One Piece episode 1041 continues the trend we have seen across the past few weeks. That being: the fighting on Onigashima continues, and your enjoyment of the episode depends on how invested you are in the fights on screen during any given week.
This week everything came up Milhouse, because I was invested in these particular fights.
The Yamato versus Kaido fight is the most emotionally resonant of the two we get this week. It's a testament to Oda's skill at writing new characters that Yamato stands out as one of the best characters in Wano – and Yamato really only showed up partway into the Onigashima fight. That's a rather short duration for making such a big impact, but I think it's safe to say that Yamato is a fan-favorite character community-wide. This battle feels titanic, but not in the same way that Luffy's battle with Kaido has been up until this point. Luffy's fight is one of achieving greatness and justice, but it's a path we've been treading for literal decades at this point; it's important, but well-worn. Yamato's fight with Kaido is much more visceral and emotionally raw, the stakes vastly more immediate. The powers and blow-by-blow don't hit anywhere near as hard as the struggle between parent and child, nature and nurture – the most primal of conflicts.
The other big battle is Franky versus Sasaki, which I also enjoyed but on an entirely different spectrum. The sheer absurdity of a soda-powered cyborg in a giant robot fighting an evil triceratops that can fly around like a helicopter… it's pure Looney Tunes, and I adore it. There are missiles and slashing and mechanically-infused bladed weaponry, but the outrageous spectacle never relents.
Sometimes One Piece is the eternal drive of a child to break free from the bonds of their parent's limited worldview. Sometimes One Piece is smashing toy robots into toy dinosaurs and going POW KERPOW BOOM. Both are amazing.
Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it.― Lucas and Steve catch up on the Hunter × Hunter manga in time for the long-awaited new chapter and gush about why, even with years between releases, Hunter × Hunter is worth it. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed...
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...