One Piece

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!

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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!

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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

I’m Reviewing the new Season of One Piece, and you Can’t stop Me!

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

Primer for One Piece Elbaph Arc

After all these years, we’re finally here. The One Piece anime has officially made it to Elbaph.

A few months ago, Toei Animation shocked the world of anime with some unbelievable news. After almost three decades of near-continuous running, the One Piece anime would no longer be an all-year-round show. Starting from the end of the Egghead Island Arc, the anime would switch to the same seasonal format that has come to define the industry in recent years. While some got upset about this, others understood the need for the switch. The anime was catching up to the manga, and with Eichiro Oda prioritizing his well-being in recent years, that meant fewer chapters were out. Between that and the higher quality of animation the series has gotten in recent years, releasing a new episode every week isn’t sustainable for anyone. Plus, no one wants to see more filler episodes and we hate those recap specials that keep popping up! Hence the need to move to a seasonal release schedule. But trust me, it will be worth it, because if you only watched the anime, you have no idea how crazy the Elbaph Arc is going to get. But I do.

Over the past several years, I have been covering the One Piece manga on my personal blog, recapping and reviewing each chapter from the end of Act One of the Wano Country Arc onwards. And I’ve been reading the manga for about fourteen years, with it currently in the middle of the Elbaph Arc right now. Which is I’m going to do something that I haven’t thought of doing before: I’m going to review the One Piece anime.

In the past, I’ve never considered reviewing the One Piece anime because I never felt it necessary. I already knew what was going to happen, so I didn’t think that I could properly review it. But then it occurred to me that I review plenty of shows that I already know the outcomes to, both on here and on my personal blog. With that not being an excuse, and the shift to a seasonal format becoming more appealing, why shouldn’t I review the anime? If anything, the fact that I’ve been covering the manga should help me review everything better!

Plus, when I say that the Elbaph Arc is going to be crazy, I mean that it’s going to be crazy. The first look that just dropped on YouTube is just the beginning.

Why this is So Hype!

I don’t know how many people who read this blog like One Piece or have been a long-term fan of it, but indulge me as I explain why this arc is so hyped up. Next to the island where the One Piece is said to be located, Elbaph has been the most anticipated location in the entire series. Ever since it was first mentioned in an arc twenty-seven years ago, Elbaph has been one near the top fo the places that Luffy has wanted to visit. It’s the homeland of most of the Giants, who, as we have seen throughout the series, are some of the strongest warriors in the world. More importantly, it’s a land that’s heavily influenced by Norse culture, AKA the Vikings. Next to the real-life golden age of piracy, the Vikings are who most people think of when they think of pirates. But they’re more than just pirates; they were explorers, traders, nation-builders, and had a culture that has had influenced the world long after the actual civilization faded away. Case in point, we have what Marvel and God of War have done with Norse mythology. Culturally, they’re a pretty big deal! And Eichiro Oda has spent the majority of the manga feeding us tiny hints of what this fantastical land is like, longer than he has for any other location.

There is a reason for why Oda has devoted so much attention to Elbaph. When he was a kid, he grew up watching Vicky the Viking, a German-Japanese show about a smart but timid boy who used his brains to help out his village. That show is what made him want to become a mangaka, and eventually led him to create One Piece. Part of what makes the series so great is that Oda draws influence from real-world cultures for almost every location the Straw Hat Pirates visit, and in the case of Elbaph, it’s the Vikings. To put it simply, Oda’s spent most of his life wanting to tell a story like that of Elbaph, and so far, he hasn’t held anything back.

You are Not Ready for Loki

If you’ve read the manga already, then you already know just how crazy the Elbaph Arc gets, but this quick teaser is more of the “show-but-don’t-tell” variety. That’s understandable, given how it’s only 30 seconds long, but it makes the best of it to hype us up for what we’re about to see. Granted, by the time this goes out, the first episode will already be released, but that’s besides the point. The main focus of the trailer, though, is the introduction of a new character that plays a major role in the arc. A character, as of where the manga is right now, is considered a prime candidate to join the Straw Hat Pirates: Loki, the accursed Prince of Elbaph.

If you know anything about Norse mythology, then you know Oda wasn’t playing around naming this behemoth of a Giant Loki. The fact that the first time we see him, he is blindfolded and chained to a tree should be enough to tell you that this guy is dangerous. If that doesn’t convince you, the fact that he tells Luffy that he’s the Sun God who will destroy the world should tell you how dangerous he is. The fact that he’s claiming to be the Sun God, a title that we thought Luffy unknowingly has thanks to his Devil Fruit, only cements this.

I won’t spoil anything, but for a good part of the arc, Oda does a good job of leaving readers unsure of what to think about Loki. I still remember how people were debating about whether Loki is as bad as his countrymen say he is, or if he’s misunderstood. Oda keeps us guessing for a while, and it was interesting to listen to the debates about it amongst the fans. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Elbaph Arc will begin on April 5th, 2026, and with our release schedule for new posts, it’s likely that has already passed. Hopefully, I will have already reviewed the first episode by the time you’re reading this and it will be scheduled for publishing. If so, I hope you enjoy it!

The OG Dub VA for Luffy Returns as Joy Boy

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They’re Bringing Back the OG VA for Luffy for One Piece

After all of these years, the OG dub VA for Monkey D. Luffy is getting some recognition.

These days, it’s hard to imagine a world in which One Piece isn’t one of the most popular media franchises in the world. But like anything great, it didn’t start off that way. It’s taken decades for One Piece to become the globally mainstream hit it is now, and I think that part of the reason why it is that way is due to how bad its initial debut in the West was. The people who enjoy the English dub tend to think of the ongoing Funimation (now Crunchyroll) dub of One Piece, but like Dragon Ball and other anime that came westward in the 90s and 2000s, there were other English dubs. It just so happens that the OG dub of One Piece is infamously considered one of the worst ever made: the One Piece 4Kids dub.

Anyone Remember 4Kids?

Before the rise of Funimation, 4Kids Entertainment was the premier company when it came to localizing anime in the West. From the original Pokemon anime to Yu-Gi-Oh! and its numerous sequel series, 4Kids was once the king of anime. I was one of the kids who grew up loving everything they did, but looking back on it now, you can tell just how much they changed things for their audiences. The shows they dubbed were subjected to a lot of censorship and changes meant to make them what they deemed to be suitable for kids because they thought it was what was best for them. In doing so, though, they removed a lot of the tension and stakes that made the shows so compelling, with questionable results. They could get away with in Pokemon since it was meant for kids, but it starts becoming noticeable in shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! And then came the show that would ruin them: One Piece.

And they never wanted to do it in the first place.

4Kids didn’t know what it was doing

4Kids never had any intention of dubbing One Piece in the first place. The only reason that they did it is because it was part of a package deal they got with Toei that included shows that they actually wanted. They didn’t know anything about it going in, and when they saw all the more mature themes (smoking, death, fanservice) and said “we can’t show this to our demographic!” So they censored like they never censored before…with disastrous results.

There’s a reason why the 4Kids dub of One Piece is considered one of the worst dubs of all time, and if you grew up watching it, find it on dvd, or find it online, you’ll understand why. All the blood was removed, alcohol was replaced with other drinks, they removed the guns or replaced with ridiculous props. Not to mention just how bad the voice acting was. I didn’t realize it as a kid, but it was absolutely terrible! And worst of all was how they cut out key moments from the story. I didn’t even know until years later about Laboon or Little Garden because they were outright removed!

Ultimately, their attempt to dub One Piece the beginning of the end for 4Kids. It was so poorly received that their reputation would never fully recover, and several years, the company went belly up. Now all that remains is the memory of it and the dubs they left behind. As for One Piece, Funimation would eventually take up the role of dubbing it, but it would take years for them to undo the damage. These days, the English dub is in a much better position, but I’m willing to bet that there are plenty of fans that prefer sub over dub partly due to what 4Kids did. Honestly, I don’t blame them. I look back on the 4Kids dub, and realize just how bad it really was.

The sad irony? I actually stopped initially watching One Piece after the 4Kids dub ended.

At Least 4Kids Introduced me to One Piece

I was only ten years old when I started watching One Piece, and I had no idea just how bad a hand I had gotten with it. Even with all the censoring and changes, One Piece still looked so cool to me, to the point where I started going around wearing the closest thing I could find to Luffy’s straw hat. And when it ended and I think Toonami switched to the Funimation dub, I was so confused that I walked away from it altogether. Again, I was just a kid who didn’t know any better. Plus, I wasn’t able to find ways to watch the anime and read the manga until I was in high school, so there wasn’t much that I could do. Yet despite knowing how bad I got it, I can’t truly bring myself to hate the 4Kids dub of One Piece, if only because it was how I got into the series in the first place. Which is why this next bit of news brings a smile to my face.

It will have likely already passed by then, but on March 24th, for the first time ever, the dub of the One Piece anime will be caught up to the subbed. For decades, fans have had to deal with the fact that the English dub remained dozens, even hundreds, of episodes behind the subbed version. That alone is a big win. But it just got even bigger: they’re bringing back the original dub VA for Luffy.

In one of the final batches of episodes before the anime went seasonal, One Piece introduced us to the voice of Joy Boy, a legendary figure in the lore of the series who was said to be the first pirate, and the last person to wield the powers that Luffy now has. In a fun twist, the Seiyuu for Joy Boy is Uraka Takano, the original voice of Luffy. Most people don’t know this, but there was actually an OVA of One Piece released in 1998, predating the Toei series and with different animation and voices. So it’s poetic to have Joy Boy voiced by the OG Luffy.

The dub seems to have taken a similar stance on the matter, as it was announced that the English voice actor for Joy Boy is Erica Schroeder, aka the original English voice for Luffy from the 4Kids days.

I can’t help but smile at this small tribute to what came before it. Even if it was one of the worst dubs of anime in history, 4Kids is still a part of the history of One Piece. It’s how I fell in love with One Piece in the first place, so I at least respect it for that. Getting to hear the OG voice of Luffy is going to be something that I hope makes me very happy, and I’m glad that it’s getting acknowledged.

Plus, for all its faults, yjere was one thing that 4Kids did right by One Piece: the opening rap. Say what you want about everything else, but that rap song isn’t half bad.

Oda Just Set off a Real Life Hunt for the One Piece

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Oda, you absolute mad lad! You just created a real-life treasure hunt!

At this point, One Piece is more than just an anime and manga series; it’s one of the most popular stories in recorded history. With hundreds of millions of fans worldwide, a long-running anime and film series, and a live-action Netflix series airing its second season, One Piece is more popular than ever. It’s gotten to the point where people are waving the jolly roger of its main protagonists, the Straw Hat Pirates, at protests around the world. And all of this has made Eichiro Oda, the creator, one of the most beloved authors in the world. And Oda just did something crazy to celebrate the manga selling 600 million copies. Something that is making his fans go absolutely crazy: he wrote down what the One Piece is and hid it.

Let me explain: The One Piece is the namesake of the entire series. It’s a legendary treasure hidden for centuries at the end of the world that was found by Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates. He told everyone about its existence right as he was being executed, bringing about the Great Age of Pirates. Finding it is the ultimate goal of most pirates in the series, especially for Monkey D. Luffy.

Here’s the crazy part, though: we have no idea what the One Piece is.

The series has been ongoing since 1997, and in all that time, fans still have no clue what the One Piece even is. The story’s given us hints about it. We know that it’s centuries old, was hidden away from those who seek to destroy it, and that whatever it is could potentially turn the world upside down. In other words, it’s something that those in charge want to make sure is never found. But we still don’t know what it is, and we likely won’t until the day Luffy and the Straw Hats make it to the final island, Laugh Tale.

At least, that’s how it was supposed to go. But Oda might have shot himself in the foot on that.

In a special video celebrating the manga selling 600 million copies, Oda did something he’s never done before: he wrote down what the One Piece is, something he’s kept to himself for almost thirty years, onto a slip of paper. He then locked it into a chest that was then sealed inside a pressure-resistant glass sphere. That chest was then taken out to sea and dropped into the ocean, coming to rest at a depth of 651 meters. The video proclaims that it will rest there until the day the series comes to an end, safe from the rest of the world.

That…might no longer be an option, though.

A big thing about One Piece fans is that when they want to know something, they will pull out all the stops. The series has a very healthy community of scanlators and leakers constantly posting the latest chapters online before they’re officially released. Now it’s claimed that Oda wrote the answer to one of the greatest secrets in the history of literature and left it someplace impossible to find? Most people would leave it at that. For the most die-hard One Piece fans, though, they’ve taken it as a challenge to a real-life treasure hunt. And they’ve managed to make major headway. In less than two days, people online have managed to narrow down the location of the chest using clues from the video.

The only real issue would be the location itself. 651 meters is about 2,000 feet. Only submersibles and the most advanced diving suits can survive that far down, and they cost millions to use. But Oda might have underestimated his fan’s determination. For example, IShowSpeed, an extremely popular streamer and huge One Piece fan, announced he wants to do a live-stream hunting for the chest. And with his influence and resources, he might be able to pull it off. Fans will no doubt attempt to crowdfund their own attempts to find the chest, and barring the Japanese authorities getting involved, I think they’re likely to find it. But what should they do with it if they do?

My suggestion: leave it there or destroy it. Whatever we do, don’t open the box and look at the paper.

Don’t get me wrong, I want to know what the One Piece is just like everyone else does. And I normally don’t mind spoilers. But when it comes to the ending of One Piece, I will absolutely refuse to hear a word. Why? Well, Luffy can say it better.

This scene encapsulates how I hope the vast majority of One Piece should feel about the chance to learn the truth prematurely. It would be awesome for the brief second that we learn it, but then, we would realize that there would be no point in continuing to read this incredible story. No point in getting to enjoy further adventures with Luffy and the Straw Hats. No point to the entire story! And I don’t think that I could live in a world where the ending to one of the greatest stories of all time is spoiled to me! If a fan does find it, they should destroy it without looking at it. That’s what Luffy would do.

Of course, I have a sneaking suspicion that Oda didn’t write the ending on that paper. I think he knows his fans well enough to to know we would try to find it, so he might have thought ahead and wrote a fake message on it. Or maybe he really did write the secret on there, and is trusting the fans to not spoil it. Either way, it’s up to us to decide what to do with this. We have the chance to learn the answer to one of the biggest questions in literary history before its time. Do we really want that, though?

Also, it should be noted that if someone decides to open it and spoil the ending for all of us, they will become a global pariah.

Netflix’s One Piece is Going to be Even Crazier in Season Two

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One Piece Season 2 Trailer Review

This March, One Piece fans are going to break Netflix.

In the summer of 2023, Netflix released its live-action adaptation of the legendary anime, One Piece. And despite the streaming platform’s track record with adapting anime, One Piece proved that it’s built different by having a live-action adaptation that was actually good! From managing to make its characters and world loyal to Oda’s vision to faithfully retelling the early days of the story, Netflix’s One Piece has been a cut above the rest. It’s almost as if having the series creator serve as the end-all authority on what works and what doesn’t was a good idea. You hear that, Shyamalan?

It’s been almost three years since the first season dropped on Netflix, and while the anime and manga have continued apace, we’ve had to wait for the live-action version to return. On March 10th, though, the wait shall be over, and judging by the final trailer we’ve gotten for the series, it will be worth every second spent!

Picking up where the first season left off, season two will see Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates finally enter the Grand Line, and discover just how insane it truly is. Judging by everything that we know, this season will cover the tail-end of the East Blue Saga that started it all to the first half of the Alabasta Saga. This is when One Piece really started to find its stride, as Oda began to drop any remaining pretense of realism in favor of telling a story that’s absolutely crazy, and it shows in the trailer. Everything that we see in the trailer is something that we’ve seen in the series, no matter how crazy it may seem. That includes fighting otters, giants, a whale big enough to rival the one from Pinocchio, giants, dinosaurs and more! And that’s not even getting into the Devil Fruit powers we see. Newcomers should prepare themselves, as from the moment we enter the Grand Line, Devil Fruit users are going to be found in almost every antagonistic group we’ll meet, with powers just as crazy as Luffy’s.

However, what I think fans, especially longtime ones, are most excited about are the introductions of two important characters: Miss All Sunday and Chopper.

Chopper Still Cute as Ever!

I won’t spoil anything about Miss All Sunday in case you’re a newcomer to the series, but when it comes to Chopper, I don’t think I need to hold back. With his chibi form and childish innocence, Chopper is pretty much the mascot of One Piece. It’s to the point that the One Piece YouTube channel has a little comic strip about him. The series knows he’s adorable and has spent years selling merch of him, and it’s not hard to understand why. But despite how cute he looks, Chopper has one of the saddest backstories out of any member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Granted, a lot of characters in One Piece had a hard past, but Chopper’s is one of the saddest. I sincerely hope that Netflix gives his backstory the justice it deserves.

We have less than a month before the series drops its second season, and I’m even more excited for it now than I was for the first one. The reasons being that now that I know that Netflix can pull this off, I want to see how far they can go. Secondly, the Alabasta Saga was when I started getting into One Piece back when it was being dubbed by 4Kids. Their dub might have been terrible, but it still turned me into a lifelong fan. So I hope that Netflix does this justice!

I’m Already Stuffed from Anime, and 2026 isn’t Here Yet!

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All the Anime RJ Writing Ink is Looking forward to in 2026 (So Far)

Looking back on 2025, it was pretty much a golden year for anime. There were so many amazing series, both new and returning, that graced our TVs, smartphones, and computers. But with the new year upon us, that means new anime to appreciate. So much so that my poor brain is struggling to remember everything we have to look forward to. However, that will not stop me from going over all the confirmed series that I think most people will want to see.

Sentenced to Be a Hero, January 3rd

You would think that getting to be a hero would be a sweet gig, but then you remember all the peril that would involve putting yourself in. Then you have what’s going on in this anime, where being a hero is considered a punishment for criminals wjo are forced to fight against demons. Not even death can save them from this fate, as they just get revived and forced to go through it all again. What makes this anime stand out isn’t the story, though. It’s the animation. The directors behind this anime adaptation are the ones responsible for the best scenes from Mushoku Tensei. The first season of that isekai has some of the best animation you’ll find in an anime, so this could end up being one of the most beautiful anime of the year. I’m very tempted to review it myself!

Speaking of which…

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3

One of the pinnacles of the isekai genre will be returning for its third season sometime in 2026, and I’m absolutely stoked for it. A lot has changed in the life of Rudeus Greyrat. He’s back home with his mother and the rest of his family, he’s now married to both Sylphie and Roxy, and to top it off, he’s now a father. All seems right with the world for Rudy, but as we see in the trailer, things are only going to get crazier for him. The return of his ex-girlfriend Eris is just the tip of the iceberg, as things will be revealed that will reframe the entire story thus far. And as someone who read ahead, I’ve been keeping my mouth shut about everything long enough!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, January 5th

My Hero Academia may be over, but we still got the prequel spin-off series to look forward to as it returns for its sophomore. After the events at Narufest at the end of the first season, Koichi and Pop are surprised when Knuckleduster up and disappears, leaving them on their own. Nonetheless, they strive to continue their roles as Naruhata’s friendly neighborhood heroes without their mentor. Anyone who misses MHA will be able to rest easy knowing that we won’t be leaving the world of MHA behind anytime soon.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, January 9th

Ladies and gentlemen, peak shonen is about to return. I already talked at length about what we have to look forward to with the third season of JJK in my review of the movie preview, but I just want to remind us that things are going to get crazy. Yuji is a fugitive from a corrupt Jujutsu society, Kenjaku has turned Tokyo into a warzone, and one of the craziest arcs in the story is about to begin. And that’s not even going into the sub-plot about the Zen’in clan!

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, January 16th

I have yet to watch the show for myself, but even I’ve heard about the fantasy greatness that is Frieren. And now that greatness is coming back for more. I think that’s all that needs to be said.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Season 4, April

We here at the D&A Anime Blog are big fans of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and for good reason. It’s another example of what I call the Seven Summits of Isekai, and 2026 is looking to be a good year for Slime fans. Not only are we get a new film about Rimuru and the others going on vacation in February, but it’s reported that season four of the anime will be premiering sometime in April. In short, we’re going to be eating well this year.

Dr Stone: Science Future Cour 3, April

Another long-running Shonen series is returning for its final act in the form of Dr. Stone. Despite knowing how things would turn out, I more or less abstained from the second part of the final season because it was way too depressing for my tastes. However, considering how the ultimate goal of the Kingdom of Science remains getting to the moon, I cannot help but want to watch what comes next.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, March 19th

The legend returns, and that means it’s time for everyone to brush up on their JoJo poses and memes. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will be returning for Part Seven, Steel Ball Run, this March exclusively on Netflix. Set in an alternate timeline from the one we’ve known, Steel Ball Run is Araki’s take on the spaghetti western as we see an alternate version of the original JoJo, Johnny Joestar, participate in a race across the United States that hides some deadly secrets. Steel Ball Run is the biggest shake-up to the long-running Shonen series since Stardust Crusaders, but JoJo is still JoJo. So, expect gorgeous artwork, epic posing, and plenty of memes to be made starting in the spring.

One Piece, Elbaph Arc, April 5th

It’s crazy to believe that One Piece will now be a seasonal anime, but it’s for the best. It means that Oda will not have to worry about keeping the manga ahead of the anime, and that the anime can focus more on quality over quanity. And given how the next arc is also the biggest yet, that is saying something. As the Straw Hat Pirates finally make it to the homeland of the Giants, fans will be in for an experience unlike anything we’ve seen up to this point. Having been reviewing the manga on my personal blog, I can say that Elbaph will be worth the wait.

And this is only the anime that I’m aware of and want to watch. There is going to be plenty more to look forward to in 2026. Happy new year, everyone!

So Many Fire Moments of Anime, So Little Time!

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RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Best Anime Moments of 2025

What a great year of anime that we’ve had! 2025 was filled with so many hits that there was no way I could possibly watch them all. From Jin-Woo continuing to slay as an aura farmer to Rentaro’s legendary yap about his girlfriends, there were a lot of anime moments that will live rent-free in my head for a long time. To celebrate the end of the year, I’m continuing my tradition of naming my favorite anime moments of 2025. Full disclosure: I will be limiting this to the anime that I managed to watch. This year got pretty busy for me, so I was unable to follow through on everything I wanted to see.

Super Saiyan 4 Returns, Dragon Ball Daima

Dragon Ball Daima was a bittersweet event for Dragon Ball fans, as it would be Akira Toriyama’s final contribution to his creation before his passing. However, he made sure to cook us up a feast before he died, culminating in the return of one of Goku’s most legendary forms, Super Saiyan 4. While Dragon Ball GT remains a controversial entry to the franchise, everyone agrees that SSJ4 was the best thing to come out of it. Needless to say, getting to see it re-enter the canon at the climax of Goku’s journey through the Demon Realm was like a blessing from the heavens themselves. Thank you, Toriyama.

Kuma Gets Revenge on Saturn, One Piece

If you remember my post praising the story of Bartholomew Kuma, then you also remember how offended I am by the mere existence of his mortal enemy, Jaygarcia Saturn. The monstrous member of the Five Elders of the World Government went out of his way to make Kuma’s life miserable, kidnapping and injecting the love of his life with a fatal illness, giving said illness to her daughter, and then forcing Kuma to give up his humanity to save her life. Needless to say, every fiber of my being wanted Saturn dead before the Straw Hats left Egghead. While that would end up happening, I found it way more satisfying when Kuma came to rescue his adoptive daughter from death at the hands of Saturn, and then repay him for a lifetime’s worth of pain in one cathartic punch. Guess good things come to those who wait.

Rentaro’s 2-Minute Monologue about his Girlfriends, The 100 Girlfriends

I know I like to talk about 100 Girlfriends a lot on this blog, but normally, I wouldn’t include something from it as one of the greatest moments in anime for the years. However, I think this should count as an exception. In the final minutes of season two, Rentaro proceeds to go on an entire monologue about everything he loves about his girlfriends. Besides demonstrating just how much of a CHAD he is, that monologue actually made the record books, earning the record for the longest speech in Japanese Animation at over 7,453 characters. The dub is just as impressive, coming in at more than 3k words! And all of it had to be sped up to fit it into that one scene. Earning a world record is more than enough to make it onto this list!

Jin-woo vs the Ant King, Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows

I’ve called Sung Jin-woo the Black Air Force Hunter for a reason, and the second season of his show continued to demonstrate why he’s worthy of that title. There were plenty of epic moments throughout the season, but its magnum opus is, without a doubt, when Jin-woo faces off against the Ant King on Jeju Island. When the best Hunters of two countries are left at the brink of death, Jin-woo shows up to save the day. The entire country then gets to see firsthand why Jin-woo is the strongest as we get this visually spectacular battle between Hunter and Monster. And the music they used was just the icing on the cake!

Natsuko Rewrites the Ending, Zenshu

After getting isekaied into a world based on her favorite movie, A Tale of Perishing, Natsuko did everything in her power to change the story’s ending, only for it to seem to be for naught. As the world begins to be destroyed by the embodiment of despair, the Ultimate Void, Natsuko uses all her drawing skills to make one last attempt to rewrite the story, creating a version of Luke strong enough to destroy it. In doing so, not only does she confess her love for the actual Luke, but manages to recreate the entire world and bring back everyone who died in the process. Not only is this whole thing absolutely gorgeous to look at, but it ties back into the show’s overall message of hope over despair. And it’s a much better ending than the film’s creator could ever have made. Score one for fan writing!

Speaking of which…

Midoriya and the Heroes Defeat All for One, My Hero Academia Final Season

Speaking as a fellow Star Wars fan, I can’t but think that Kohei Horikoshi looked at the climax of The Rise of Skywalker and thought, “hey, maybe I can do better.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but seeing all of the Heroes help Deku defeat the evil All for One definitely gave off those vibes. As Midoriya puts everything he has left into one final attack, we get a montage of all the Heroes still capable of fighting doing everything they can to help him, culminating in a final, gorgeous moment as Deku lands the blow that will ultimately seal the villain’s fate. To make it even better, the entire thing was played to the series most iconic song, the ever-memeable “You Say Run.” That song really does go with everything!

Mecha vs. Space Kaiju, DanDaDan S2

You know what’s better than giant robots fighting equally giant monsters. Absolutely nothing! There were a lot of standout moments in the second season of DanDaDan, but I think the gang turning the Ayase house into a mecha to fight a space kaiju takes the cake. But even more importantly was getting to see newcomer Kinta not only solidify his role as an ally of Okarun and Momo, but he got to live out his dream of piloting a giant robot. Every Gundam fan in the world has got to be jealous of that guy at that moment! He may have his flaws, but when push came to shove, Kinta proved he had that dawg in him!!

Chainsaw Man vs Storm Devil, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

After waiting years for the story ofChainsaw Man to continue in anime form, the Reze Arc movie didn’t fail to disappoint. Denji’s fight against the likes of Reze was already crazy enough as it was. However, we all know that Chainsaw Man is one of those series that thrives on being as chaotic as possible. Ergo, instead of fighting just Reze, we get to see Denji fight her and the Typhoon Devil. All while riding atop the Shark Fiend. What is is crazier than riding a shark into battle?

The Whole Thing, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-The Movie: Infinity Castle

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was the kind of film that needed to be seen on the big screen. Anything less would be a great disservice, as would my attempting to pick one moment from it to single out. This entire movie was pretty much one big greatest anime moment of the year. The Demon Slayer Corps charging into their final battle against the Demons. Shinobu’s ultimate fate fighting Douma. Zenitsu killing his former sibling disciple turned Demon. Tanjiro fighting and beating the Demon that killed Rengoku! There’s too much to choose from, so I’m choosing it all! I’m so glad I got to see it on the big screen!

So, what were your favorite anime moments from 2025? Let us know!

After All these Years, One Piece Goes Seasonal

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One Piece to become a seasonal Anime Starting Spring 2026

This coming January is going to mark the end of an era, not only for One Piece, but for anime as a whole. And I’m not sure how to feel about it.

For almost thirty years, the One Piece anime has been a near constant in the world of anime. Almost every week would see new episodes of the anime air on Fuji TV before eventually making their way online and to the West. That was the norm for a lot of Shonen anime at the time, with its contemporaries like Naruto and Bleach following the same formula. The bad news is that this often meant the anime would have to create filler arcs to make sure it wouldn’t overtake the manga, and most people hate filler. But things have changed since then. Most anime is now released seasonally, a method meant to ensure quality over quantity. One Piece was one of the last holdouts, and even that is about to come to an end!

At the time of this writing, One Piece is airing the climax of the Egghead Island Arc. But over on social media, it was announced that once that is done in January 2026, the anime will be going on another hiatus. And when it returns in April, it will no longer be releasing year-round. From now on, One Piece will be a seasonal anime, releasing episodes in two batches of 13 for a total of 26 per year. In other words, One Piece is finally going seasonal.

End of Longform Anime

This is the end of an era for anime. No longer can fans tune in once every week and expect a new episode of their favorite anime. Now everyone will have to wait until a new season drops. It allows for the people working on the anime to have more time to work on it, ensuring that it’s the highest possible quality. It can potentially mean a less stressful work environment for the people in the industry, because heaven knows they need it. More importantly, though, it means that filler arcs are going to be largely relegated to the history books. Still, having grown up on the weekly anime format, I can’t help but feel sad to see it go. Yet I understand that it’s for the best, as One Piece deserves to be as peak as possible. Especially when you consider what it’s going into once it comes back: the Elbaph Arc.

Elbaph is Worth the Wait

For those who don’t know, the Elbaph Arc is the ongoing arc in the manga, and next to Wano Country and Luffy finding the One Piece, it is the most hyped up thing in the history of the franchise. First mentioned back in 1999, Elbaph is the homeland of most of the Giants, the strongest warriors in the world. It’s a place that Luffy has been dying to visit for years, and fans have waited decades for the moment Oda would introduce it to us outside of flashbacks. Once he did in 2024, he did not disappoint, with it being everything we imagined, and then some. I’m currently covering it on my own blog, and I can promise you that the hiatus will be more than worth the wait, with some of the biggest battles and most insane lore drops that we will ever see. I might even end up reviewing the episodes here if that’s possible!

The One Piece Netflix Series is Returning.

The good news is that we won’t be entirely bereft of One Piece until April. The Netflix series is finally returning.

Two years ago, Netflix and Eichiro Oda worked together to give us a live-action adaptation of One Piece. And it didn’t stink! While it had to do away with the more cartoonish aspects, it still managed to capture the heart and soul of the series. The Japanese dub even got the series’s seiyu to reprise their roles! Since then, fans have been waiting for the second season to come out, and it looks like we don’t have to wait much longer. The second season will drop on Netflix on March 10th, 2026, and it looks to be bigger and better than the first. With the story taking us into the Grand Line, longtime fans know that this is when One Piece starts to pick up as the Straw Hats come into conflict with the evil Baroque Works. More importantly, though, we get our first appearance of fan favorites like Robin and Chopper. If I had to guess, I’d say that the season will cover the Loguetown arc to the end of Drum Island, with the next season bringing us to Alabasta. And there will be a third season; Netflix has confirmed it.

Bottom line: now is a great time to be a fan of One Piece. And if you’re not, then you’re welcome to come aboard. Even if you don’t have the patience to watch the entire anime, there are plenty of people on YouTube that cover the series and the important parts.