Shonen

The God’s Knights are not as Invincible as you Think

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

One Piece Episode 1178 Review

We’re about to whip somebody’s ass! And that somebody’s name is SOMMERS!

So, the downside of watching the One Piece anime is that I have to watch as things just keep going from bad to worse in Elbaph. I mean, I’m a longtime fan of the series, so I know that things are going to get worse before they get better, but this? This is one of the worst scrapes the Straw Hats have been in since the timeskip. And that includes having to escape from Big Mom and all the stuff they went through in Wano! But, I’m also being reminded of just how much I am offended by the existence of Sommers. He is so evil, i was pretty much onboard with Robin’s plans to take him out of the picture from the get-go.

No one hurts innocent kids or books on Robin’s or the Straw Hat’s watch!

TIME TO WHIP SOMEBODY’S ASS

So, if you thought that the God’s Knights couldn’t get any more despicable, then you clearly haven’t been paying attention to the series. I don’t know how Oda does it, but he’s really good at making some of the most disgusting villains you can imagine. Case in point, Sommers and Gunko threaten to kill one of the kids they have hostage. And they’re doing it in the cruelest way possible.

They take one of the Giant Kids, Ronja, and have her stand on a platform above the branches. Right below her, hundreds of feet below, is the Underworld. If she falls off the edge…she’s gonna die. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Even most of the Giants would have a hard time surviving a fall like that. And unless the grown-ups agree to burn the school and library, and everything with it, down, then she will be forced to walk over the edge.

I had to read about this in the manga months ago, and even now, it just sickens me. Now, I wasn’t exactly what you would called attached to school growing up, since that involved homework (which I despise). But libraries? Those were my sanctuary when I couldn’t watch TV or play video games! I looked it up, and it turns out that the deliberate destruction of a library is considered a war crime. These false god’s are committing war crimes and they are laughing about it!

Not on Robin’s watch.

GET HIM, ROBIN!

If you have any inkling at all about what Robin’s life was like before we met her, then you know the HELL she went through. She had to watch as her home, her mentor, her mother were all wiped out by the World Government. She only just now found out her oldest friend and the knowledge of Ohara still existed. And she is not going to let anyone take them away from her again. And this is when Robin locks the f in.

You know, it’s pretty rare for us to see Robin get genuinely angry. Most of the time, she’s the most logical of the Straw Hats, always keeping a cool head or offering some darkly humorous remark. Or being like a mom to Chopper. But if you have seen what she is like when she is angry, then you know why it’s a bad idea to push her to that point. She can, and will, kill people if she thinks they deserve it. And as Sommers finds out for himself, she’s the smartest of the Straw Hats for a reason.

I have to admit, it was pretty clever of Robin to figure out that Sommers powers had a range limit attached to them. Not to mention just how gutsy it was to drive him off the branch into the Underworld, with her along with him. But the best part is seeing how that was just a clone, with the real Robin already making for her captured friends. Now that is how you use your brain!

Which is why I only got even angrier when I saw that Robin’s gambit didn’t work. Damn it, Oda! The bad guys shouldn’t be getting plot armor like this! And then we had to listen as the grown-ups order the destruction of the school and library.

SCOPPER RULEZ!!

Karma’s a b****, though, because guess who comes in clutch to save the day? Scopper Gaban. He jumps in out of nowhere and slices Sommers in half, and unlike the other times, he doesn’t pull himself back together.

Even before it was revealed how Gaban did this in the manga, it didn’t take a genius for me to figure out how this happened: Haki. That spiritual power that has become more and more important ever since the time skip. Through the strength of will, Haki lets even someone without powers fell the mightiest of opponents. And apparently, that also includes the likes of the God’s Knights. So, clearly Gaban is strong enough to actually put a dent in Sommers. And the best part? Sommers knows Gaban. They actually met many years ago at a little place called God Valley. And it looks like Sommers isn’t happy seeing him again.

Things aren’t going to begin going the Straw Hat’s way right off the bat, but this episode did the next best thing: it showed a crack in the Knight’s armor. That’s all we need to know that they can be beaten. Just wait until next year when Luffy and the others make their move. They’re going to whip their asses back to Hell.

I Give “Protect History and the Future – Robin and Gaban Go on the Attack” a 4/5

THIS IS…DESPICABLE!

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

One Piece Episode 1177 Review

Guys, I don’t know how Oda does it. I have no clue how he is able to create villains that are so rotten, vile, and despicable that their very existence offends me. But he just keeps doing it over and over and it works so well at angering me! Which only makes it more entertaining when they go down. But this? SOMMERS is in a class all his own when it comes to how much I hate him. And this episode reminded me of it!

BAD! THINGS! HAPPEN!

So, as seems to be the norm for this arc now, things just get worse. We saw Saul, poor Saul, get maimed by Sommers thorns, in the last episode. And this episode opens up with him getting stabbed in the foot. It’s like stepping on a LEGO but ten times worse.

This entire episode serves as a reminder of just how bad things are going to get from here on out, and honestly, I both love and hate it. And for good reason. It only makes their inevitable defeat all the more cathartic. But this arc really tries my patience, especially considering how likely it is that we will not see the comeback until next year.

Half the Straw Hats are Captured!

Oh, and just to remind you guys of how bad things are, not only has Collun been captured, but now Brook, Jinbei, Nami, and Usopp are prisoners. The only solace I get is from knowing that this just guarantees that Luffy is going to kick all their asses. Then again, the act of kidnapping children is considered a capital offense in the eyes of the Straw Hats, so they were already going to do that. This just adds fuel to the fire.

What is most surprising, though, is something that I had almost forgotten about: Gunko’s fixation on Brook.

Yeah, Brook Knows Gunko

Now, the thing about Oda is that he tends to be great at foreshadowing. A random name he drops or a character’s habit can end up being an important plot device in the future. And if you recall, Gunko is a fan of Brook. So she tries to make him her slave and write songs for her forever like a yandere fan. But that’s not what’s interesting. It’s the way Brook reacts.

If you know Brook, then you know how he hits on women as much as Sanji does. It’s like his most well-known bit besides his bone jokes. So, and this was something I actually forgot, when Brook speaks to Gunko, he doesn’t make any jokes. He doesn’t ask to see her panties. Nothing; just dead seriousness. THAT is a red flag that something is wrong.

It would be some time until we learn the truth about the connection between Brook and Gunko, and trust me, it’s a tearjerker. But I really liked how the anime foreshadows it here. When Brook says that one thing that makes Gunko have a panic attack, you can tell that there’s more to her than meets the eye.

SOMMERS MUST DIE!!!!

Sommers, on the other hand, has nothing else to him; just pure, sadistic malice and cruelty.

So, by this point, the kids have woken up and realize that they are in trouble. The giant monsters is enough of a warning sign. But what Sommers does next is just pure evil. He has Qillingham broadcast everything to the island, list off the names of the kids being held hostage, and just enjoys seeing the despair on the parents’ faces.

But then, he gives them a choice that offends me to the core of my being: ordering them to burn down the school and library. The library where all the books from Ohara have remained safe for almost 3 decades.

Now, I couldn’t really care about the school, since I hate homework. But a library? When I was a kid, o spent most of my free time at our school libraries. It was my refuge, my safe space! And if Interntational Law didn’t already consider it, I would consider the destruction of libraries to be a war crime.

Now imagine how Robin must feel.

TARGET: SOMMERS. OBJECTIVE: EXTERMINATE!

Robin had to watch as the World Government destroyed her home of Ohara as a little kid. She couldn’t stop it from happening. But she will be damned if she lets history repeat itself! I was all in on Robin’s decision to join the fight. It’s time to go full gangster on these monsters!

Man, this anime is so good! I love One Piece so much! And I’m pretty sure it’s already out by now, but I hope that that crossover happy meal with SpongeBob is doing well!

I Give “A Despicable Hostage Game – Sommers’s Brazen Demands” a 4/5

The part where the Straw Hats get Cooked

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

One Piece Episode 1176 Review

…Okay, now is the time for us to be scared.

So, fun fact about this part of One Piece: when we got to this point in the manga, I remember thinking “Maybe the Straw Hats have got this. I mean, they’ve all gotten crazy strong since Wano. Maybe they can handle themselves as a group against one of the God’s Knights. At least Jinbei could!” I was A FOOL. A COMPLETE AND UTTER FOOL! If there was ever any doubt that the God’s Knights are monsters, Gunko just shut that up for good. They are FREAKING TERRIFYING!

The Straw Hats just got clapped

I normally spend the majority of these reviews diving into the details about what happened in the episode. However, I think that I can summarize everything that happened with this simple description: a case study in the art of butt-whooping. Because that is basically what we spend the entire episode witnessing. With some of the best animation of the entire season, I might add.

I still remember the sheer shock I felt when I read these parts of the manga when they came out. I knew that the God’s Knights were strong, but seeing what Gunko managed to do to Nami, Usopp, Brook, and Sanji? It was straight-up demonic. They threw their best attacks at her, and she basically no-selled every last one of them.

Nami and Zeus’ combo attack? She almost fried Nami with it! Brook and Jinbei’s attacks? She uno-reversed them!

And the scariest one had to be how she tanked that attack from Usopp. She got her upper half blown off, and she just regenerated from it like she was Cell or Majin Buu!

There is a war coming

Now, I had already known at this point that Imu had granted his most elite servants some kind of immortality. If you saw the Egghead Island Arc, then you would know that. However, seeing it up close and personal like this is genuinely terrifying. I can’t even call the God’s Knights human. They’re demons, plain and simple! Why else would they be kidnapping children to force the grown-ups to fight for them.

If you’ve been up to date on One Piece lately, then you should already know that what Gunko was saying was true. There is a war coming on the horizon. According to the rumors, Oda plans on making a war so massive that it makes what happened at Marineford look like child’s play. Considering how that was the big war arc of the series until recently, that is terrifying! And I had already known that the Giants would be a tipping point in the whole thing. Hence why Imu is hellbent on making them kneel.

GOD-TIER ANIMATION! ABSOLUTE CINEMA

What else is there for me to say about this episode, save for the fact that the animation is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. I had imagined what these fight sequences might have looked like in my head, but to see them play out like this is just amazing! I love it! Even if the majority of this episode is about the heroes getting pounded into the ground by the God’s Knights.

There’s no getting around the fact that Elbaph is facing its greatest crisis ever. If the God’s Knights are not stopped, the Giants of Elbaph will be forced to become slaves to Imu. And I’ve seen enough Shonen anime to know that the only way that they can be stopped is if the main character pulls up. Sadly, that is not something that is going to happen anytime soon. Trust me; I’ve read the manga. I suggest you guys get used to things being bad for a while, you guys! But don’t you worry. That’s only going to make it even cooler when the Straw Hats counterattack.

I Give “The Threat of the Arrow-Arrow Fruit – Gunko vs. the Straw Hats” a 5/5

Jinbei Could’ve Been a Fireman

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

One Piece Episode 1175 Review

So, where are we with everything on Elbaph? There’s an entire branch of the great tree on fire. A bunch of sleepwalking kids are being led right into it and will burn to death. There’s an army of dream monsters wreaking havoc and keeping most of the grown-ups busy. Yeah, I can safely say that we are in the part of the Elbaph arc where things are going to get worse before they get better. But at least we don’t have to see a bunch of kids burn, thanks to Jinbei. And we just got our first set up for what is going to be one of the GOAT characters in One Piece.

Jinbei saves the day

Instead of talking about the episode in order, I’m going to focus on the second half first, and then go to the first half so I can talk about what’s happening there. The second half of the episode is focused on the threat of that massive fire that’s threatening to kill the Giant kids: it’s too big! The fire brigade has managed to make it to the flames, but it’s glaringly obvious that what they have isn’t going to be enough to stop the flames. And the tension as we see the kids inching towards the fire is sickening. Death by fire is said to be one of the most painful ways to die, and these are just kids! And that monster Sommers is watching the entire thing like he’s getting off from it! It’s horrifying!

But thankfully, Jinbei, our GOAT, comes in clutch to save the day.

This is why I consider Jinbei to be one of the strongest of the Straw Hats. I have lost count of how many times I’ve seen him save Luffy and the others over the years, and that includes emotionally! The man is just amazing!

Too bad that the arc dictates that things are only going to get worse from here. Gunko shows up.

https://twitter.com/NIKATHEFEAR/status/2091559317300519409?s=20

Never trust Luffy with Nursing duties. EVER!

But what I really want to talk about is the first half, as Luffy and the others are helping Loki heal up. Well, everyone else is. Luffy…just makes things worse.

Now, Hajrudin and his crew don’t like Loki, and the feeling is mutual, but despite his namesake, he wasn’t lying about Shanks. I think he really does have an idea where Luffy’s mentor and hero might be. Plus, he wouldn’t lie about something like that, for he knows what it’s like to have a pirate they look up to. The only difference is that Loki’s role model was a scumbag. Awesome, but still a scumbag.

THIS MAN IS A GOAT!

Rocks. D Xebec. In a series that is filled with GOATS, that man is a serious contender for the GOAT of GOATS. Manga readers already know this, but this long-dead pirate has become the subject of so many memes. Some people are even saying that he’s even greater than Gol D. Roger, the man who became the King of the Pirates. Now, we didn’t know it at the time of the manga, but this one scene was setting us up for one of the greatest flashbacks in the entire series. A flashback so great, we got a flashback in the flashback about Rocks specifically, all leading up to one of the most defining moments in the series’ lore: the God Valley Incident.

And get this: it’s going to be made into a movie.

Next year, when the anime comes back and we will presumably head into the flashback part of the arc, they are turning the big event, the God Valley Incident, into a movie! They reached something so amazing that Toei decided to do what Demon Slayer did for Infinity Castle. How epic is that?! Having read the manga myself, I can confidently say that this was the correct decision. It’s too big an event to be confined to the span of a few episodes!

I Give “Elbaph in Flames! Jinbe’s Shoulder Throw Explodes!” a 4/5

The Giants Rise Up! Save the Kids!

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

One Piece Episode 1174 Review

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

The MONSTERS ARE COMING!

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

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

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

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

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

NO ONE HURTS KIDS WHILE THE STRAW HATS ARE AROUND

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

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

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

That’s just cute.

I WANT SOMMERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA!

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

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

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

The Giant Captains and Gaban Move Out!

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

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

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

The God’s Knights are the WORST

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

One Piece Episode 1173 Review

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

THE GOD’S KNIGHTS ARE THE WORST!

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

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

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

I Told You Loki Was Bluffing!

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

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

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

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

How did Harald Really Die?

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

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

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

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

The God’s Knights are Here and They Suck!

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

One Piece Ep 1172 Review

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

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

The God’s Knights Strike

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

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

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

This is Just EVIL!

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

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

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

WHY ARE THEY SO EVIL!?!?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Loki is Out! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES?

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

One Piece Episode 1171 Review

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

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

Nothing to see here!

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

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

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

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

DANG IT, ROAD!

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

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

THANK YOU, ZORO!

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

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

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

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

Loki is Bluffing!

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

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

So, it’s about to begin.

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

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

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

One Piece Ep 1170 Review

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

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

This was a Good Training Session

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

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

EVIL! EVIL! EVILEVILEVILEVILEVIL!

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

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

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

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

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

The Legend of Love, Scopper Gaban!

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

One Piece Chapter 1169 Review

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

The Legend is Here!

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

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

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

Luffy Beating Loki=Being on Shanks’ Level?

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

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

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