One Piece

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

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

Why are the Giant Kids Such Wimps?

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

One Piece Episode 1164 Review

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

Oh boy.

Luffy does know how to be formal, after all!

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

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

The Giants are Becoming Pacifists

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

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

I was so Bummed out!

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

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

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

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

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

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

A One Piece fan just made a real map of the series world

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

Shout out to Artur-Library for his Map of the One Piece World

Guys, a One Piece fan just released a map of the entire world, and it is absolutely amazing!

If you were to ask me what all of my favorite stories in fiction have in common, I could only give one answer off the top of my head: worldbuilding. From Star Wars to Lord of the Rings to Adventure Time and Avatar, the best stories take place in a world that feels like a real place, complete with its own history beyond the story as well as cultures. And personally, I think that some of the best worldbuilding that I’ve ever seen can be found in Eichiro Oda’s One Piece.

Over the course of almost three decades, Oda has created a world that’s captured the imagination of millions. Countries that reflect the cultures found in real life; islands that defy common sense; animals that shouldn’t exist in real life. All of it is in the world of One Piece, and the result is something that words can only barely describe. It’s just something you have to see for yourself.

In fact, the world of One Piece is so expansive, it can be hard know where everything is, let alone what it looks like as a whole. In-universe, it’s the goal of one of the main characters, Nami, to draw a map of the entire world, which we will likely see whenever the series ends. However, some fans aren’t content with waiting and have already started making their own maps. And one fan in particular recently published what might be the most detailed map of the world of One Piece that the fandom has ever seen.

Meet Artur!

Meet Artur-Library of Ohara, or Artur, for short, one of the most hardcore One Piece fans I’ve ever seen. He’s a self-described scholar of One Piece, and when he says scholar, he means it. He’s dedicated his life to studying the series with all the patience and attention to detail expected of a scholar. For the last ten years, he’s been running a blog, the Library of Ohara, that’s meant to serve as an encyclopedia covering all facts, events, and pertinent pieces of information about the series. In addition, he regularly publishes posts there as well as videos on YouTube that offer in-depth analysis about the series and the chapters as they come out. I’ve been subscribed to him for a while now, and I can attest to how good he is. He’s pointed out things that most people have overlooked from the story and given theories about how the series will end that could end up proving accurate. It should also be noted that he has been doing that at the expense of his own personal health, both physically and mentally. That’s how much One Piece means to him, and the community is lucky to have him. And he recently just released what might be his greatest contribuition to the fandom: an interactive map of the world of One Piece.

And it. Is. Awesome!

Released to the public on May 17th, 2026, this digital map is something that, by Artur’s own admission, took five years of his life to create, and it shows. The guide video that he created for it explains how he drew everything himself to match the information given to us by Oda. Nothing is overlooked, even Oda’ own asides and notes from the SBS books. The map isn’t just a basic, overhead map, either. If you zoom in and click on the names for the different locations, and you will find info about each one of them. And then we get to the locations that have been actively visited throughout the series, such as the ones visited by the Straw Hats, and we will find individual maps for each of them, along with accompanying info from the One Piece wiki.

This map is absolutely incredible. The level of detail is astonishing to look at, and it explains everything about the world so clearly, including the route that the Straw Hat Pirates have followed. This is such a boon for fans of the series, as it enables us to keep track of everything that has happened and where we have been. And it likely isn’t done, either. I can imagine that Artur will update it once the series ends, whenever that might be.

If you’re a One Piece fan like I am, then I strongly urge you to go check out the map for yourself, and to thank Artur and his coder for doing this for us. You can also purchase a physical copy of it for yourself on his blog. Or if you don’t have time to read it, he’s got a long-form video on YouTube detailing everything. It’s perfect to listen to while you work!

CLICK THE LINK TO SEE THE MAP

The reunion of Robin and Saul is just so beautiful!

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

One Piece Episode 1163 Review

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

Anyone who Hurts Robin must die!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now, the reunion!

Hooray!

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

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

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

Tears of Joy!

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

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

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

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

Welcome to Elbaph! For Real!!!

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

One Piece Ep 1162 Review

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

Quick Explanation

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

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

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

Rodo Gets Punished

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

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

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

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

Just. Magical.

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

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

And now, let the Todo meme do the talking.

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

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