One Piece

The Giants Rise Up! Save the Kids!

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

One Piece Episode 1174 Review

Oh, boy; I remember this part of the Elbaph Arc in the manga all too well. This is the part of the story where everything that can go wrong does go wrong for the good guys. I know that it seems like a few things did go right for the Warriors of Elbaph, but mark my words: the show is lulling us into a false sense of security. Need I remind you that not only does Elbaph have to deal with the fire, kids being abducted, and the God’s Knights, but the GIANT MONSTERS? Who, I might add, are incredibly well animated!

The MONSTERS ARE COMING!

The episode starts off by reminding us that not all of the Straw Hats have gotten the message about what’s happening. Besides those in the Underworld, the only one who still wasn’t in the loop was Franky, as he’s with Collun’s mom and ends up running into Lilith and Bonney. They got lost trying to get their papers, and wound up finding this weird, sci-fi looking building.

https://twitter.com/WH8D_88/status/2089044584903106854?s=20

To this day, we still have no clue what this place is supposed to be, if it’s even a building to begin with (it looks like a robot to me.) All we know is that it’s around 3,000 years old, making it older than even the stuff from the Void Century. Knowing Oda, he will eventually enlighten us on its importance. In the meantime, the quartet are attacked by one of the dream monsters!

I just want to say this: the animators for the dream monsters cooked. The animation for One Piece has gotten some notable improvements over the last few years, but they really knocked it out of the park with the dream monsters. The way they’re so crudely drawn really makes it seem they’re something that a kid created. The fact that they are all so powerful and deadly only makes the contrast even more unsettling. Even worse, though, is that nothing the heroes do seems to put a dent in them! Even the adults of Elbaph are struggling to stop them.

And that’s why the Straw Hats have to get involved.

NO ONE HURTS KIDS WHILE THE STRAW HATS ARE AROUND

Nami comes clean about the intruders in the Castle, and between her and her crewmates, our protagonists are able to get a better idea of what’s happening. They know that there’s two or more intruders on the island, and that they have Devil Fruit powers that are causing this chaos. It’s not a lot, but knowing the enemy you’re facing is half of the battle. Too bad Jarul and the other Giants insist their guests not put themselves in harm’s way!

But, since the Straw Hats have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to hurting kids and those they call friends, they’re going to get involved. Which leads to this cute moment where they catch Collun going off to help and decide to enable his plans.

https://twitter.com/WH8D_88/status/2089048886690152809?s=20

That’s just cute.

I WANT SOMMERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA!

Meanwhile, the God’s Knights are watching as Saul tries to save the kids from the burning inferno that awaits them, and for a moment, he thinks he figured out a way to stop them. But Sommers, curse him, is truly sadistic. Even if they try to stop the kids, they’ll run into each other and hurt each other with the invisible thorns. It’s monstrous!

In case you guys haven’t figured it out, I loathe Sommers with every fiber of my being. He’s one of the few characters in fiction I consider so evil, so monstrous, that the very thought of them breathing feels like an offense to all I hold good and dear. At least Gunko went down on my list because of her love of Brook’s music. That makes her cultured.

https://twitter.com/WH8D_88/status/2089049662825115802?s=20

The Giant Captains and Gaban Move Out!

Ultimately, the episode does end on a bit of a high note as Dorry and Brogy take to the field and annihilate one of the dream monsters with their combo attack. And for good measure, Scopper Gaban is coming with them!

Full disclosure: I don’t know if Dorry and Brogy could make a dent in the likes of the God’s Knights. But Gaban? Gaban could take them on. I’m really looking forward to seeing what a legendary pirate is capable of when they cut loose!

I Give “Save the Children! The Elbaph Warriors Rise Up” a 4/5

The God’s Knights are the WORST

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

One Piece Episode 1173 Review

Elbaph is under attack. The God’s Knights Gunko, Sommers, and Qillingham are trying to abduct the children of the Giants to force their parents to submit to their dark master. If they are not stopped, all of Elbaph will be enslaved. And the irony of all this is that the guy who feared this would happen is trying to intimidate Luffy and his group into setting him free. Like I told you guys, there is more to Loki than what his name implies.

THE GOD’S KNIGHTS ARE THE WORST!

By this point, the teachers at the Walrus school have begun to sound the alarm: Elbaph is under attack. And I can appreciate the fact that the anime finally lets us see the horrified reactions of all the grownups that were partying with the Straw Hats. Some of their kids and grandkids go to that school. Knowing that your child is in mortal danger is one of the scariest parts of being a parent, and while Jarul may still be drunk and acting goofy, that does little to lighten the mood.

As for the culprits behind this attack? They are nonchalantly eating lunch while watching everything go down l. And all the while we have to listen to Sommers the sadist laugh about the love of a parent for their child will lead to them getting killed thanks to the thorns he placed on the kids. And he’s laughing about it like he’s the Joker! And when they all realize the kids are walking into an area that is currently on fire, they don’t care. They just say they can grab the next batch of sleeping kids!

You see why I hate the Celestial Dragons so much? With a handful of exceptions, they are the worst of humanity personified, and I pray for the day they get brought to justice. But for the moment, I’ll settle for the Straw Hats kicking their butts. But to do that, they need their strongest members to join the fight and they’re dealing with Loki.

I Told You Loki Was Bluffing!

When we last left off in the Underworld, Loki was threatening to set the Treasure Tree Adam on fire unless he was fully set free. Doing that would put all of Elbaph in danger, something that neither Luffy nor Hajrudin could not allow. For a moment, it looks as though Luffy and Loki are about to fight, but it turns out that that was never necessary.

Remember when I said that Loki wasn’t as big of a threat as he seemed to be? That’s because I read the manga and knew what would happen next. However, even if I hadn’t read it and went into the episode blind, it was pretty obvious to the more astute people that Loki was bluffing. He just got badly injured by Shamrock and Gunko and has had no time to recover. The anime even drops subtle hints that he’s running on fumes with the way he’s holding his hammer, which I appreciated. Besides, if Oda really wanted Luffy to fight Loki, he wouldn’t have it happen when the latter is this weak. He might tease us a lot, but not to that extent.

In the end, the group decides to spare Loki and get him back to fighting shape. All except for his older half-brother Hajrudin. He remembers how their dad told them how he loved them both and wanted them to work together for the good of Elbaph. But Loki was such a huge bully that he can’t forgive him, and even tries to kill him whenever he has the chance.

That’s when Loki decides to drop this bombshell about the crime that got him imprisoned, ie killing their father: he never wanted to do it.

How did Harald Really Die?

When this came out in the manga, fans had already been theorizing that there was more to the death of the late King Harald than what was initially revealed. The fact that there was that summoning circle in the ruins of his castle was a massive red flag that something was seriously up with the story. Plus, there was also the man’s name: Harald. I remember reading a Twitter thread mentioning how that was the name of Kings who united Norway and Denmark, important parts of the Viking world. One of them also introduced Christianity to their land, beginning the eventual transition from the old Norse Gods to Christianity. Savvy readers picked up on this fact and came to a startling conclusion: Harald might have attempted to give the World Government control of Elbaph, either of his own accord (making him a traitor) or against his will. Loki found out, and was reluctantly forced to kill his father to stop this from happening.

Now, what Loki said can be taken with a grain of salt thanks to his reputation for tricking people. However, I didn’t think he was lying in that instance. The most telling piece of evidence, though, has to be how Luffy is reacting to all of this. The guy is an idiot and can’t do a lot of things, but he’s always been a great judge of a person’s character. If he thinks that Loki can be trusted, then we should give him the benefit of the doubt. Just…just don’t uncuff him. We need to be compassionate, not stupid.

Well, guys, we are now in the thick of things, and I have no idea how far we’ll get this year in the anime. But if it ends where I think it does, then next year is going to be awesome.

I Give “A Nightmarish Game – The Dark Plot of the Knights of God” a 3.5/5

The God’s Knights are Here and They Suck!

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

One Piece Ep 1172 Review

And so it begins. The chaos that I have spent the past year or so becoming intimately familiar with in the land of Elbaph. I hope that you guys had your fill of the quieter moments of the Elbaph Arc, and yes, I know how that sounds. In the short time since the Straw Hats came to Elbaph, they’ve escaped a giant, traversed the Underworld, reunited with old friends, AND fought a living legend of a pirate. But that was just a warm-up. From here on out, Elbaph is at war, and the God’s Knights are delivering the opening salvoes.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: if the big bad Imu (the monster running the World Government) wanted to conquer Elbaph, why would he only send three people? Shouldn’t he send his strongest fighters to make the giants submit? Plus, there’s no way that the God’s Knights could be so strong as to be able to conquer the strongest country in the world. I think that even I was a little skeptical about the feasibility of this at first. But as Oda soon proved to us, this was wrong. Terrifyingly, nightmarishly wrong. In fact, these three MONSTERS are probably the strongest enemies the Straw Hat pirates have faced to date!

The God’s Knights Strike

The episode opens on a very ominous note at the Walrus School. We see the kids enjoying recess, playing and having fun, doing normal kids’ stuff. It’s what every parent wants to see their kids doing. But the red flags are already there. The shots of Gunko, Qillingham, and Sommers walking towards the school was giving me goosebumps in the worst way possible. In fact, part of me even thought, “Did Toei set this scene up to feel like the prelude to an attack on a school on purpose?“It sounds paranoid, but considering how many schools in America have been victims of violent acts in my lifetime alone, I think the fear is justified.

The first attack comes in the form of a GIANT SERPENT. The students are sent running for their lives as the teachers do what teachers are supposed to do in a crisis: kick ass and protect their students.

It helps that Saul is an ex-Vice Admiral. And the Principal is a retired member of the Giant Pirates. Both of those titles makes them strong by default, and they deal with the serpent. But there’s still the question as to how it showed up. And why it looks like something that was drawn by a kid.

This is Just EVIL!

But that’s not the worst of it. That serpent was just a distraction. While everyone was panicking, the God’s Knights snuck in and put a bunch of kids from Colon’s class to sleep, before leading them away from the school Pied-Piper style. With Gunko’s arrows guiding them, they’re sleepwalking straight for the beach, where they will board a ship to take them to Mariejois as hostages. And when the adults try to stop them, they collapse to the ground in pain from touching something invisible.

Oh, and to matters worse, more monsters show up. And they all look like something a kid would draw because they were, in fact, drawn by kids. It was a class activity where the kids had to draw what they were afraid of the most.

I don’t want to wait for the anime to explain it, so I’m just going to spoil it: this is all the doing of the God’s Knights. Specifically, their Devil Fruits. We already know that Gunko can create things out of arrows, but then we have the other two. Sommers can create vines covered in thorns, while Qillingham, besides turning into a mythical beast called a Kirin, can put people to sleep AND manifest anything from their dreams. The former is ensuring that none of the adults can save the kids, while the latter is using their nightmares to create an army of monsters to rampage across Elbaph.

WHY ARE THEY SO EVIL!?!?

Okay, three things. Firstly, a part of me has to respect the bad guy’s plan for how foolproof they’ve made it. The God’s Knights summoned an army of monsters (who are incredibly well-animated, I might add) to keep all the grown-ups busy. And they made sure that even if the adults try to free the kids, they will get badly hurt in the process. It’s a pretty well-thought-out plan, and I gotta respect that. Secondly, though, it is also pure evil. To this day, Sommers ranks at the top five list of One Piece villains I wanna see get fed their own teeth. Because as you will come to learn, he is a sick, depraved sadist. The man is laughing at the despair he wants to put those parents through like he’s the Joker!

And three, and I need you to pay attention to this one: the Straw Hats have a no-tolerance policy for child abuse. Hurting kids in their vicinity is basically signing your own death warrant, because they will show you no mercy. And when they find out about what’s going on, they are going to drop everything and fight. But the scary thing is that they may not be able to do much with who they have right now. They need the Monster Trio if they wanna win this, and they’ve got their own problems. Or so they think.

Yeah, I’m Calling Loki’s Bluff on this

So, Loki is free, as you might recall. However, Luffy and Zoro aren’t complete idiots, so they made sure to keep one of the cuffs made out of sea stone (it suppresses Devil Fruit powers) attached to his leg. So he can’t use his powers. But Devil Fruit or not, he’s still terrifying. Even though he’s sporting some serious injuries from Shamrock and Gunko, he’s still aura farming. And then he grabs that GIGANTIC HAMMER he calls Ragnir, and threatens to use it to set fire to the giant tree that makes up Elbaph. He’s willing to burn his own country to the ground to get his point across!

I know that this makes Loki seem like an irrefutable villain, but if you’ve read the manga, trust me, this is nothing. Plus, he’s bluffing. Regardless of how much trouble he’s caused for his country, Loki does care about Elbaph. Plus, he hates the Celestial Dragons more than anything in existence. He’s not going to let them run roughshod over his home.

Well, I hope you guys are happy now. The chaos has begun and it’s not going to stop! WE WILL CRUSH THE KNIGHTS FOR THEIR CRIMES!!

I Give “Monsters Appear in Elbaph – ‘What I Fear Most'” a 4/5

Loki is Out! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES?

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

One Piece Episode 1171 Review

So, we all knew that Loki was going to be let out eventually, right? Even if Luffy would’ve chosen not to do it, the story demanded that this would happen. What with the arrival of the God’s Knights on Elbaph with their evil plan to conquer it? The Straw Hats are gonna need that kind of firepower on their side! And I’m pretty sure that when this all went down in the manga, I was thinking that, despite what his name is, I think his hate-on for the World Government is genuine. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First Luffy and Zoro have to decide whether or not to trust Loki.

Full disclosure: they don’t, so they’re smart about this.

Nothing to see here!

So, while Luffy and Zoro head back down to the Underworld, Nami has Road take her and the injured guards back to the party. The plan is to make sure that no one gets too suspicous and doesn’t try and stop whatever the pair are going to do…I think. Honestly, I don’t think Nami cares that much. She’s upset that she couldn’t get any loot in the castle. Plus, she knows Luffy and Zoro are big boys who can clean up their own messes.

She does manage to come back in time to see Usopp completely wasted, and it’s pretty funny. He has the right to get wasted, though. Seeing Elbaph has been his dream for years now!

https://twitter.com/aniwolf66/status/2081508263514746906?s=20

Sadly, while Nami can keep a secret, her newfound servant is a complete and utter pushover.

DANG IT, ROAD!

Road takes the Castle Guards to Gerd, since she’s a medic and can treat their injuries. But she is smart enough to know that what happened to them is sus as they come. Road tries to lie to her about what’s going on because he doesn’t want that kind of heat on him…but it doesn’t work. His poker face is terrible and Gerd isn’t stupid! He caves super quick.

And that leads to Hajrudin panicking and bringing his crew to the Underworld to keep Luffy from…well, being Luffy. But they stupidly forgot their ships don’t work without clouds, so they almost fall to their deaths. If Luffy hadn’t been there to save them, then everyone except for Gerd would’ve died. Why Gerd? Because Sanji came along and he probably would’ve done something.

THANK YOU, ZORO!

By this point in time, Luffy and Zoro had already made it back to Loki, and they were appalled to see what had happened while they were away. Zoro’s horrible bedside manners confirm that he’s still breathing, but when Luffy goes to use the key, he almost passes out. That’s what happens when he touches sea prism stone, though. As for Zoro, he’s more skeptical and doesn’t want to free the Giant since he knows what would happen if he went on a rampage.

Zoro may not be that smart, and he’s got a horrible sense of direction, but at least he’s got a good sense for things like this. So they compromise by keeping the leg cuffs on so he can’t use his Devil Fruit powers. And that’s when Harjudin and the others show up and almost die.

And then, Loki gets up. And holy cow, was it amazing, you guys! The animation was top-notch for this one moment as we get to see just how big Loki really is. He’s massive. Like the size of the Colossal Titan! That’s terrifying!

Good thing that he can’t do much now, can he?

Loki is Bluffing!

Look, guys. Loki just got his butt kicked by Shamrock and Gunko. He’s in a lot of pain and losing a lot of blood. There’s no way that he can fight at his full power right now. Plus, he’s got bigger fish to fry. The God’s Knights are here.

I don’t remember if the scene of them approaching the Walrus School was in the manga or not, but…I was scared. I was scared because I knew what was about to happen to those kids, and how the adults were not going to be able to stop it. That’s got to be terrifying if you’re a parent!

So, it’s about to begin.

I Give “The Heinous Sinner – Loki of the Underworld Freed?!” a 3/5

Luffy is Fighting one of the Roger Pirates! So Cool!

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

One Piece Ep 1170 Review

I have been reading and watching One Piece for many years now, and I have come to notice a formula to the way that Oda writes the story. Whenever the Straw Hats make it to some new island, things will start out pretty low-stakes as they explore the place and get a feel for things. Eventually, though, the big bad of the arc will make themselves known, and then everything hits the fan. We are now at that point in the arc where things are about to start hitting the fan, and trust me when I say this, they are going to need Loki. But first, Luffy has to win the key from Scopper Gaban, ex-member of the Roger Pirates.

If you’ve followed One Piece at least as far back as Sabaody, then you know that the hype behind the crew of the Pirate is well-deserved. Rayleigh was able to go toe-to-toe with a Navy Admiral despite being well into his 70s, and he was able to scare off Blackbeard not that long ago. Needless to say, most of the crew can be counted as some of the strongest in the world by default. And that’s why seeing Luffy fight Gaban was so hyped when the manga came out. If Luffy could hold his own against one of Roger’s two hands, then we would know just how strong he has gotten. And the anime knew this.

This was a Good Training Session

I know that there were fights while trying to escape Road’s brick model, but truthfully, this was the first real fight of the Elbaph arc. The anime knew this, because it went all out on showing just how wild this fight was. Luffy was bouncing around the place like crazy, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t play a finger on Gaban. The man held him off using the very key they came to get as a weapon. Regardless, though, the fight was very well animated, and it more than lived up to the hype. And that moment when Zoro decided to jump in, and Luffy went into Gear Five? It was incredible. The strongest of the Straw Hats were getting ready to double-team a legend in what we thought would be a legendary duel, and if it had continued, I do think they would’ve won. But, nope! Gaban drops his axes and surrenders!

To be honest, I already knew that the two won when Gaban tried shoving the key into Luffy’s mouth in a goofy fashion. He did say he wanted them to get their hands on the key, and they did. From the way I saw things, Gaban was only doing this to test them and see if they were on the level that Shanks said. Because if they let Loki out, they would have to be prepared to fight him, and if they lost, they would lose the trust of the Giants. But more importantly, though, Gaban did it because he knew that Elbaph was about to be in danger. The greatest threat it has probably ever faced, if you ask me.

EVIL! EVIL! EVILEVILEVILEVILEVIL!

Meanwhile, as the children at the Walrus School are playing, Gunko and Shamrock are about to make their move. Their goal is to conquer and enslave Elbaph so their master can use the Giants in the coming war for the fate of the world. And so they summon reinforcements to help them in the form of two more God’s Knights, Sommers and Qillingham.

Don’t be fooled by their goofy introductions, you guys. I have had years to get to know these two as individuals, and trust me when I say this: they are monsters. Not just monsters as in they’re monstrously strong, but monsters as in sick, twisted, and sadistic demons! The two of them and Gunko are going to be enough to cause a catastrophe the likes of which Elbaph hasn’t seen in years. They are absolute menaces to society, and at this point in the manga, I am genuinely hoping that the Straw Hats send them home in body bags.

Don’t believe me? Their game plan to conquer Elbaph is to capture the kids and take them back to Mariejois as hostages. It takes a special kind of evil to go after kids!

I hope that you guys got your fill of the low-key stakes, because that is about over. From here on out, things are going to get progressively crazier as the Straw Hats face their biggest battle yet! And I can’t wait to see it animated!

I Give “Get the Key! Luffy vs. Scopper Gaban” a 4/5

The Legend of Love, Scopper Gaban!

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

One Piece Chapter 1169 Review

I’m going to be honest with you: I had no clue that Toei was going to be airing all the episodes of One Piece this year back-to-back. I genuinely thought that we would be waiting until the fall for the show to kick back up, but I’m not complaining. It won’t be long now until the Elbaph arc really begins in earnest. But before that can happen, the story needs to add a few more players to the board. And on the side of the pirates, we’re getting an absolute legend. Not only is this man one of the most famous in the entire world, but he’s also a legend of the art of love.

The Legend is Here!

So, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are still looking for the key to Loki’s chains, with the group being on the fence about what to do afterward. To be honest, I wasn’t that worried in the manga. If Loki tried anything, Luffy would just kick his ass. Heck, Luffy even says that’s what he’ll do in this episode. The real concern is how Elbaph would take it. Unfortunately, any attempts by the group to fly under the radar are gone, as they’ve been found out by someone: Ripley’s husband and the father of Colon. Though, it should be his real name that should be more, and for good reason, as we get a story from the Giants that exposits why he’s so important.

In the days of the Roger Pirates, there were three men who were the pillars of the entire crew; their equivalent of the Monster Trio of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. Roger’s right-hand man was Rayleigh, but his left was a man named Scopper Gaban, and he was every bit as strong as the others. Once, when Roger was sick and resting at a hospital, hundreds of pirates showed up trying to take him out. In response, Gaban walked out of the building, axe in hand, and proceeded to single-handledly run all their fades! None of them got near Roger! And after the Roger Pirates disbanded, he settled in Elbaph, where he all but married Ripley and they had Colon. And now, that man was sitting in the ruins of Aurust Castle waiting for Luffy to show up to see what he would do.

I was absolutely floored when Gaban was introduced. He had been teased about years ago in the cover stories as this mystery man who met with Crocus, this guy who briefly sailed with Roger as his doctor. Most fans were convinced that he was another member of the Roger Pirates, and we were right! We only know a little about the lives of Roger’s old crew even after all this time, so seeing Gaban was like meeting pirate royalty. Also, I couldn’t help but respect him for managing to get someone as nice as Ripley as his wife. Though I do think that one day, Oda has to explain how the technical aspects work. Otherwise, fans are going to be making weird assumptions.

Luffy Beating Loki=Being on Shanks’ Level?

At any rate, Gaban wants to ask Luffy what he intends to do about Loki, testing him. He even points out that the only reason he got captured was because Shanks had to step in and do it when the Giants couldn’t. Of course, I took it, and Luffy probably took, to mean that if he managed to beat Loki, he’d be on Shanks’ level. Which is something that has both been a goal of his as well as a necessity if Luffy wants to become King of the Pirates. So, he gives Luffy a challenge: if he can beat him in a fight, he’ll hand over the key. So, bet!

Luffy is going to need to get stronger sooner rather than later, especially since Elbaph is about to be in danger from the God’s Knights. If he can stand on the same level as Roger’s number three, then I like the odds. That, and I wanna see how he measures up to a living legend. This next episode should be fun.  

I Give “The Legend Lurking in Elbaph – The Identity of the Mountain-Eater” a 4/5

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 Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Wanna see a Giant Kid pick a fight

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

One Piece Episode 1165 Review

Okay, so by now, I think it’s pretty clear that this first part of the new season of One Piece is not going to be heavy on the action. Honestly, I should have warned anime-only watchers about this beforehand. However, I can assure you that when the anime comes back later this year, it’s going to get crazy. Besides, once the chaos starts, you are going to miss the calmer moments. Well, a given level of calm, since we’re talking about the Straw Hat Pirates. Plus, it’s time for the party that we’ve promised for the last few episodes, so there’s that!

These Kids are So lame!

After the happy reunion with Saul, Robin took Chopper, Lillith, and Bonney (the smart ones, basically) to see the Owl Library, where the Giants keep all the books from Elbaph. And as someone who spent most of his childhood reading a a crazy amount of books (I had to entertain myself at school), that place gets me. It’s filled with so much ancient knowledge and wisdom! And even if I can’t understand any of it, I know that it would be like a dream for the lore-obsessed portion of the fandom. I love it!

Luffy, on the other hand, doesn’t exactly endear himself to the kids at the Walrus School. Then again, I doubt most people would appreciate him turning a swingset into one of those pendulum rides you see at amusement parks!

Yeah, he deserves that scolding from Nami.

The truth is that Luffy and Usopp can’t hide their disappointment over how wimpy the Giant kids are. It dampens their image of Elbaph! Now, I don’t see anything wrong with being raised to be nice, but there are going to be times when you meet jerks that won’t listen to reason or talk no jutsu. The only response left is the fist. Still, at least there’s one kid left who has the spirit of a warrior!

I respect Collun

Everyone, meet Collun. Well, we met him already. He was at a bar that Shanks was visiting, begging him to take him out to sea to be a pirate and listening to stories about Luffy. And unlike the rest of his peers, he’s a fighter. The first thing he does when he sees Luffy is try to jump him with his training sword! But we know how it was going to end.

It can suck being considered the class delinquent and outcast who doesn’t get along with others, can’t it? But Collun is the kind of kid who will live how he wants, no matter what others think. More importantly, though, his willingness to pick a fight with Luffy earns him the respect of the rubber wonder, so I consider that way better! I also respect that! Plus, he’s not a bad kid. After all, he listens to his mom, Ripley, one of the teachers at the school. Plus, his behavior makes sense when you consider how his dad is a former pirate. And also a human. Collun is a half-giant.

Now, remember the golden rule of Oda’s writings: if a new character gets mentioned ahead of time, they’re going to be important. Though, I was more distracted trying to figure out how a human man can have a kid with a Giant woman. I mean, how dhow does that even work? I’m not sure it sure I wantt any rate, though, it’s time for the welcome banquet. And the rest of the Straw Hats get some new threads for the occasion! You can tell that cosplayers are going to love it.

Party Time!

The banquet itself is also pretty fun to watch. Especially when Chief Jarul, the oldest Giant in the world, shows up. And yes, I think plenty of us manga readers had the same reaction to the sword sticking out of his head! I would question how that is even possible, but at this point, I’d be wasting my time!

Not everything is good, though. Remember that threat I was telling you about at the castle? They’re here, they’re looking for Loki, and they are dangerous. More dangerous than you can imagine.

Oh no, not the God’s Knights!

Meet the Gods Knights, the elite guard of the Celestial Dragons. They serve directly under Imu themselves as enforcers of their will, and might be some of the strongest fighters in the series to date. One of them was able to take down a Giant without moving a muscle!!! And their arrival on Elbaph is going to start a storm that will threaten to destroy everything.

By now, it’s obvious that we have to wait for the second half of the season to come out later this year to see more action. But trust me when I say that things are starting to heat up. In fact, if I remember correctly, we are due to get one of the most important pieces of lore in the entire series. So, I can’t wait to see that.

I give “A Welcome With Friends’ Cups and Intruders Seeking Loki” a 3/5