One Piece episode 1053 is one of the more classic-feeling episodes of the Wano arc. It has a great mix of comedy, action, character variety, and Nico Robin appreciation. All it takes to win me over is the latter, though of course all the other stuff is nice too.
Unsurprisingly, the fight between Queen and Sanji is the big draw for this week's episode. Sanji always gets a lot of love from the Toei crew when it's his turn to step up to the plate and this week was no different. The mid-air multi-jumps, the flaming kicks, the smoldering looks – it's all done up in the best way and makes Sanji out to be the most unstoppable dynamite kicker this side of Kamen Rider.
Queen is similarly treated well this week. Not only does his absurd dinosaur body look terrific whether it's dealing or taking damage, it also makes for some solid comedy. Queen shooting his head out of his body and claiming it as an ancient dinosaur power remains one of my favorite moments in all of Wano, with hilarious deliveries and reactions from nearby onlookers. I particularly liked the manga-like freeze frame with all its resplendent colors and cartoonish popping eyeballs. I love when One Piece is an epic struggle between titanic forces in a world of salt and sin… but I also like when it's a honk honk silly cartoon.
The reveal that Sanji's body is not entirely “normal” is perhaps the best thing to happen for his characterization in a long time. I am somewhat mixed on the burden of his family being supervillains: I don't think it hits quite hard enough for me. Judge is so monstrous that it makes Sanji's backstory sympathetic of course, don't get me wrong. I think this is when it really hits just how evil all that is though, since Sanji suffered so much abuse for not being a perfect specimen like his siblings, only to find out he's something of a late bloomer. Now the tragedy hits home and it humanizes Sanji that much more.
Of course there's also Nico Robin seeming like the most important person in the entire series and smiling a ton, so for that alone it's a top-tier week. Great stuff, more please.
Series previously inspired 52-episode anime in 1993― This year's 24th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine revealed on Wednesday that Gosho Aoyama's Yaiba manga will be getting a new anime adaptation. Aoyama is supervising. The series follows the titular Yaiba Kurogane, a young samurai boy inspired by Miyamoto Musashi, the real-life swordsman who pioneered the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū sty...
Based on the novel by former Nogizaka46 member Kazumi Takayama, trapezium asks its audience to follow one girl who will use anything, and anyone, to achieve her dream.― Trapezium is a strange movie, to say the least. On the surface, it's a rather simple movie that explores youth, their dreams, and the lengths they'll go to achieve those dreams. It's a coming-of-age story wrapped in the veneer of the...
ZeroReq011 remembers what made Spice and Wolf a story for the ages, from its fully realized world and economics to Holo and Lawrence's romantic chemistry.― Back when Funimation was still its own company and not owned by Sony, long before its in-house streaming service was terminated in favor of Crunchyroll's streaming platform, it owned a TV channel. Legal streaming had yet to dominate the Western a...
Anime will star Hiroshi Kamiya, Kotaro Nishiyama, Kotaro Nishiyama― Distribution company Remow announced on Tuesday that Yura Urushibara's Tougen Anki: Dark Demon of Paradise manga will get a television anime in 2025. The company revealed the trailer, key visual, and main cast for the anime. The anime's cast includes:
Kazuki Ura as Shiki Ichinose, the protagonist who inherits the blood of an Oni. Sh...
Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations, from the Yuri on Ice movie to the second half of Stars Align.― Nick and Chris recount some of the most frustrating anime cancellations from the second half of Stars Align to the 2007 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views...
Welcome to the rankings for the Spring 2024 season! The perfect place to check out which hidden gems might have flown under your radar.― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated ...
The final Spring 2024 Manga Guide update includes not-yet-released series from this month, including Sword Art Online Re:Aincrad,Bungo Stray Dogs: The Official Comic Anthology, A Sign of Affection and more.― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2024 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it a...
Producer Masakazu Kubo shares the animation team's dedication to realism, including bringing in a pro golfer to produce the anime's sound effects.― 64-year-old Masakazu Kubo has been planning and producing anime for decades. He's had a major hand in everything from Pokémon and Detective Conan to Teasing Master Takagi-san and Dorohedoro. Recently, he sat down with us to talk about Tonbo!, his attemp...