Episode 1098 of One Piece brings more exposition and the return of old villains.
I wish I could say I was gripped by this episode. Sadly, the exposition didn't do a lot for me this go around as I felt that dispute adding in new details I wasn't as fully engrossed as I could have been. The revelations about the revolutionary army were so-so, and the minor insights into Vegapunk's perspective on the events did little to add to my understanding of the world or characters. I got the feeling that Dr. Vegapunk was spending a bit of World Government money on the side to build up his Mall-of-Tomorrow island, and getting that confirmed is neat but not so fascinating I felt compelled by it.
The biggest revelations in this episode were Lucci and the robot. The giant robot being an ancient machine is cool, and I'd like to know more. The trope of ancient, inscrutable technology from a bygone era is well-worn and I tend to enjoy it every time regardless. The robot's design is cool, being a giant mechano-knight, and it inspired Luffy to want to be a super-robot hero and that cutaway was delightful. Rob Lucci and the Cipher Pol gang return as well, and with new digs to boot. The masks are a great touch and add back some of the mystery that Lucci gave up when he started talking. It's a little hard to fear them, given that the Straw Hats have beaten them once before and the Cipher Pol organization hung around the fringes of Wano. But I'm sure we'll see epic things from them to come.
We did get one terrific character moment though, and it was from Sanji of all people. It was sweet when Sanji heard Lucci was coming, he immediately sought to comfort Robin and swore to protect her at all costs. It is definitely the better aspect of his chivalrous nature.
Rating:
"What other five-star anime are you watching? Vote on the latest episodes here: Your Score"
The benefit of being committed to such a simple setup is that the story knows exactly what it needs to do to invoke the maximum emotional response for this type of story.― I Want You To Make Me Beautiful is a simple story that does everything it sets out to do. At its heart, it's a straightforward story about moving on from the pain of a bad breakup and reinventing yourself into something better. Th...
Laid-Back Camp narrowly claims the top spot this week, but Delicious in Dungeon is having none of that and bumps it down in the cumulative. Find out where your favorites rank this week!― 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 ...
Goodbye, Lara follows reborn mermaid, Ninja Skooler features ninja school― Kinema Citrus announced at its panel during this year's Anime Central event on Saturday that it is producing two new anime titled Goodbye, Lara (Sayonara Lara) and Ninja Skooler. Takushi Koide is directing the Goodbye, Lara anime with character designs by Shiori Tani. The anime is based on a concept by Kinema Citrus, and it t...
2019-20 anime was itself a follow-up to first 2013-16 Ace of Diamond anime― Production on a sequel to the 2019-2020 television anime of Yūji Terajima's Ace of Diamond Act II (Daiya no A Act II) manga has been green-lit. Terajima drew an illustration to commemorate the news: Terajima's original Ace of Diamond baseball manga inspired a television anime that premiered in 2013, and Crunchyroll streamed ...
Honestly, you're getting a solid collection of character art with some disposable comic stories where you might get to enjoy some out-of-context obscure CAPCOM cameos.― As a lifelong fan of Street Fighter, it's easy to get excited about the potential of seeing my favorite fighters doing stuff in different mediums. The flip side is that Udon Entertainment's hold on the comic treatment of the characte...
The cast of the Demon Slayer stage play gave a memorable performance during the Japan Day Parade.― The Demon Slayer franchise continues to prove itself as an absolute powerhouse for fans worldwide. The hit manga by Koyoharu Gotouge has been adapted into multiple mediums, including anime, light novels, video games, and a stage play that has been running since 2020. Cast members of the stage play app...
One Piece season 2 listed for Netflix in "2025 and Beyond"― The licensing news service License Global posted an interview with Netflix vice president Josh Simon on May 1, and included in the interview is a listing of a "Sakamoto Days" project among "Netflix Upcoming Releases" in 2024. The listing does not specify if the project is animated or live-action, nor does it specify a connection, if any, to...
Pokémon Horizons continues to display some of the best the franchise offers with great character work, creative setpieces, surprisingly strong direction, and a focus on a plot that continues to feel engaging.― Pokémon Horizons felt like a breath of fresh air as a new mainline Pokémon series. With a more timid and empathic main character and a stronger emphasis on the adventuring aspect of being a Po...
Sony and Square-Enix are both reorganizing, from new CEOs to staff cutbacks. Also, sad news about Penny Blood, more Cotton, and the latest video game news!― Welcome back, folks! You know, it's always nice to discover old stuff from a franchise you love that you didn't know existed. For example, I didn't know that the old Captain N: The Game Master cartoon had an episode that featured the world of Dr...
Ahead of the romance anime's second season, director Takehiro Kubota discusses the choices, the challenges, and balancing the story between the everyday and the supernatural.― My Happy Marriage began its life as a series of novels written by Akumi Agitogi, and it has since been adapted both as manga and, as of July 2023, an anime series simulcast by Netflix. Agitogi's tale, set in a nebulous time t...
Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf.― Steve and Chris compare some of the highs and lows of an anime studio change-up, from Attack on Titan and One-Punch Man to Spice and Wolf. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.S...
You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable.― You've probably read some version of this story before, but I doubt that you've ever seen it be this adorable. You and I Are Polar Opposites is based on the tried-and-true formula of a thousand romantic comedies: Suzuki is a popular girl, and Tani is the class nerd. She's bright and perky,...