And thus continues the big battle to end all big battles.
The first half of this episode sees the Worst Generation throwing everything they have at Big Mom to knock her off the side of Onigashima and into the sea, while also attempting to keep her various animated companions from saving her. It sounds silly when you say it out loud but that's really the entire approach – and it totally makes sense. Why fight two Emperors of the Sea when you could fight just one instead?
It's kind of funny to think about, but the weakness of the Devil Fruits is seldom a key aspect of the story. Sure, it's never forgotten about as far as plot or abilities go, but for a series that takes place almost entirely around water it's rare that characters sinking to their death comes up in combat. In fact, I think you could make an argument that in battles between extremely powerful Devil Fruit users it would be far more difficult to outright slay an opponent and far more efficient to just try and knock them off their ship and into the water Smash Brothers style.
Which… is what our plucky heroes are doing here: aiming for that big ring out. Sadly, it doesn't work and Big Mom is back on her way soon enough.
The second half of the episode focuses on Zoro trying to stop Kaido from giving Luffy the ol' coup de grace while he's laid out. This gives us a return of one of my favorite Zoro abilities, the Demon Asura strike. It's been, what, twenty years since we've seen it last and we still haven't gotten much in the way of an explanation for what it is. Shockingly for Zoro though, this single big attack does not instantly win him the fight. But, in true Wano fashion it does look extremely cool and sets up Luffy's triumphant rise again which is a good bonus if nothing else.
So yeah, more Wano means more gorgeous fights and it looks like that ain't ending anytime soon. See you next week for more.
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...