One Piece

Netflix ‘Avatar’ a Success or Failure? Honestly, In the Middle.

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Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Season One Review

November 2004: I, a ten-year-old, saw The Spongebob Squarepants Movie with my family. That’s when I saw a trailer for this new, anime-inspired series coming to Nickelodeon called Avatar: The Last Airbender. Three months later, I was watching the series premiere on TV with my sister, and I knew it was special. It was unlike any Western cartoon I had ever seen. And, while I didn’t realize it then, it would be one of the most important shows of my life. 

Calling myself an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan would be an understatement. I’ve seen most of the episodes, read the comics, and spent the money on autographs from most of the main cast. My most prized possession, which I have since had to replace, was a dog tag necklace featuring the main character. It’s also why, like most, I loathe Shamylan’s crime against cinema that tried adapting it. So, I was skeptical when I heard that Netflix would be making a live-action adaptation. This is more so when the series creators bailed on it in 2020. Then we got the live-action One Piece last year, which turned out alright. Maybe the remake wouldn’t be so bad. So, was Netflix’s Avatar capable of living up to its legendary source? Was it any good?

Meh. I’ve seen worse.

A Different Version of Avatar

Much like One Piece, the Netflix adaptation isn’t a shot-for-shot retelling of Avatar. The first episode clarifies that by devoting its first twenty minutes to a prologue. Said prologue retells the night that Aang became frozen in an iceberg and shows the opening salvages of the Hundred Year War. That includes the genocide of the Airbenders, something the show never did due to how dark it was. 

It’s a reasonable effort, but right away, we start to see some of the drawbacks of live-action. The bending here feels underwhelming after seeing what firebenders can do with their comet-powered hacks. The spirit is there, and the horror of the events rivals Order 66 in Star Wars. But after almost twenty years of imagining it, the whole thing doesn’t measure up. 

That opening sequence indicated just what this remake would be like: it tries so hard to measure up to how excellent the original is. And while it does succeed in some places, it fails in others.

Acting All over the Place

For example, the acting was all over the place regarding quality. Some did great, like Gordon Cormier as Aang and Dallas Liu as Zuko. Others didn’t do so well like the ones playing Katara and Azula could have done better. They were trying, and I’m willing to bet it’s because of bad writing, but they didn’t quite capture the essence of their characters. Katara had the compassion but little of the fiery nature that Mae Whitman gave her. And Azula? She was ruthless and manipulative, but without Grey DeLisle, she lacked the psycho girl edge that made everyone fear her. And plenty of the supporting cast suffered similar problems. I cringed hearing Katara and Sokka’s Gran-Gran recite the opening lines to the original series! She was no Mae Whitman!

Even the characters that I did end up liking had their issues. The show was trying too hard to act more adult, and it downplayed some character traits. For example, despite saying he’s a fun-loving kid, Aang here spends much more time feeling bad about what happened to his people. It takes away a lot of what made him lovable in the original! 

No Excuse to Make Shorter Episodes

Furthermore, there are issues with the pacing and how they condensed many things from the original series for the live-action version. That meant some stories got abridged or outright didn’t happen. That could work with One Piece because they had dozens of episodes to cover in a fraction of the time. But here? The first season of OG Avatar and this series clock in around the same run time. They could do the same amount of stuff as the original series if they didn’t insist on sticking to the hour-long format.

So, either Netflix or the people who made the series wanted to stick to the Game of Thrones, hour-long format. Or they didn’t want to risk the extra money. Either way, no excuse. But, at least, they kept the Cabbage Merchant.

No matter what universe he’s in, the Cabbage Merchant suffers

They Did Improve Some Things

In all fairness, this is not the worst we could’ve gotten. The fans have already seen the worst in the form of Shmyalan’s hot garbage. At least the show makes an effort to capture the spirit of the original series, and there are plenty of callbacks and references to the original—enough to have a drinking game. The show improves on a few things from the show, as impossible as it sounds. 

Exhibit A: Iroh reveals to Zuko’s crew why they got stuck with him on his hunt for the Avatar. They’re part of the division that would’ve been sacrificed in a suicide mission had Zuko not spoken up on their behalf. That’s a nice touch that endears him even more to fans and his crew. And honestly, I’m hoping they come back in season two because that was an issue I had with the OG. 

Exhibit B: at the funeral for his son, which the OG never showed, Iroh spends the whole time hearing people insult him as a coward or saying Lu Ten died a hero. Zuko is the only one who shows him sympathy and compassion, telling him about the time Lu Ten encouraged him with his studies. They added a soft rendition of “Leaves From the Vine,” and I couldn’t help thinking of Iroh’s late voice actor, Mako. Chef’s kiss!

Exhibit C: when Aang goes to the Spirit World for the first time, he meets his mentor and father figure, Monk Gyatso. Gyatso chose not to move on or reincarnate until he could see Aang again. In doing so, Aang apologizes for running away and not being there, something OG Aang never got to do. And Gyatso? He tells Aang what he deserves to know: that the War wasn’t his fault and that he would’ve died with everyone else had he stayed. It’s an incredibly cathartic moment for both Aang and long-time fans. 

At Least it wasn’t Bad as the Movie

So, as a whole, the Netflix series meets different heights than the animated series. Though that may be impossible, to begin with. A: TLA is one of the greatest shows ever, as close to perfect as possible. Anything trying to adapt it would face a lot of scrutiny, especially since the fans had already gotten hurt once before.

Don’t get me wrong: the original series is the best. However, what Netflix managed to do was still pretty impressive. It makes me love Avatar even more because we remember how good it is. Also, the show’s still way better than that horrible film. I consider that a win.

I Give the First Season a 3/5

‘Monsters’ Finally Adapts Eichiro Oda’s One-Shot Manga

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Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review

Before he became the man who created One Piece, Eichiro Oda was a young man who aspired to become a mangaka. In the 1990s, he cut his teeth in the industry with a series of one-shots that would be published in a collection after One Piece started, but one in particular stood out. So much so that Oda would eventually incorporate it into the overall story of One Piece itself. Almost thirty years after it was published, this one-shot has been adapted into an ONA on Netflix. While Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation doesn’t reach the same levels of action and silliness as One Piece does, it demonstrates the groundwork for what would later become Oda’s massive success. 

A One Piece Prequel

Taking place several hundred years before the events of One Piece in an unknown location, Monsters revolves around Ryuma, a wandering swordsman with a few eccentricities. Chief among them, he’s constantly begging for food, always repays his debts, and considers anyone who bumps into the scabbard of his sword as challenging him to a duel. That seemingly comes back to bite him when a passing con man frames him for trying to attack him and uses a horn to summon a giant dragon. However, there’s more to the story than people realize…

The main that should stick out regarding this ONA is how familiar the main character, Ryuma, feels. With his appearance, wandering nature, and skill and dedication to the sword, one would assume that he’s the prototype for Roronoa Zoro from One Piece. They’re not wrong, as Oda would refine many of Ryuma’s traits into Zoro. It’s more than that, though. After the end to the Wano Country Arc, Oda confirmed in an OBS that Zoro is, in fact, a direct descendant of Ryuma. This only makes the events of the ONA all the more important to the greater lore of One Piece. In addition, the special ends with the moment when Zoro bested the zombified Ryuma during the Thriller Bark arc, earning his sword and (unknowingly) the right to call himself his descendant.

Not that Zoro would ever care about something like that. 

The Seeds to Oda’s Success

Look closer at Monsters, and one will also find some of the concepts and ideas that Oda would incorporate into One Piece. Besides the dragon, there are two main villains. One is a hammy bandit that wouldn’t look out of place next to Buggy the Clown, while the other acts like they’re the good guy, only for it to be a facade. One is a card-carrying bad guy, the other is more insidious, but both are bad news. And both are the kinds of enemies that the protagonists usually fight in One Piece. 

The special itself is short, only clocking in at about 25 minutes. However, it makes up for it by capturing the anachronistic feel of the original one-shot, the art style of the anime, and Oda’s sense of comedy. Getting to see a creator’s early work adapted and comparing it to what they’re most famous for is an interesting experience. And while Monsters isn’t as grand, silly, or epic as One Piece would become, you can see the seeds of what Oda would one day create.

Overall, Monsters is less of a must-watch for 2024, and more of a gift for longtime fans of Eichiro Oda. If you ever wanted to see more of what Oda did in his youth and how it would help shape the mangaka he would become, though, I’d recommend giving Monsters a watch.

Also, if you want to read the original one-shot, Viz Media just published it onto their website. Click this link to see it for yourself. 

I Give “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation” a 4/5

So Many Good Anime to Come out of 2023

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Best Anime of 2023

The Year 2023 was undoubtedly an absolute banger of a year for anime. From seeing how Satoru Gojo became an overpowered rizz God to the most upbeat zombie apocalypse to the end of the Rumbling, it has been a glorious year in anime. With 2024 now, it is the perfect time to reflect on the best to grace our screens. I’m RJ Writing Ink for D&A Anime Blog, and in no particular order, here are my picks for the best anime of the year.

Full disclosure: most of this list will cover anime I’ve seen this year. Thus, this is more of an opinion post than a formal review and breakdown. Most of my choices were anime that set the Internet ablaze with hype, so I think I’m good.

Attack on Titan: the Final Chapter

This should’ve been shown in theaters, plain and simple. Two years after the end of the manga, the anime Attack on Titan ended in two earth-shattering, apocalyptic specials that set the world on fire. As the long-awaited Rumbling flattened the world, fans saw the true horror of what Eren Yeager had unleashed in visceral detail. Everything from the music to the animation was on point courtesy of studio Mappa, delivering some of the best moments anime has seen in this decade. At the end of the day, the real triumph was how the finale improved the ending.

The ending to the manga garnered a fair amount of criticism over the past two years, and it seems the people making the anime took it to heart. As a result, the series finale saw several additional scenes that better explained things that seemed vague in the manga. IE, they better explained Eren’s rationale, how he hated himself for what he did, and how Armin reacted to it. That and it confirmed that, yes, Paradis did get centuries of peace before its eventual destruction. That’s as close to a happy ending as we’re gonna get, and I’ll take it. 

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Once again, Demon Slayer reminds us why it’s one of the greatest Shonen anime of the next generation with the Swordsmith Village arc. Having damaged his sword in the battle at the Pleasure District, Tanjiro and Nezuko head to the Demon Slayer’s secret Swordsmith Village to get him a new one. However, things go awry when two of the Twelve Kizuki infiltrate the village to destroy it. A desperate battle follows as Tanjiro and the other Demon Slayers fight to protect the makers of the only weapons capable of stopping the Demons.

As always, Demon Slayer remains a visual feast for the eyes. The anime has achieved international renown for the stunning beauty put into its animation, but something should also be said for the emotional depth of the characters. From the depravity of the Demons, as they embody the worst of mankind, to Tanjiro’s refusal to ever give up, there’s a reason why Demon Slayer is so popular. The best moment, though, comes in the final episode when Nezuko steps out into the light of the sun and is fine. Such a simple sight, once thought impossible, is enough to bring tears to people’s eyes. 

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

The story of Rudeus Greyrat, the man given a second chance at life via reincarnation, continues in Mushoku Tensei. Unfortunately, the anime picks up with Rudeus at rock bottom, having been seemingly spurned by his love, Eris. Rudy struggles to deal with the trauma of Eris’ abrupt departure as he journeys North to attend the magic school of his dreams. In doing so, he encounters faces both familiar and new as he tries to make the most of his second life, including a certain friend he hasn’t seen in years.

Say what you want about Isekai being a dime a dozen these days, but Mushoku Tensei is one of the good ones. That’s because, unlike many others, it goes out of its way to portray the protagonist as a flawed person whose first life still affects their worldview. While Rudy is still far from a necessarily good person, you can’t help but root for him as he tries to improve. And after the ill-planned stunt Eris pulled, you can’t help but want him to be happy. And the season still needs to be finished, with the second half coming in 2024. Here’s to seeing Rudy’s life continue improving until it isn’t. 

No spoilers. 

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

Ever since he was eight months old, all Rentaro Aijō has wanted was a girlfriend to love. Unfortunately, by the time he reached high school, he’d been rejected 100 times. That’s when he visits a local temple, and its Love God tells him something incredible: he won’t just meet his soulmate in high school. He’ll meet all 100 of his soulmates. The catch is that if he rejects one of them, the resulting misfortune will eventually kill them. Refusing to let this happen or make anyone sad, Rentaro decides to date all of them. 

No, you read that right. This man is going to date 100 girls before he leaves high school.

Harem anime don’t always get a positive reputation, but 100 Girlfriends should be a big exception:

  1. The protagonist is aware of every girl falling for him and goes out of his way to make them all happy.
  2. Almost every girlfriend serves as a deconstruction of their character archetype. Behavior that would be one note in another series becomes more nuanced here and serves as actual issues they may have to solve.
  3. The show embraces the pros of the genre and takes them to new comedic heights.

I can’t remember the last time a harem anime made me laugh so hard, so much so that I wrote a whole, separate review of this!

Scott Pilgrim Takes off

Thirteen years since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the world was glad to hear that the famous graphic novel was getting an anime adaptation. Animated by Science Saru and debuting on Netflix, the show saw most of the film’s cast reprising in what looked like a full adaptation of the graphic novel series. However, the end of the first episode changed everything. Instead of winning against the first of Ramona’s evil exes, Scott disappears and is presumed dead by almost everyone. Thus, the story shifts to following Ramona as she attempts to uncover who took Scott while everyone tries to move on from their lives.

Since fans expected a proper adaptation of the popular graphic novel series, some were unhappy that Netflix blindsided everyone. The majority of viewers, though, had nothing but praise. The anime keeps the spirit of the novels and film alive, and it’s clear that everyone was on their a-game working on this. Additionally, the changed timeline allows Scott Pilgrim to deconstruct itself without as much drama. The show gives Ramona more depth and shows that, despite her cool demeanor, she’s made just as many mistakes as Scott did. So, she gets that character development, and so does Scott when he returns. 

Jujutsu Kaisen

After years of waiting for the next chapter, fans of Jujutsu Kaisen got their wish with the show’s second season debuting on Crunchyroll. The first five episodes of the season serve as a prequel to the series, chronicling the events that turned a teenage Gojo into the man who would serve as Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi’s mentor and establish how he is that guy. He was so powerful that the follow-up Shibuya Arc saw him sealed away by the Cursed Spirits, the Jujutsu Sorceror’s fight. And from there, everything that could go wrong did go wrong, as everyone present in Shibuya either died or was thrust into hell.

Let’s come out and say it: the Shibuya Arc is one of the darkest arcs in Shonen history. Between the protagonist’s primary mentor being sealed away and Sukuna using Yuji’s body to destroy Shibuya and kill thousands. By the time the dust settles, the initial villains of the story, who aren’t Sukuna or Geto, are dead, and most of the supporting cast is either dead or heavily injured. Did we mention how Sukuna leveled the district? Not including Jujutsu Kaisen on this list would be a disservice to it. It gave fans everything they wanted and then some!

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Have you ever had a job so bad that a zombie apocalypse seems like heaven in comparison? That’s precisely what Akira Tendou felt in his borderline sweatshop corporate job. So when an actual zombie apocalypse occurs, Akira’s first thoughts? He never has to work again! With a growing group of friends by his side, Akira decides to live his life to the fullest before he potentially becomes a zombie.

The idea of someone being happier in a zombie apocalypse sounds so absurd on paper, but Zom 100 does it so well it might as well be the anti-High School of the Dead. Besides being a rebuke of how oppressive corporate society is, the series also serves as a reminder of what it means to live life for oneself genuinely. Akira’s joy at his freedom in such bizarre circumstances is infectious and enough to inspire people in the universe without focusing more on what makes them happy. That, and it’s just plain funny. 

Baki Hanma

The Baki franchise has always been crazy, but this year, it reached absurd levels of ridiculousness. The first half of the season sees the world’s best fighters trying to fight Pickle, a 190 million-year-old caveman thawed out from ice that are dinosaurs for lunch. The second half of the season saw Baki prepare for his final confrontation with his father, Yujiro, the strongest creature in the world. The results: bones are bones, missing limbs, and punches flying at the speed of sound.

Baki is the kind of series that has to be seen to be believed. The idea of a caveman waking up in the modern day isn’t new, but a caveman that fought dinosaurs and made victims out of everyone he fought? It sounds so dumb, yet so awesome. Additionally, the fight between Baki and Yujiro isn’t just incredible but emotional. Watch this if you haven’t already!

One Piece

If there’s one anime that came out of this year more popular than ever, it’s the legendary One Piece. The long-running Wano Country Arc, which saw Straw-Hat Luffy and his crew and allies fight their most brutal fight to date against the inhumanly strong Kaido and his Beast Pirates, come to its climactic conclusion. Pushing himself beyond all his limits to defeat Kaido and save Wano Country, Luffy unlocked a new form so ridiculous that it can only be described as a weaponized form of Toon Force. 

Say what you want about One Piece, but the world eats well when it cooks. Clips uploaded by Crunchyroll took the top trending spot on YouTube multiple times throughout the year. The live-action Netflix series broke the mold by not being bad. And Luffy got his own balloon at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  

2023 Was a Badass Year for Anime

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Best Anime Moments of 2023

Another year ends, another year of anime on the books. And this year saw some of the best anime in recent years set the Internet on fire. From Isekai’s setting new standards to martial artists fighting actual cavemen, this year had some crazy moments to show for it. Therefore, it only feels right to end the year by recounting some of the best moments.

I’m RJ Writing Ink with D&A Anime Blog, and here are my picks for the best anime moments in 2023. For this list, I’ll limit myself to anime that I’ve either watched or watched enough to get a general understanding of what’s going on. If your anime didn’t make the list, apologies in advance. 

Rudeus and Sylphiette Get Together-Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Growing up in Buena village together, Rudeus Greyrat and Sylphiette were inseparable best friends until the day he left to tutor his distant relative. Then the Teleportation Incident destroyed their home, scattered everyone around the world, and set them on different paths in life. Fate (and the handiwork of Princess Ariel) saw the two finally reunite after nearly ten years attending the magic school they always talked about…only for Rudy to not recognize her, and Sylphie too shy to tell him who she was. It took a year and the help of her best friends, but Sylphie finally managed to tell Rudy who she was. One romantic night later, and the two were a firm couple.

There’s something sweet about childhood friends taking that next step to becoming lovers, and these two earned the right to do so. Sylphie trained hard for years to match Rudeus’ level of magical skill, and had to endure the deadly intrigue of the Asura Kingdom’s royal court. Meanwhile, Rudy spent almost three years trying to get home, only for his love, Eris, to seemingly abandon him. Rudy may have flaws, but he didn’t deserve to get traumatized. Seeing Sylphie’s love for him pull him from the depths of despair was immensely satisfying to witness. Even more so when Rudy didn’t hesitate to ask Sylphie to marry him. They’ve earned this chance to be happy!

Akira Realizes He’s Free from Work-Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

For three long, agonizing years, Akira Tendou had been stuck in hell. His dream job wound up being little more than corporate slavery, his boss gaslit him into thinking he was worthless, and the girl he liked was having an affair with the CEO. At the rate things were going, he was on the both to an early grave. Then the zombie apocalypse happened, and Akira suddenly realized something: he never has to go to work again. Cue the absolute euphoria.

All too often, people get stuck working in jobs that they come to hate. But whether it’s because they need the money or they’d feel guilty for leaving or wouldn’t know where else to work, they stay there and let it beat them down until there’s almost nothing left. It gets so bad in Japan that people have chosen suicide rather than endure another day of their horrible jobs. Thus, seeing the look of absolute euphoria on his face as Akira realizes that he’s finally free is catharsis at its finest. It also sets the tone for Zom100 being one long middle finger to corporate culture. 

(Almost) Every Scene with Pickle-Baki Hanma

In a world filled with absolute powerhouses like Yujiro and Baki Hanma, how do you top them? By introducing an actual caveman so tough that he hunted T-Rexes for food. Meet Pickle, the evolutionary-defying caveman from the Jurassic era preserved for 190 million years in ice and salt, only to be revived in the present day. From the second he woke up, Pickle made victims out of everyone he ran into. He tore through the US Army, bent a Siberian Tiger into the letter ‘C’, slew Truck-Kun, and ate the limbs off several of the world’s best martial artists. He even made Yujiro use an actual technique when they had the manliest fist-bump ever.

Pickle is the kind of impossible, indescribable menace that could only come from a series as insane as Baki, and he is amazing. There’s something both amazing and terrifying of seeing this evolutionary impossibility not only exist, but make mince meat of the world’s strongest. The fact that not even Baki, the main character, could beat him, only makes watching Pickle even more amazing. The only scene that isn’t cool to watch is when he violated that news reporter who foolishly got too close to him. Assault is never cool. 

Gojo Unlocks Limitless-Jujutsu Kaisen

Satoru Gojo is many things: a master of rizz, an absolute troll, and Kakashi 2.0. But like many, he didn’t start out like that; he had to work for it. After being stabbed and left for dead by Toji Fushiguro, Gojo survived by unlocking the full extent of his technique, Limitless. When he next confronts Toji, he proceeds to utterly decimate the assassin. It’s not even a fight at this point; just a beatdown.

There’s a reason why everyone considers Gojo to be that guy, and this moment demonstrates what he’s like when he’s off the leash. As cool as it is to see him use the full extent of his powers, though, his behavior here is very, very unsettling. He’s laughing and raving like a lunatic or someone high on drugs, drunk on his own power and not caring at the fact that one of his friends is now dead. By the time he comes down from it, the sobering reality of how worthless having all that power is if he can’t save anyone hits him like a freight train. As cool as this was, it also marked the start of Gojo’s character development that made him become the teacher he is in the present day. 

Miyo Stands up to her Half-Sister and Stepmother-My Happy Marriage

Saying that Miyo Saimori had a horrible family would be like comparing apples to orange. Treated as an unwanted reminder of the arranged marriage he never wanted, her father did nothing to stop her stepmother and half-sister from abusing her and treating like a servant. It wasn’t until she was sent away to marry the enigmatic Mr. Kudou that she finally started got to experience happiness for the first time. In a jealous fit of rage, though, the evil stepmother and sister kidnapped Miyo and proceeded to beat her senselessly until she agreed to renounce her engagement. However, for the first time ever, Miyo stood up for herself. 

Seeing fictional characters like Cinderella and Miyo suffer domestic abuse from their own family is bad enough. The fact that such things happen in real life, though, can be downright heartbreaking. The worst part is that not everyone can escape this ordeal like Cinderella and Miyo did. Thus, getting to see Miyo find the strength in her to stand up to her family is cathartic to watch. What makes it better is knowing that Mr. Kudou stormed their home and let it burn to the ground to get her back. That’s karma at its finest.

Netsuko Walks in the Sun-Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-Swordsmith Village Arc

From the beginning of his journey, Tanjiro’s goals as a Demon Slayer have been simple: turn his sister, Nezuko, back into a human, and defeat the Demon Muzan. The Demon Slayers made a huge step towards the latter goal during the Swordsmith Village Arc. The Demon Slayers managed to slay two of Muzan’s Upper Ranks, but to do so, Nezuko was left standing outside when the sun came up. However, instead of burning into ashes like other Demons, a miracle occurred: Nezuko had become immune to sunlight.

Hands down, this is one of the most heartwarming, tearjerking moments in the entire Demon Slayer series. Tanjiro has fought tooth and nail to ensure that Nezuko can become human again. To see him burst into tears when he thinks the whole reason he became a Demon Slayer go up in smoke, only to find Nezuko’s fine. After all the pain he’s gone through, this little victory of his makes it all worthwhile.

Sukuna’s Rampage-Jujutsu Kaisen

By its nature, Jujutsu Kaisen is a dark series, but that’s balanced out by the lighthearted comedy found in many Shonen manga. The Shibuya Arc, though, had no such protective netting, as everything that could go wrong did. Gojo getting sealed alone was bad enough, but then the Cursed Spirits upped the ante by force-feeding Yuji Itadori ten of Sukuna’s fingers. As a result, Sukuna was unleashed, leveled the Shibuya District, and killed multiple Cursed Spirits and likely hundreds of civilians. And that’s only putting it lightly!

Everything about this moment is the pinnacle of what Shonen anime aspires to be. Seeing what Sukuna can do when left free for an extended period of time was flat-out terrifying. From killing Jogo to battling Fushiguro’s most powerful Shikigami, everything about this is flat-out awesome. Well, for the viewers. For . 

Shanks Scares Greenbull out of Wano Country-One Piece

Kaido and Big Mom had been defeated and Wano Country was finally free, but there was one last battle to fight. With the two Emperor’s out of the way, Navy Admiral Greenbull tried to march right into Wano to kill Luffy, only to be met by Momonosuke, the Red Scabbards, and Yamato. While they put up a good fight, Greenbull looked ready to overwhelm them…until Shanks pulled up from afar.

Shanks is one of the most popular characters in One Piece for a reason, often acting as an avatar for series mangaka Eichiro Oda himself. And when Shanks gets and tells someone to back off, it’s best for them to listen. Shanks only had to unleash a fraction of his Haki to paralyze Greenbull without ever leaving his ship. Another burst of Haki was enough to make him turn tail and leave Wano Country altogether. 

The cool thing about this, though? He didn’t necessarily have to do that. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Jinbei were already observing the battle from the capital. They could’ve intervened if things got out of hand, and likely would’ve beaten Greenbull. Shanks did it to remind everyone how badass he is!

The Entire Finale-Attack on Titan: the Final Chapter

This finale deserved to be a feature-length movie released in theaters. Wrapping up the Attack on Titan anime with a bang, this two-part finale saw Eren Yeager unleash the Rumbling onto the world in order to wipe out all of humanity beyond his home island of Paradis. His former friends in the Scouts and the remaining Warriors of Marley are forced to abandon their past grudges to save the world while there’s still a world left to save. What ensues is an absolute desperate fight for survival that pushes everyone involved to their absolute limits.

Everything about these two specials qualifies as a best moment for 2023. The animation reaches new levels of quality, the music is on point, the action is breathtaking, and everything is just perfect. In addition, the anime improves on the ending to provide better context. It’s as close to perfect as one can expect.

Luffy Goes Gear Fifth for the First Time-One Piece

This was the moment that One Piece fans had been waiting the entire series for, and they didn’t even know it. As the Wano Country Arc reached its climax, Luffy was once again bested by the monstrous pirate Kaido, seemingly for good. Just when it looks like all hope for victory seems lost, Luffy’s body begins to stir as the sound of drums begins to pierce the heavens, heralding the awakening of his Devil Fruit and unlocking of Gear Fifth.

There are almost no words to describe how unbelievably epic this moment was for fans. The intimidating yet whimsical sound of the drums. The way it’s juxtaposed against Luffy’s unheard-of transformation. An elephant the size of an island proclaiming the second coming of Joyboy in Luffy. Luffy’s grin at the end indicates that he’s about to kick some serious ass. This moment needs to be studied as an example of building up hype. And given how the following episodes see Luffy turn into SHONEN POPEYE, it’s hands-down the best anime moment of 2023. No ifs, ands, or buts!

‘One Piece’ Getting a Remake from Studio Wit

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2024 Shall Be the Year of One Piece

This year, One Piece fans got to eat well. Next year, One Piece fans will be eating even better than before. 

One Piece is a modern-day epic that few can measure up to. It’s a story about following your dreams and living life to the fullest. And right now, it’s more popular than ever. It’s the latest film earned big money in North America. Luffy got his balloon at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The live-action Netflix series broke the curse of lousy live-action adaptations. And when Crunchyroll posts clips from the anime on YouTube, they trend. Bottom line, One Piece is more popular than ever. And next year, it’s going to get even better. 

Early One Piece is getting a Remake

Next year marks the 25th birthday of the One Piece anime, and it will be commemorated In a big way. In an announcement on Twitter, Netflix announced that they would be remaking the anime from the start. More importantly, instead of being made by Toei, this remake, named The One Piece, will be produced by Studio Wit. Wit is renowned for creating the first three seasons of Attack on Titan. More recently, it’s also Co-animated another popular Shonen anime, Spy x Family, alongside CloverWorks. 

This is big news for One Piece fans. Despite being more popular than ever, One Piece can still intimidate a lot of potential fans from enjoying it. At 1,100+ chapters and 1,078+ episodes long, it takes a lot of dedication for newcomers to work through. Even factoring in the movies that abridge some of the earlier arcs, it will still take a while to get through! An ongoing fan project, One Pace, cuts out much of the filler and padding by Toei, but it’s still long.

This remake offers a chance to retell the earliest days of One Piece better than ever. With updated animation in the vein of Attack on Titan and the ability to not include filler, One Piece can retell its early days and attract even more fans. 

In Other One Piece News

In addition to the remake, there are plenty of other things that One Piece fans have to celebrate going into 2024. In January 2024, Netflix will be debuting the ONA Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation. Based on a one-shot One Piece mangaka Eichiro Oda created in 1994, the ONA tells the story of the Samurai Ryuma as he travels his country and fights powerful monsters. It’s also a story that’s been retroactively added to the timeline of One Piece, so this is official lore.

There’s more: The live-action One Piece series is getting a second season. Making huge waves in the summer of 2023, the series broke the trend of bad live-action adaptations of popular anime. It helps that Oda actively guided production, and Netflix listened to him. 

Lastly, January 7th will mark the anime’s official start to the Egghead Island Arc. Currently ongoing in the manga, this arc has already seen multiple jaw-dropping moments and reveals that fans are eating up:

  • The official introduction to the mysterious Dr. Vegapunk. 
  • The backstory of the enigmatic Bartholomew Kuma
  • The rapidly changing status and allegiance of several named characters.
  • Confirmation that one of the most hotly anticipated locations in the series is imminent.

The bottom line is that now is a great time to be a One Piece. With the series directly into its final saga, it’s the perfect time for people to participate in this legendary story. One Piece could go down as one of the greatest stories ever told. Stories like it only come once in a generation or even generations. 

Shonen Villains that are the Stuff of Nightmares

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Anime Villains that Can Induce Nightmare Fuel in Fans

There can be no good without evil, and that means that a great hero needs a great villain. Batman has the Joker, Cloud has Sephiroth, Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. The best heroes have the best villains, and the best villains can be as popular as the heroes. However, no matter how much people may like them (or like to hate them), that doesn’t change the fact that they’re evil. If people were to somehow encounter them in real life, they’ll generally have three choices.

  1. Run for your life and pray that they don’t come after you.
  2. Bow down to them and pray that they spare.
  3. Make peace with your impending death.

Since Halloween is about scaring ourselves, here are some of the villains in Shonen anime that are the stuff of nightmares. Villain’s that, if encountered by someone unprepared, should be run away from as fast as you can.

DIO, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

There’s hatred, and then there’s the concentrated malice that is known as DIO. As the overarching antagonist of most of Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, DIO is one of the most vile beings to ever walk upon God’s green earth. Which is ironic because his name means “God” in Italian!

Despite starting out as nothing more than an extremely cruel bully to Jonathan Joestar, Dio graduated from that and humanity when he used an ancient mask to become an immortal vampire. After that, Dio slaughtered his way through Victorian England before the OG JoJo took him down, sacrificing his own life in the process. Unfortunately for the world, it didn’t stick.

DIO (now all caps) returned a hundred years with JoJo’s body and a Stand power that let him stop time, and even then, he wasn’t satisfied. Had JoJo’s descendant, Jotaro Kujo, not slain him, he would’ve eventually evolved his Stand into one that could rewrite reality itself. The worst part, though, is that even in death, DIO remained a threat thanks to his followers, one of whom would find a way to end and restart the universe.

DIO is like Dracula on steroids. He’s brilliant, has almost no regard for humanity, and worst of all, incredibly charismatic. Even if someone manages to resist his charisma, it won’t matter since he can implant a parasite in their brains and force them to serve him. Anyone unlucky enough to cross his path should run, lest he devours you mind, body, and soul.

Frieza, Dragon Ball Franchise

There are a lot of villains in the Dragon Ball franchise that would terrify even the bravest people. However, even when stacked against beings like Cell, Majin Buu, and Goku Black, Frieza stands as the biggest villain in Dragon Ball for good reason. Series mangaka Akira Toriyama based him off his own worst nightmares fused with real estate speculators that, at the time of his creation, were raking in dough at countless other’s expense. As a result, unlike most villains in the franchise, Frieza has an unthreatening appearance and eloquent way of speaking one might expect from Hannibal Lecter, which only makes him all the more terrifying.

While he was eventually surpassed by stronger villains like Cell and Majin Buu, Frieza remained the most popular villain in the franchise. That popularity would eventually see him not only come back from the dead (twice), but gave him a power-up that put him back on top. At the time of this writing, Frieza’s gotten to the point where he’s stronger than Goku and Vegeta. The only reason they’re still alive is because he let them live just to prove a point. Unless you’re a Super Saiyan or a god of destruction, then Frieza is the last person that you want to anger. He will not kill you but your entire species in the process.

Also, he’s got his own heavy-metal theme song.

Akainu, One Piece

There are plenty of villains and monsters in One Piece that make ordinary people tremble in fear, but few of them can get away with their actions by being one of the “good guys.” That’s different for Navy Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, AKA Akainu (“Red Dog.”) Akainu is everything wrong with the Marines personified. If you step out of line with his extreme views on justice, he will not hesitate to kill you. And with his Magma Magma Fruit powers letting him turn his body into magma, there’s little anyone can do to stop him. 

Many of the actions that Akainu has committed over the course of the series would, in a fairer world, likely constitute as war crimes. From blowing up a refugee ship on the off-chance a single fugitive would be on board to killing his own men for getting in his way or losing their nerve, this is someone that shouldn’t be put in charge of anything. For fans of One Piece, though, his biggest crime was murdering Luffy’s brother, Ace, right before him. This monster needs to be stopped, and many fans would love to see Luffy beat him into the ground before the series ends.

No, really. Luffy needs to beat him to a pulp and avenge his brother’s death. 

Muzan Kibutsuji, Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba

He may look like Michael Jackson, but Muzan is a complete and utter monster. The centuries old progenitor of all Demons, Muzan is less of a person and more of a plague upon the world. Born a sickly human a thousand years ago, he took an incomplete medicine to survive, only to have it turn him into the first Demon. Since then, he has plagued Japan from the shadows, spawning countless Demons. His ultimate goal is to attain true immortality and conquer the light of the sun.

Even with his weakness to sunlight, Muzan is a terrifying, nigh-immortal foe. With a healing factor that rivals the likes of Cell or Majin Buu and an insatiable will to live, Muzan is the stuff of nightmares. Not even his fellow Demons are safe from him, as he’ll kill them for no reason. Any unlucky soul who finds themselves facing him shouldn’t even bother running. Just pray to God to let you into Heaven when you die.

WARNING: This Final Entry Provides MAJOR SPOILERS for Chainsaw Man. Anime-only fans and those who haven’t read the manga, stop reading!

Makima, Chainsaw Man

This blog’s review for the 9th episode of the Chainsaw Man anime called Makima a dangerous and, indeed, scary person. That had been written with little knowledge about what happens in the manga. That assessment turned out to be accurate to the extreme. Makima isn’t just a dangerous woman. She’s a menace!

While the anime has dropped hints that Makima isn’t a normal person, the manga eventually reveals that she’s actually the Control Devil. AKA, the embodiment of humanity’s fear of control, oppression, and the loss of free will. As such, her ability to control those she sees beneath her is so broken it puts Lelouch Vi Britannia’s Geass to shame. She’s a manipulative, cruel, and sociopathic villain whose idea of a perfect world is one without Devils and everyone under her heels. In other words, she’s the stuff of nightmares.

The worst part is the fact that she’s almost impossible to kill. Any damage done to her gets sent to some random person instead. With nigh-immortality and the ability to manipulate almost anyone she meets, she’s an enemy to everyone who loves free will. It doesn’t matter if she’s called a waifu; she’s a monster.  

Luffy Jumps Into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

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One Piece Joins 2023 Lineup for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

For almost a century, millions of Americans have spent Thanksgiving watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year, the biggest names in pop culture get their floats or balloons and march through Manhattan for everyone to see. From longtime staples like Snoopy and the Peanuts gang to modern-day legends like Spongebob, everybody who’s anybody in pop culture takes part in the Macy’s Parade. In recent years, thanks to anime becoming a steady part of American culture, Japanese icons like Goku from the Dragon Ball franchise have gotten to join the parade roster. However, the 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will see another anime legend join the lineup. A hero that, truth be told, stands a good chance of being spoken about centuries after his series ends. This year, Monkey D. Luffy sails into the Macy’s Parade.

No, we’re not joking. On October 4th, 2023, Toei Animation announced on social media that “Straw Hat” Luffy will be joining the Macy’s Parade for the first time. He’ll be the fourth character (fifth if you count Hello Kitty) from an anime series to join the iconic Parade, following in the footsteps of Pikachu and Eevee from Pokémon and fellow Shonen Jump protagonist, Goku. That latter fact is even more significant when one considers how Goku was a source of inspiration for One Piece creator Eichiro Oda when creating Luffy. The fact that these two legendary protagonists from Japan are taking part in an American tradition drives home how popular anime has become. What was once a niche interest is openly enjoyed by millions in the West.

It gets better, though: the fact that Luffy’s joined the Macy’s Parade shows just how popular One Piece has become in recent years. 

For those who don’t know, One Piece is a shonen series set in a world filled with pirates, fantastical creatures, and people with extraordinary powers. The series itself follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate captain who can stretch his body like rubber, as he and his crew seek the One Piece, a legendary treasure hidden by the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. With an ongoing story that’s lasted several decades and some of the best world-building in all of fiction, One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time. A century from now, it could be counted as one of the greatest works of literature in human history; it’s that good!

While One Piece has always been incredibly popular, both in its native Japan and abroad, the last two years have seen it grow bigger than ever. It’s latest film was a global hit. Official clips for new episodes end up trending on YouTube. And most recently, its live-action adaptation on Netflix managed to defy the curse of LAA’s (Live-Action Adaptions) being terrible. Now more than ever, people are getting into One Piece, making the time to read the manga or watch the anime. 

In other words, this is a big win for Luffy. Is it any wonder why he’s one of the most fantastic characters in anime history?

Netflix ‘One Piece’ Gets an Unprecedented Season Two

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Why the Live-Action One Piece Getting a Second Season is a Big Deal

Over the years, Netflix has tried to adapt popular anime into a live-action format, only to fall flat on their faces. Their live-action Cowboy Bebop got canceled less than a month after first premiering. And their film adaptation of Death Note was hated so much, the director deleted his Twitter to avoid the death threats. Needless to say, anime fans are adamant about any adaptations being true to the source. Then, Netflix decided to team up with mangaka Eichiro Oda to adapt his legendary series, One Piece. And despite the stigma surrounding live-action adaptations, One Piece succeeded where so many others failed. It was good! It didn’t reach the same levels of comedy as the original story, but it captured the spirit of the series in a way few had.

The show’s success is apparent to Netflix and fans alike. At the time of this writing, it’s consistently remained in the top ten most-watched shows on the platform. In addition, it’s garnered more popularity than the Ahsoka miniseries. Fans waited years for that to come out, and One Piece blew it out of the water. Thus, it comes as no surprise when Eichiro Oda himself announced on social media that the series would be getting a second season.

An Unprecedented Decision

This decision is unprecedented. While live-action adaptations of anime have gotten sequels in movie format, such as Ruronori Kenshin, to the best of my knowledge, it’s never happened to a show itself. In a recent interview with Deadline, executive producers Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements admitted that they already have a roadmap planned out for six seasons of the show. If it does well enough, though, they have plans for twelve seasons. If that’s true, then Netflix could attempt to adapt the entire series over the next ten or so years. 

Those familiar enough with One Piece will know how Herculean a task this is. One Piece is a series with a thousand-plus chapters under its belt, and a near-equal amount of anime episodes. In other words, there’s a lot of material to cover. If the people at Netflix are truly investing in this for the long haul, then they’re going to have make a lot of hard decisions. How much of the material will they choose to adapt per episode? Assuming they choose to give season two the same number of episodes as the first one, they will have to condense a lot of material. At best, they’ll be covering the Loguetown arc all the way up to the end of the Alabasta Saga. That’s a tall order to fill!

Then there’s also the manner of how much this will cost them. As One Piece progresses, the fights become more elaborate and fantastical. Considering how many of the opponents that Luffy and the others will be facing from this point onward will have Devil Fruit powers, they will have to find a way to adapt them to live action. That means a lot of money will go towards special effects and related issues. One of the future Straw Hat’s alone will have to be created entirely by CGI. Adapting most of this will cost a lot of money!

Fortune Favors the Bold…and the Crazy

Regardless of the cost, though, it seems likely that Netflix will be willing to pay whatever they have to ensure that their adaptation of One Piece is a success. Despite some nitpicks, the show has largely been a success, capturing the spirit of the anime and manga in live-action form. Countless people worldwide are getting into One Piece thanks to the live-action series. Before, many would refrain from getting into the franchise, intimidated by its sheer length and size. The live-action series serves as a mean for newcomers to get into One Piece without having to spend days binging the anime or manga, making it an appealing alternative for those lacking free time. 

As for Oda, he’s getting the chance to retell one of the greatest stories in recorded human history: his story. It’s not even complete, and it can already stand toe-to-toe with legendary, centuries-old tales. With the right planning, advertising, and Oda’s steady hand, it could become the big show to watch in the 2020s. Even if it isn’t, though, One Piece has already secured its legacy for generations to come.

That, and there’s no way it could do worse than the end to Game of Thrones.

2022 Was a Great Year for Anime

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The Best Anime of 2022

Another year over, another year closer to anime fans achieving pop culture hegemony. All jokes aside, 2022 was a particularly good year for Japanese animation. Not only did we get some incredible films and series in 2022, but several of these ended up breaking the Internet. As the year comes to a close, it’s time for us to look back on the best anime to come out of Japan.

Full disclosure: in addition to anime series, we will also be counting movies. Considering the success that several anime films had at the box office this year, it’s justified.

Attack on Titan Season 4, Part 2

Just when you thought that Attack on Titan couldn’t get any bigger, it does just that. The second part to the hit anime’s final season premiered in January 2022, and the Internet went crazy over it. Given how this part saw series protagonist/antagonist Eren Yeager enact his plans of unleashing an army of Titans to wipe out all humanity beyond his island home, that was to be expected. In addition, when the opening for the new part, “Rumbling” went up on YouTube, it wound up trending. Given how the part ended on a massive cliffhanger, fans are chomping at the bit to see the grand finale in all its animated glory. 

Spy x Family

It’s the spy comedy that’s taken the anime world by storm, Spy x Family. Making its anime debut in 2022, Spy x Family combines all the action and escapades of classic spy films with the kind of comedy that will leave you in stitches. Set in a fictional world locked in a cold war, Spy x Family follows Twilight, an agent tasked with spying on an enemy politician to stop a potential war. To do this, he builds a fake family with a little girl named Anya and a woman named Yor. The twist is that Yor’s secretly one of her country’s best assassins, and the only one aware of this is the mind-reading Anya, whose desperate to keep her found family intact.

Even though it’s the new kid on the block, Spy x Family has already won the hearts of millions, and it’s not hard to see why: the characters are so likable. Anya’s a precious little cinnamon bun who only wants to have a real family and will go to great lengths. Despite only taking them in as part of his cover, Loid comes to genuinely care about Anya and Yor. Lastly, Yor’s dual nature as a deadly assassin but clumsy and caring housewife makes her one of the top waifus of the year. If you haven’t already watched it, you should check out Spy x Family.

One Piece

This year was a good year for One Piece, period. On the manga front, the series completed its biggest and longest arc to date, the Wano Country Arc that saw Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates go head-to-head with one of the strongest pirates in the world. Meanwhile, that same arc continues to be adapted into anime to great fanfare. When Crunchyroll posted some of the best clips on YouTube, they trended several times. 

Lastly, the series latest film, One Piece Film: Red, saw massive success in its native Japan and overseas, with its soundtrack trending on iTunes. With the series entering its final saga and Eichiro Oda promising it to be more epic than ever, now’s a good time to be a One Piece fan.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero 

After so many years of getting the short end of the stick in favor of his dad, Dragon Ball finally made Gohan great again. When the remnants of the Red Ribbon Army come out of hiding (again) while Goku and Vegeta are away, it falls to Gohan to deal with the threat. However, Gohan’s neglecting his training again, much to everyone’s disappointment. Frustrated by this, Piccolo uses this chance to force Gohan to reawaken his fighting spirit.

Even though this movie sees the franchise use 3D animation as opposed to 2D, it doesn’t make the film less amazing. The film brings back much of the humor from the early days of the original manga while carefully balancing it with a ton of action. In addition, the film sees Gohan and Piccolo gain new forms that put them in the running for strongest characters in the franchise once more. The former gets a form that, for all intents and purposes, effectively canonizes the popular fanmade transformation El Blanco. El Blanco is canon, people!

Chainsaw Man

Yet another newcomer to the Shonen anime scene, Chainsaw Man has also taken the anime world by storm. Set in an alternate 1990’s Japan where Devils exist, the series follows Denji, a young, teenaged Devil Hunter whose life’s cut short by a group of Yakuza. However, Denji gets a second lease on life when he fuses with his Devil friend, Pochita, becoming the infamous Chainsaw Man. Now, Denji hunts down even more Devils. Not for the sake of humanity or for justice or revenge, but for the simple goal of living a normal life. That, and to get lucky with a woman.

Chainsaw Man is one of the most popular anime on the market right, and it’s not hard to see why. The characters are quirky and the series is filled with so much blood and over-the-top violence that it would leave Attack on Titan jealous. If you haven’t been watching it, then you need to be. It’s a slow burn at first, but once it picks up, you’ll see why it’s so popular already.

My Hero Academia Season 6

While the fifth season may not have been that exciting, it was just a prelude to the real show: My Hero Academia, Season 6. With the villains growing more powerful than ever, the heroes make their move to put an end to the destructive plans of Tomura Shigaraki. However, what should’ve been a decisive victory for the heroes turns into an all-out war that pushes both sides to their absolute limits. Characters die, heroes and villains unlock new abilities, and shocking revelations emerge. This is My Hero Academia at its absolute best, and the season’s only halfway over.

JoJo : Stone Ocean

Netflix ruined the hype for this. JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure is one of the greatest shonen series ever. The last decade’s seen the anime inspire countless memes as it finally achieved worldwide popularity. However, the decision to have Part 6 air on Netflix prevented it from reaching the heights it should have. Netflix made the decision to release the season in batches, which is good for streaming but terrible for building up hype. As a result, the final act in the original JoJo timeline almost flies under the radar. 

Blackbeard Needs to Be Luffy’s Final Enemy, Not Rocks!

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The end of One Piece is near, no matter how badly fans may want otherwise. Mangaka Eichiro Oda recently confirmed his goal to end his legendary manga in around three years. That means that the final battle for the fabled treasure that seems to hold all the answers to the mysteries of the world will soon be upon us. On one side, we have Monkey D. Luffy, the newest Yonko and the living embodiment of fun and freedom. On the other side, we have Blackbeard, the man who slew Whitebeard and took his powers for his own. For many fans, it seemed as though Blackbeard would be Luffy’s last and greatest challenge to claiming the One Piece.

Then, we learned about Rocks D. Xebec, the greatest enemy the Pirate King Gol D. Roger ever faced. Now, fans speculate that Xebec, not Blackbeard or the World Government, will be Luffy’s final opponent. That is something that I strongly think would not be a good idea.

Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger’s Biggest Enemy

Firstly, just who is Rocks D. Xebec? According to the Marines from Garp and Sengoku’s generation, Rocks was the most feared pirate in the world before the rise of Gol D. Roger. A vicious and bloodthirsty man, Rocks sought nothing less than world domination. To that end, he delved into secrets the World Government tried to suppress. In addition, he assembled a crew of powerful pirates that wreaked havoc on a global scale. Among them were three of the future Yonko: Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido. Rocks was considered to Roger’s first and greatest enemy.

Thirty years before the present day, the Rocks Pirates launched their most ambitious attack yet. On the island called God Island, they attacked the Celestial Dragons. However, they were beaten by an unlikely team up of Roger and Monkey D. Garp. After that, God Island vanished from all records, and Xebec was declared dead by the World Government.

Or is he?

The Fan Theories About Rocks Being Alive

There are rumors and theories going around the fandom that Rocks D. Xebec didn’t die at God Valley. Some fans think he might still be alive in some form, with theories ranging from being the true mastermind behind the World Government to some kind of connection to Blackbeard. Regardless, these fans are convinced that Rocks might be the final challenge Luffy must face to become Pirate King.

I’m sorry, but no. Just, no.

Blackbeard Needs to be the Final Opponent Luffy Fights

So, I will acknowledge that, regardless of his status in the present day, Rocks has an important role to play in the final stretch of the series. Oda never introduces a character or concept without planning on it playing a part down the line. I can even admit that Blackbeard might have some connection to the Captain of the Rocks pirates. However, I do not think that Rocks will be the final big bad of the series. That honor falls to the World Government and, more importantly, Blackbeard himself.

If you read my review of where the top contenders for the One Piece stand, you should know my rationale for Blackbeard.

• He and Luffy both became Pirate Captains around the same time

• Both carry the Will of D.

• Blackbeard has a Devil Fruit that cancels out other Devil Fruits.

• Both believe in freedom and fate, but have very different ideas on what that means

• Blackbeard was responsible for the events that led to Ace and Whitebeard’s deaths.

In other words, Oda has been building Blackbeard up from the start to be Luffy’s antithesis. Thus, it makes sense that Blackbeard, not Rocks, be the final opponent that Luffy must face.

My Theory: Blackbeard is the Rocks of Luffy’s Generation

While I won’t deny that Rocks is important for that finale, I believe that it won’t be Rocks himself that will play a role. Rather, it will be his will and legacy that he left behind. Oda has repeatedly talked about the idea of inherited will being passed on. In this case, what if Blackbeard chose to inherit Rocks’ will and desire to conquer all? In other words, what if Blackbeard intends to do what Rocks couldn’t and conquer the world?

We don’t know what Blackbeard’s endgame might be, but given how he’s gathering Devil Fruit powers, world domination isn’t out of the question. One thing’s for sure, though. When the final clash between Luffy and Blackbeard comes, they’ll talk about it for years.