first in the form of the Sun God, Nika, and then in the form of Joy Boy, but for whatever reason, they failed, and the world became what it is today. The last part is a prophecy, though, saying that this time, the Sun God will bring about a new world, one that is better than the current one. In other words, Luffy might be the guy who will end up saving the world.

Pirate. Jesus.

To casual fans, this all might sound confusing, but to those who have stuck with One Piece for the long haul, this was big. One of the big draws of the story is the amount of worldbuilding put into it, with the mysteries about the past being something that fans have wanted to know more about for decades. It’s gotten to the point that when given the opportunity to learn the truth early, fans will refuse. So, this was a big moment for us.

And we’re going to get even more big moments soon. According to rumors, the second batch of this year’s episodes will drop in July. Which means that I’m going to have multiple shows to go over this summer! Tough, but worth it!

I Give “Ancient History – The Harley Passed Down by Elbaph” a 5/5

Shamrock Blew Our Minds

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Crunchyroll, Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Ep 1167 Review

Remember what I said about the next episode going to blow the minds of the anime-only fans of One Piece? I wasn’t joking! When this chapter came out around two years ago, it had fans foaming at the mouth like that guy from Avatar. And it’s all thanks to the appearance of the commander of the God’s Knights, Shamrock!

Aurust Castle is Spooky

So, the Romance Dawn trio (Luffy, Zoro, and Nami) make it to Castle Aurust with Rodo serving as their semi-reluctant guide and begin their exploration of the ruins. That is pretty much what a good two-thirds of this episode consists of, in my opinion. Since the anime is trying to match the pacing of the manga, that means that it has to take chapters where nothing really happens and stretch them out. Once again, though, this new pacing proves to be a double-edged sword, as while it gives us more time to sit with impactful moments, it also means the slower moments can drag on longer than what viewers may want.

Take, for example, the group’s exploration of the ruins of Castle Aurust. On the one hand, the anime gives us time to properly see what the castle has been reduced to since the day King Harald died. It’s as quiet as a tomb, and it’s got the bones of the Giants who died that day to qualify as such. If this were a video game, then this would be the perfect setting for players to explore and learn about what happened. Since it’s an anime, though, we are stuck with hearing exposition from Rodo as he talks more about what happened that fateful day.

Now, I do not mind seeing all of this personally. The vegetation growing into the stone, the bones of the dead, and the light peeking in through various gaps all give it a very creepy atmosphere. It’s perfect for an adventurer like Luffy. But not everyone is going to enjoy that. What I was more interested in the manga, though, was Rodo telling us more about Elbaph’s history and his and Hajrudin’s backstories. It was a surprise to learn that Hajrudin is the son of the late King Harald from another woman from another country making him Loki’s older half-brother. The fact that him being born out of wedlock as far as Elbaph’s elders were concerned also added some extra depth to his character. He’s nice to someone like Rodo because he knows what it’s like to be discriminated against for trivial reasons. More importantly, the fact that Elbaph believes in things like blood purity adds a darker shade to a country that has so far been mostly warm and inviting.

The Loki Situation Needs Addressing

As soon as I heard about that, I already knew where Oda was going with this. Everywhere the Straw Hats go, they take care of some problem that is keeping the locals from being truly happy. In this case, it’s clear that the Straw Hats are going to have to address the Loki situation and how the Giants view their current place in the world before they leave. With the arc still ongoing in the manga, we still don’t know how it will turn out, but I stand by what I said: Elbaph needs to take up arms. The world’s future may depend on it. If it didn’t, then why would the World Government be trying to seize control of Elbaph?

Speaking of which, the latter half of the episode is much more interesting from an action point of view. I’ve gotten used to seeing how strong the God’s Knights are in the manga, but this is the first time we really see just how destructive they can be in the anime. Seeing Gunko use her Devil Fruit powers to torture the defenseless Loki over and over is every bit as jarring to watch in the anime as it was to read it. She was making the man cough up a ton of blood, and he couldn’t even defend himself! The fact that he not only able to survive that kind of punishment, but had the will to keep refusing their offer, is a testament to how strong he is.

But then, we get to the real twist of this chapter. The thing that made the entire fandom lose it when we read the manga: the introduction of the leader of the God’s Knights, Saint Shamrock Figarland, son of Garling of the Five Elders…and he’s the spitting image of Shanks!

This was the kind of reveal that had us foaming at the mouth. For years, there had been a fan theory that Shanks was born one of the Celestial Dragons, based on the fact that we (apparently) saw him speaking to the Five Elders in Mariejois back in chapter 907. Shamrock being the spitting image of Shanks made that theory explode in popularity in between chapters. Many of us were speculating that Shamrock was Shanks’ evil twin after this, as there was no way Oda would be trolling us about it! That also meant that Luffy’s idol just got an extra wrinkle regarding his past that made some people even doubt if Shanks was as good a person as we thought. Which is understandable, given how wicked most of the Celestial Dragons are. Sadly, we have to wait another week to learn the truth, and it is going to be worth it. More importantly, we are going to get to see one of the best chapters of the manga get animated, and what we see is something that set the fandom on fire.

I Give “Shamrock Appears! The Commander of the God’s Knights” a 4/5

Is Loki a Bad Guy? Meh, it’s Complicated.

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Episode 1166 Review

You know who I hate in One Piece the most? The Celestial Dragons. We have seen a lot of jerks in the franchise, but aside from a handful of people who I can count on one hand, they are the biggest d-heads you will ever see! Oda does such a fantastic job of having them embody the snobbish, racist, hedonistic elitism that represents the worst of humanity, it’s almost scary. The good news is that the majority of them are so weak that you could take them out with your bare hands, and I’m pretty sure many of us fans have wanted to do that. The bad news? There is a small minority of them that are some of the toughest fighters in the entire series, the God’s Knights, and if you’ve been keeping up with the manga, you’ll know just much of a pain they are. And now, two of them are on Elbaph, meaning that the entire country is in danger. If you don’t believe me, wait until you see what one of them does in this episode.

Party Time!

By this point, the banquet for the Straw Hats is in full swing, and everyone is going around having a good time. The Straw Hats are marveling the Giants with tales of their grand exploits, enjoying the food and company, and just doing what they do. Because if there’s anyone who know how to have a good party in anime, it’s the Straw Hat Pirates.

Gerd even decided to let Rodo out as long as he apologized and swore never to do what he did again. Not that he could have actually hurt them. Zoro even remarks that the only reason Rodo still has his head is that Usopp wanted them to not hurt him. And Gerd says that they’re free to take it!!

The funniest part? Rodo is into it. He likes this sadistic side of Gerd! I think even Sanji would have some more self-respect than this!

As funny (in a pathetic sort of way) as this is, though, it’s meant to segue into an important topic: Nika the Sun God, AKA the being who Luffy became the latest incarnation of the day he ate that Devil Fruit. Much like myths and religions in real life, the story of Nika has been muddled and reinterpreted differenly over the centuries. Some of the Giants think he was this god of fun and laughter meant to save the world, while others see him as a warrior meant to conquer and dominate. And as is the case when people are passionate about something, they argue and fight about it. It’s what people do.

At this point, longtime One Piece fans had come to recognize that Nika is tied up with the overarching mystery of the series: what is the One Piece? The fact that so many people see him differently only further strengthens just how important he is to the history of the world, and thus emphasizes Luffy’s role in what will come. Not that Luffy cares about being worshipped as a god, though, and thenk goodness for that. Imagine if someone bad had Luffy’s powers and let it go to their head? Someone like…Loki.

Everyone Hates Loki

As soon as Luffy drops Loki’s name, almost everyone present gives their opinion about him: he sucks. They proceed to list off all of the horrible things that he either did or have happened since he was born, and the result is impressive

Now, I’ve read the manga, so I can’t say too much about what’s true and what isn’t without spoilers. What I will say is that I remember fans debating like crazy when this came out in the manga about whether Loki was evil, a bad boy, or just misunderstood. And Oda only made it even more confusing when Luffy decides to sneak away from the party to find the keys to let Loki free.

Luffy might be an idiot, but he’s also proven to be a great judge of character, which is what makes what he’s doing so controversial in our eyes. Is Luffy being blinded by his desire to see Shanks and making a mistake? Honestly, I didn’t know at the time. But I wasn’t that worried, since if Loki did anything, Luffy would kick his ass. Plus, he did have Zoro tagging along to help judge him, and he can be pretty perceptive. Even better, Nami is coming (with Rodo as her new servant). Partly because she knows the two will get lost, and because she wants to rob the castle.

Little do they know, they’re stumbling into their next big conflict. The God’s Knights are on the move.

Loki HATES the Celestial Dragons

By this point, the Knights have made it to the Underworld in search of Loki, because they want to make him an offer. If he agrees to join their ranks, they’ll set him free. They want that kind of destructive power that he’s got. However, there’s just one problem: Loki hates, hates, HATES the Celestial Dragons!

I can’t get into all the details right now, but Loki hates the Celestial Dragons with every fiber of his being. If I were to compare it to someone else, he hates them on the same level as Kratos hated the Greek Gods in the original God of War games. So he tells them to take their offer and shove it, promoting one of them, Gunko, to start getting aggressive. She uses her Devil Fruit powers to attack one of the wolves that Loki befriended and threatens to kill him if he doesn’t reconsider. His response? “So be it! I will just add it to the list of grievances I have against the Celestial Dragons for when I destroy the world!”

I love just how cold and ruthless this makes Loki seem, to be honest. Just when we think he might not be as bad as we thought, he does this. In his defense, though, Gunko would’ve killed the wolf anyway just to be petty. Therefore, no deal.

There are only two episodes left in this first cours of the season, and I know it’s been slow. But this is just the opening act to something amazing. Trust me, things are about to get way more interesting! And you won’t believe the uproar that the next part of the story caused in the fandom when the manga came out.

I Give “Encountering Loki – Gunko of the Knights of God” a 3/5

Why are the Giant Kids Such Wimps?

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Crunchyroll, Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Episode 1164 Review

You ever wanted to go someplace for so long that you’ve built up this impossible image of it in your head? And then when you finally get there, you find out that your expectations don’t match up with reality, and you feel that bit of disappointment in you? Well, congrats. That is exactly Luffy and Usopp experience in this episode, and it is a feeling I shared when the manga got to this point two years ago, as we discover that Elbaph has gone from a nation of warriors to…pacifists.

Oh boy.

Luffy does know how to be formal, after all!

So, after Robin and Saul have their absolutely tearjerkingly wholesome reunion, Luffy introduces himself to the Giant and fellow bearer of the D. And, as goofy as it was seeing him talk like a Yakuza boss, I think most of us can appreciate how Luffy was ltrying to be polite and formally thank Saul for everything that he did for Robin. That’s the good thing about Luffy. If you help out someone he considers a friend, then he’ll already consider you one by default. And if he does, then he’ll fight heaven and earth to help you. And I think that the Straw Hats speak for the fandom when they declare that they will protect Robin with their lives. Anyone who makes Robin sad will suffer!!

Speaking of protecting, Lillith is happy to see Saul again, even if the Giant only ever met the original Vegapunk until now. Speaking of whom, who here was surprised to learn that Lillith had brought a fully-formed clone of the Doctor with her? I certainly was when reading the manga. Not only are the other Satellites still alive, but technically, the World Government failed to kill Vegapunk himself. The doctor played them for fools the whole time! And now that they think he’s dead, Lillith is free to start a new lab in Elbaph where they can’t find them. And it means there’s still hope for restoring Kuma’s humanity, meaning Bonney will have her dad back!

The Giants are Becoming Pacifists

All that aside, the Straw Hats are all eager to explore Elbaph, so they decide to split up. The most important group, though, are Luffy and Usopp. Having wanted to see Elbaph the most out of all the Straw Hats, they’re eager to visit the school and see the next generation of Giants being trained to become warriors. When they get there, though, it’s not what they expected. Not only are the Giant kids not training to be brave warriors of the sea, they’re actually afraid of any kind of fighting whatsoever.

Yes, in a surprise twist, it turns out that Elbaph is trying to leave its warrior ways in the past in favor of a more peaceful way of life that respects other races. Why? Because that’s what their late king, King Harald, wanted.

I was so Bummed out!

You cannot imagine just how disappointing it was for me reading this in the manga. The world is on the brink of armageddon, and I’m convinced that the only way to save it is by Luffy finding the One Piece. And since Luffy is the second coming of Joy Boy/Nika, AKA Pirate Jesus, the figure the Giants worship, I assumed that they would gladly help him out. Having the army of the strongest country in the world on his side feels like a surefire way to ensure the World Government doesn’t win! And you’re telling me that now the Giants want become peaceful? The timing couldn’t be worse.

Now, having read the manga, all I can say is that there is more to the story than we know, and it will be revealed later on. And I knew why Oda was doing this: it was to create tension for the story so the Straw Hats could do their thing and save the day. But still, I shared Luffy and Usopp’s disappointment in how whimpy the Giant kids are.

And, as if to prove my point from earlier, something bad happens. In the ruins of Castle Aurust, where the King lived until he was apparently killed by Loki (it’s complicated), a dark circle appears. It’s the same one we saw when the Five Elders were summoned to Egghead. That’s not good. That can only mean one thing: Imu is on the move.

For those who don’t know, Imu is the secret ruler of the World Government and one of the overarching antagonists of One Piece. At this point in the manga, they were still a mystery, to the point where we didn’t even know if they were a man or woman! What we did know, though, is that they were likely ancient, powerful, and are determined to maintain their rule over the world. And having the Giants of Elbaph submit to them was the perfect means of doing so.

I hope you guys got your fill of the light-hearted wholesomeness thus far, because it’s over. Starting from the next episode onwards, things are going to start escalating as the chaos that follows the Straw Hats comes to Elbaph. And trust me when I say that if you’ve only watched the anime, you’re not ready for what happens next.

I Give “Saul’s Resolve – The Inherited Will of Ohara” a 3/5

The reunion of Robin and Saul is just so beautiful!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Episode 1163 Review

Everyone, I suggest that you have some tissues by your side when watching this episode of One Piece, because it is going to make your eyes water. And that’s okay, because one of the many, many life lessons you can learn about from One Piece, it’s that it’s perfectly fine for a grown man to cry tears of joy and sadness. And if you know the life story of the Straw Hat’s resident archaeologist, Nico Robin, you are going to want to cry. This is a part of the story that the anime went above and beyond to give us!

Anyone who Hurts Robin must die!!

The episode opens up on a very dark note as we are given a montage of the absolute hell that was Nico Robin’s childhood. For those who don’t remember, she’s from Ohara, the island of scholars and historians. They were trying to uncover the forbidden secrets of the Void Century, and for that, the World Government destroyed their island and everyone on it except for Robin. Then, they lied to the world, saying Ohara was trying to destroy it, and called Robin a demon that needed to be hunted down. She had to spend her life on the run from the brainwashed masses, bounty hunters, and government agents who didn’t know the truth.

I have been a fan of One Piece for half my life, and I have seen all sorts of atrocities committed by bad people. But what they did to Robin and the hell she went through until she found the Straw Hats? It’s enough to make me want to burn everything to the ground in retribution. Honestly, the fact that Robin never decided to become the villain everyone thought she was is a miracle in and of itself.

But enough about that. Picking up in the present day, all of the Straw Hats are now in Elbaph and happily reunited. And the Giants are more than happy to welcome them for all the goodwill they’ve done:

  • Befriending Dorry and Brogy
  • Helping Oimo and Koshi free themselves
  • Saving Hajrudin from slavery on Dressrosa
  • Helping to take down the hated Big Mom in Wano.

The last one wasn’t even at their own hands. Kid and Trafalgar Law deserve the credit for it. Regardless, the Giants hatred of Big Mom makes them good in their book.

Plus, they also punish Rodo for kidnapping half the crew by leaving him on a cross. Let him hang there and think about what he did!

Everyone is eager to start celebrating their arrival in Elbaph, but first things first, it’s time. Robin has waited 22 years for this reunion with Jaguar D. Saul, the Giant who became her first friend and saved her life at Elbaph.

It’s still crazy to think that Saul has been alive all this time, if you ask me. We thought that Kuzan had turned him into a ice pop and left him for dead. As it turns out, though, the heat from the fires melted him enough to fall into the sea, and that took care of the rest. When he woke up, Ohara was in ruins. So he gathered his brethren to retrieve the Oharan’s books, and he’s been living on Elbaph ever since. All said and done, he’s lucky he got out of it with some scars and a missing leg.

And now, the reunion!

Hooray!

So, as it turns out, Saul was perfectly fine. He just didn’t know how to say hi to Robin after so long, so he deliberately recreated the moment they first met: with him scaring her on the beach.

The reunion between Robin and Saul is filled with so many emotions. Saul notes how beautiful Robin has become (he’s right. She’s my favorite girl in the series.) He apologizes for not being able to protect her for all those years. And he is glad to know that Vegapunk got Ohara’s message out to the world. But Robin doesn’t want to talk about the sad stuff. All she wants is for Saul to praise her for making it there.

And this is where the tears start rolling, both with the characters, and with viewers.

Tears of Joy!

I meant what I said when knowing about Robin’s backstory makes me want to burn the world. Knowing the hell that the World Government put this child through is cruel beyond words. No one deserves to be hunted like that, especially a little girl. But it’s best to forget about the pain.

The episode closes on a montage of all the good moments that Robin has had since she joined the Straw Hat pirates, complete with a tearjerker of a song that I think was written just for this episode. It’s a song about how Robin walked through the pain and hardship of her life, hoping that someone would be there to get rid of her sadness. And it is beautiful. And the Straw Hats just star bursting into tears as they’re watching this. I felt like my eyes were about to become waterworks! The only ones who didn’t cry were the stoic Zoro and Jinbei, and Luffy. Luffy, being the radiant sunshine that he is, just laughs in joy for his friend. What a good friend he is!

This was an absolutely beautiful episode to watch. The anime was right to devote the entire episode to this one moment! I’m just so happy for our girl!

I Give “I Want you To Praise Me-The Reunion of Saul and Robin” a 5/5

Welcome to Elbaph! For Real!!!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Ep 1162 Review

Have you guys ever seen that meme of Aoi Todo from Jujutsu Kaisen? The one where he’s crying manly tears of joy when he hears Yuji shares his preference for women? I think that that meme can accurately describe what One Piece fans are supposed to be feeling after watching this episode. Especially if they have been following as far back as Little Garden where we first learned about the land of Giants, Elbaph. Well, after waiting two years for this to be animated, I can say that it was worth the wait just for the rainbow bridge. No, I am not joking. If you have ever seen the Thor movies or read anything about Norse mythology, you are about to witness one of the most magical things in mythology.

Quick Explanation

Before we get into this, I’m going to explain how Elbaph is divided up. The entire island nation is dominated by the series equivalent of the World Tree of Norse myth, the Treasure Tree Adam. The tree’s so big that it blocks out the sunlight to the ground underneath, leaving it mostly cold and always winter. That’s known as the Underworld.

The actual nation of War-land exists on the branches of the tree, in what is known as the Sun Land. The very top of the tree, which we haven’t even seen in the manga, is the astral or celestial realm. But for now, the Underworld and Sun Land are what’s important, as the latter is where everyone is headed. And to keep things in perspective, we are talking about a tree that is big enough to make the biggest of Giants feel small in comparison. From the perspective of a human, this entire country would be the size of one of the biggest islands in the world. Maybe Iceland, since that feels appropriate, given the setting. In other words, it’s big! And right now, the Straw Hats are headed to the Sun Land.

But first things first, they have to take care of a very naughty Giant.

Rodo Gets Punished

After escaping across the rope bridge, Luffy’s half of the Straw Hats finds that they’re still being chased by Rodo! They’ve had enough of dealing with him, so they’re going to do something about it. Since they’re worried about offending the Giants, though, they have to resort to the kind of trickery that would make Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk proud.

Then again, it wasn’t exactly that hard to trick Rodo. All they had to do was have Nami and Chopper act as the bait, and he abandoned all sense of rationality! The crew themselves lampshades how even a wild animal wouldn’t be dumb enough to fall for that kind of trap! Let this be a lesson to my fellow nerds everywhere: never let your nerdy obsessions override your ability to see reason. Rodo gives us nerds and weebs a bad name!

The good news is that the Straw Hats dont have to worry about punishing Rodo any further. His crewmates, Gerd and Goldberg, do it for them, bless their hearts. Especially Gerd. She loves humans as much as Rodo because of how cute they look to her, but unlike him, she respects them as individuals. And it just so happens that she had brought Luffy with her after he came back from his totally normal and uneventful trip to the Underworld! He has to keep his meeting with Loki a secret.

Enough about that, though. What we’re here for is getting to see Elbaph itself. And there’s only one word I can use to describe it: magical.

Just. Magical.

Full disclosure: I have been immersed in the world of One Piece at various points for about 2/3rds of my life. I’ve seen creatures, lands, and locations that defy explanation or common sense on a regular basis. But when I read the chapter this episode is based on, it felt special! Mostly because of the rainbow bridge!

I dont know why, but there’s just something about rainbows that feels magical. Logically, we know that they’re just optical illusions created by light after a storm, but emotionally, they feel like a gift from the heavens. And the fact that the Giants of Elbaph are able to use these stones to draw them out of thin air wherever there’s sunlight just feels otherworldly! And then we get to see the Giant Pirates sail on them like it’s nothing! The only word that could accurately describe that is magic! And I’m so jealous that the Straw Hats were able to enjoy this!

And now, let the Todo meme do the talking.

Oda, you’ve always given this story your all, but it’s clear that you wanted to tell this for a long time. Thank you for the peak!

I Give “A Gargantuan Wave of Emotion – The Dreamlike Scenery of Elbaph” a 5/5

Loki, THE GOAT GIANT, IS FINALLY HERE!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Episode 1160 Review

Oh, I’ve been waiting for this episode to get animated for a long time now! When I said that the Elbaph Arc is going to go absolutely hard, I wasn’t joking. The detail and care that Oda puts into the home of the Giants makes it clear to all that this is a story that he’s been wanting to tell for a long time. And while some people are likely disappointed that the first few episodes of One Piece’s return were a mini-arc in a LEGOland, this is about to make it all worthwhile. Not only do we finally see the size and scope of Elbaph, but we also get introduced to the best character in the arc. A character that I remembers sparking a lot of debate in the fandom about whether he was a friend or a foe: Loki.

Strap yourselves in. Things are starting to heat up.

The Straw Hats Will Reunite in Elbaph

So, while half of the Straw Hats are currently escaping the Block Kingdom of Rodo (or Road), what’s going on with the other half and the Giants Pirates? At this exact moment, Dorry, Brogy, and the other Giants are freaking out since they don’t know where Luffy or the Sunny are. They’re about ready to jump into the ocean and look for them on the sea floor, it’s so bad! Thankfully, this isn’t the first time the Straw Hat Pirates have gotten split up like this. This stuff is nothing to them! So Franky and the others tell their hosts to calm down, because they know their friends will be fine and will find their way to Elbaph.

I know it sounds callous to outsiders, but to us, it shows how much faith the the crew has in each other.

What’s of bigger interest, though, is what they read in the papers. As expected of a stooge of the World Government, the news has pinned everything that happened on Egghead on Luffy and the Giant Pirates. That weasel Morgans even says Luffy killed Vegapunk! Though there’s no way the World Government would admit that they’re the ones at fault, so what else is new?

There is one part of the news that was of particular interest, though: the X mark on Luffy’s arm. Robin vaguely remembers it, but none of the others have any idea what it means. The irony is that, besides the fans knowing what it is, the half of the Straw Hats that would recognize it isn’t present. But if you don’t know, it was a mark the crew drew on their wrists during their adventures in Alabasta with their friend, Princess Vivi. Said Princess is currently on the run with the guy who publishes that newspaper, so this was basically her letting them know that she was okay. Sadly, this won’t become important until after their time in Elbaph ends, and given how the arc’s still ongoing in the manga, we’ve got a while. Thankfully, though, the same doesn’t have to be said about Elbaph!

After making their escape from the Block Kingdom, Luffy’s half of the Straw Hats find themselves on the outside. The bad news? It’s not the fact that everything is just as big as it was indoors. It’s the fact that it’s freezing cold and in the middle of a blizzard.

The good news? Two of Road’s crewmates pass by because they heard he”s been up to his antics of kidnapping humans and have come to reprimand him. And they confirm once and for all that the group is now in Elbaph. Too bad the others tell Luffy and Usopp to be quiet so they can’t celebrate.

Full disclosure: yes, Gerd and Goldberg are part of the same crew as Road and Hajrudin. Yes, I believe that Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp met them back in Dressrosa, so they’re part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet that pledged itself to Luffy. But since they don’t fully remember, and because the other half of their crewmembers weren’t there when it happened, they can’t ask them for help just yet. Ergo, they cross the giant rope bridge to the other side to safety.

…is what they were supposed to do. But then they hear a roar coming from the forest below, and the Monster Trio can tell right away that it’s coming from someone equally as monstrous. Naturally, Luffy decides to investigate on his own. And this is where things start getting good.

Our First Real Look at Elbaph!

Two important things happened in the chapter that this episode is adapting, and Toei did an incredible job adapting it into the anime. The first is that after all the teasing we’ve got in flashbacks and quick looks, we finally get our first full look at the island of Elbaph. And…calling it massive would be an understatement. It is absolutely gargantuan in size. In the first moments Luffy and the others step outside, they see mountains that are probably big enough to qualify as small islands in any other part of the world. The forests tower over even the biggest of Giants, and the animals are roughly the same size. To a normal Human, this is the equivalent of a sizeable insect waking up to find themselves in a city the size of New York or Tokyo. And then there’s the tree. The absolutely massive tree standing in the center of the island that dwarfs even the tallest of the mountains. I don’t know how to do the math, but that tree has to be dozens, or even hundreds of miles, in size. It’s so big that we can’t even see the top! Some fans have speculated it might be tall enough to allow someone access to Sky Islands.

But all of this pales in comparison to the character that we will get to know very well in the coming weeks. Arguably, the most important character introduced in this entire arc, a man who the Giants call an absolute terror and the “Shame of Elbaph.” The Giant Pirates tell Dorry and Brogy that he was the son of their late king, whom they believe he murdered to gain the Royal Family’s incredibly powerful Devil Fruit. The Prince of the Kingdom of Warland, and the self-proclaimed Sun God who will end the world, give it up for LOKI!!!!

And guess who just met him? Luffy.

Loki: Friend or Foe?

If you only watch the anime, then you have no idea how much of an uproar the introduction of Loki caused throughout the fandom. If you’ve seen any modern depictions of Loki in media like the MCU, or as Atreus in the God of War games, then the name alone should be enough to worry you. Regardless of if he’s a good guy or a bad guy, Loki tends to cause trouble. Heck, in Norse Mythology, he got so bad that his fellow gods had to imprison him, only for it to be said he would be set free at Ragnarok. AKA, the end of the world.

What I was most concerned about, though, was how Loki was calling himself the Sun God. We thought that Luffy was supposed to be one who had the powers of the Sun God, Nika. That he was meant to be this person who would liberate people from oppression! But here Loki was claiming to be this destroyer of the world! It had us all so confused!

Anime watchers, prepare to remain confused, as a large part of this arc involves Oda doing his best to make us question if Loki can be trusted or not. I won’t spoil anything, though!

It’s great to know that we can finally start the Elbaph Arc in earnest. I know that the Block Kingdom took up a lot of time, but trust me when I say it will be worth the wait. We are going to see things that will blow your mind! If you haven’t started watching One Piece, then now is the time to do so!

I Give “An Encounter on a Snowfield-Loki, the Accursed Prince,” a 4.5/5

I’m Calling Nami the Weather Queen after This

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Ep 1159 Review

Well, it looks like my prediction was spot-on! This is the last episode that we will be spending in this little mini-arc that was the Block Kingdom! On the last piece of One Piece, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper managed to confront the “Sun God” who created the LEGO set they woke up in and thoroughly enrage them. Now, they’re on the run from an angry Giant who wants to keep them captive forever for his own amusement. But, as I felt when I was reading the manga, this guy must not be very smart if they think they can hold Monkey D. Luffy!

RUN AWAY FROM THE GIANT!

The vast majority of this episode can be summed as resembling the climax to the classic fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk. Well, the parts where the main character is being chased by the Giant, at least. The only thing the Straw Hats stole was the blueprints to the Block Kingdom, and given how they woke up unwilling captives and want to escape, they’re justified. Using the giant cat that Luffy is forcing to obey them, they’re making a dash for the other side of the Block Kingdom. Which, in case it wasn’t obvious, is actually an old cell designed to hold Giants prisoner. Which, given how Luffy is stronger than most Giants by this point, is really not a problem.

I know people are still going to have some problems with the pacing of the episodes, but the anime makes up for the extended scenes with the high quality of its animation. The series has come a long way from the simpler look it had in 1999, with its look evolving to better suit the evolution of the craft. That means that it feels a lot closer to what Oda draws in the manga as he’s grown more and more confident over the years, much to fans’ enjoyment. And, if I’m being honest, I like seeing the Straw Hats continuously outsmart their captor as they try to catch them.

This Guy Technically Works for Luffy

Speaking of which, it’s already obvious that the one holding them isn’t a God, but I don’t think any of us were expecting him to be who he turns out to be. The Giant that built this fake world is named Road, a member of the New Giant Warrior Pirates led by Hajrudin. Introduced back in Dressrosa as mercenaries working for Buggy, they were one of the groups that chose to pledge their loyalty to Luffy and form the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. That means that Road is technically supposed to be one of Luffy’s allies, but he can’t stand the idea of Giants working for a tiny human. So when one of his pet crows found the Sunny and half the Straw Hats fast asleep on it out at sea, he got the bright idea of putting them in his Block Kingdom so he wouldn’t have to work under them. And, for extra renegade points, he stripped them of their clothes so he could put new ones on them, including Nami.

It’s been months since these events took place in the manga, and my thoughts on this whole reveal haven’t changed: this guy’s an idiot. I can forgive him for ignorantly thinking that he could hold someone like Luffy because he hasn’t seen how strong he is like his crewmates have, but he really didn’t think this through. If the other Giant Pirates found out that he was holding Luffy captive, then they would punish him for it! And while I respect him for the LEGO model he built and the hand-made outfits, he’s still giving our fellow nerds a bad name. The part where he pauses mid-chase to gush about how this unscripted conflict in his world is so awesome comes off as creepy coming from him.

So, he must be punished. And it’s fitting that it’s Nami who’s the one who pays him back.

One of Nami’s Best Moments Yet!

The way that Nami has Zeus grow to the size of a storm and then has him hit Road with a lightning strike was already amazing. But that smug, s*it-eating smirk on Nami’s face as she claimed it was “divine retribution” was hilarious! That might not have been divine retribution, but that was a case of karma at work!

So, much to no one’s surprise save for that of Road, the Straw Hats manage to escape from the Block Kingdom. And I am happy to say that next week, we are going to head straight into the good stuff: Elbaph. The actual Elbaph is about to appear, and it is going to be amazing, you guys!! You are going to love it!

I Give “Destroy the Miniature Garden – Escape Block Kingdom!” a 4.5/5

Nami’s Misadventures in LEGOland!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Ep 1157 Review

If you’re a fan of the One Piece anime, then you’ve probably heard people complain about one thing: the pacing. It is notoriously slow when it comes to adapting the story of the manga, which is a consequence of it starting in an age when anime filler was necessary to keep something from overtaking its source material. That’s why one of the biggest selling points of the new seasonal format has been the expectations of improved pacing. Less filler, more of the actual story, as some fans had hoped. However, it feels as though those hopes were dashed with the show’s second episode since its return, as Toei is still relying on the same tricks as before: padding the episodes out and making parts of the story longer than necessary.

LEGO’S?!?

On the last piece of One Piece, the Giant and Straw Hat pirates were all celebrating their escape from Egghead Island with a party. The next thing we know, Nami is waking up someplace made out of LEGO in an outfit she doesn’t remember putting on. And trust me, manga readers were just as confused about this as the people watching the anime probably were. Things only managed to get even stranger when the episode starts off with some people in the vicinity are talking about some kind of trouble with one of the local deities. What should catch everyone’s attention, though, is the name they give to the giant tree in this blocky kingdom: Yddragsil. That’s the name of the cosmically-sized tree from Norse mythology that connects the worlds together.

One thing that Oda seems to like doing, and is very skilled, is foreshadowing well ahead of time. If the name of someone or someplace we’ve never heard of before gets mentioned, that means that its going to be important at some point in the future. And as manga readers were quick to figure out, Nami had somehow woken up someplace that’s tied to Elbaph, if not Elbaph itself. The clothes and name of the tree were a dead giveaway, but what I really like is how the whole place is built out of LEGOs. LEGO’s from Denmark, AKA the region of the world where Vikings came from; it makes sense.

What didn’t make sense, though, was how massive the animals were. No sooner had Nami woken up than she was being attacked by bees twice her size! I’m able to tolerate bees, but stinging insects are enough to make me run for the hills! Thankfully, she and Zeus are able to roast them, no problem. But then they’re attacked by a giant hedgehog!

This is where I noticed how those complaints about the pacing began to resurface on social media. In the manga, Nami getting chased by that hedgehog takes up half a page, at best. The anime translates that into a full minute of her running around this blocky castle before she runs into Usopp and saves him from a giant cat. And from there the entire episode more or less revolves around them trying to get away until the Monster Trio of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji save their bacon.

The Animation is Still Good

Say what you want about the whole thing, but at least the animation is still amazing. I’m little surprised at the fact that they’re choosing to make an eye catch just for this blocky kingdom. It feels unnecessary considering how they’re likely not to be in it for that long!

So like Nami and Usopp, the Monster Trio has no idea where they are or how they got there. But they don’t really care. If someone was dumb enough to put them in this place, then whatever happens next is on them. Besides, Luffy and Usopp are too excited about Elbaph to be worried.

I know that this first half of the season is only about 12-13 episodes, so you might be worried about this taking up too much time. But don’t worry, you guys. By my estimations, the group will be out of this Block Kingdom in…two episodes.

I Give “Nami in a Fix! An Adventure in Block Kingdom” a 3/5

El-balph! El-baph! LAND OF THE GIANTS!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Piece Ep 1156 Review

Sorry I’m late, everyone, but I’m ready to get this voyage underway! I wouldn’t miss One Piece for all the money in the world!

I know that the founders of this blog aren’t the biggest of fans of One Piece, but as their primary writer, I’m an absolutely massive fan. I’ve talked about it a lot on D&A Anime Blog. I’ve gushed about the live-action series and other big pieces of news about the franchise. And on my personal blog, I’ve been reviewing each chapter of the manga since partway through the Wano Country Arc! But with the anime having gone seasonal, I decided that now was the best time for me to try my hand at reviewing the anime. This will be the first time I’ve reviewed an anime of something whose manga I’m concurrently covering, but it’s going to be worth it. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series or a newcomer, you might have picked a great time to come aboard, because we are about to arrive at a location so awesome, so amazing, so mind-bendingly cool, that nothing short of finding the One Piece itself can compare! The story that Oda has wanted to tell since he was a little kid is here. The story of ELBAPH!!

Full disclosure: if you’re a newcomer, there are going to be a lot things thrown at you that I don’t have time to explain. In that case, either go read the manga or go find one of the many, many people on YouTube who can recap and explain the series. Otherwise, I’ll just assume you’re caught up so I can enjoy myself!

After a brief flashback to the end of the Little Garden Arc where Luffy and Usopp resolve to one day visit Elbaph, the episode returns us to the present day. The Straw Hats, Giant Warrior Pirates, Lillith, Bonney and Kuma have just escaped from Egghead Island and are on their way to Elbaph, so they’re celebrating by partying. It’s pretty much a law that the Straw Hats end an arc with a party. What I wasn’t expecting, though, and soemthing that was totally original to the anime was getting to hear Brook play “New World.” There are a lot of good songs in One Piece, but New World has to be one of my favorites. Upbeat, exciting, and optimistic, it encapsulates the positive messages that the series sends us. That, and it’s a pretty good bop.

The Barto Club Screws Up

The episode then cuts away to another series tradition that accompanies the start of a new arc: checking up on events around the world. Oda is great when it comes to world-building, and moments where he takes the focus away from the main characters remind us of that by showing that the world doesn’t revolve entirely around what they do. In this case, it picks up with one of Luffy’s allies/biggest fans, the Barto Club, and one of his greatest enemies, the Blackbeard Pirates.

So, after they parted ways with Luffy, Bartolomeo and his crew went to a particular island to sell some Straw Hat pirate merch. However, they chose to go to an island under Shanks’ protection, and they refused to buy anything. In response, Barto torched their flag, leading to Shanks to give them a butt-whooping. And then he decided to test/troll them by ordering Barto to make Luffy drink poison or else their lives were forfeit. And you can guess where this is going.

Anyone who has been with One Piece long enough knew that Shanks was just messing with Barto. He just wanted to make sure that Luffy’s followers weren’t some fair-weather friends, and Barto passed the vibe check. But Yassop still destroyed their ship. They had a reputation to keep up.

I’m sure they’ll be fine!

Blackbeard is Nearing his Endgame

Meanwhile, back on Pirate Island, Blackbeard isn’t happy that the Marines managed to raid the place and rescue Koby while he was gone. However, his crew points out that he’s now in an arguably better position. Not only do they have Luffy’s grandpa and hero of the Marines, Garp, prisoner, but they also raided Big Mom’s territory and abducted Pudding. And with Caribou newly arrived and ready to spill everything he knows about the locations of two of the three Ancient Weapons, things are about to get a lot worse.

I think I mentioned it on my blog when reviewing the chapter, but I’m going to say it here: Blackbeard is being set up as the final enemy that Luffy must face to become King of the Pirates. Once he knows where and who the Ancient Weapons are, he’s going to try to seize them. That means that nations with people that the Straw Hats call friends will be in harm’s way. Add in the fact that Teach now has Luffy’s grandpa and Sanji’s ex-fiancé prisoner, as well as what he did to Ace, the Straw Hats have all the motivation they need to go to war with the Blackbeard Pirates. Unfortunately, this will mark the last point for a while where the anime doesn’t focus on anything outside of their next destination (not counting flashbacks.)

Speaking of which, where are the Straw Hats?

Where did half the Straw Hats Go?

When I read the chapters where the Giants woke up to find half the Straw Hat Pirates and their ship missing, I was as confused as everyone else. How the heck did they get separated from everyone else? Then it got even weirder when Nami woke up in a place that looked suspiciously like it was made out of LEGO…and wearing an entirely different outfit. None of us knew if she was tripping from the alcohol, or if this was a detour from Elbaph. If it had been the latter, though, I think the fans would’ve lost it! And then we had to wait an entire week (or two) to find out what was happening. Thankfully, the anime will be sticking to a weekly release schedule, so anime only people don’t have to worry about that!

This was a good start to the return of One Piece, if you ask me. I have been reading the manga for years, and I can say that you guys are in for something very special. Welcome to the Elbaph arc, everyone! Hope you enjoy the trip!

I Give “The Long-sought Elbaph! The Big Reunion Banquet” a 3/5