The one hurdle that I think Whole Cake Island is going to struggle with until the end is that it's really hard to nail that "Oh no! A Straw Hat might leave the crew!" trope that the series has done so well in the past. I'm reminded how badly I want to be on the edge of my seat as Luffy and Cracker fight, exchanging banter over whether Sanji would ever want to sail on a pirate ship again after being promised a life of luxury among royalty. Luffy argues against this, and I wish it could feel more cathartic as he does because come on, how could anybody ever feel the suspense at this point?
I say this because otherwise Luffy vs. Cracker is a great fight. Last week got us going, but this week we barrel forward into a well-directed episode full of animated character acting from both combatants and some fun twists to the battle. Luffy unleashes Fourth Gear for the first time since Dressrosa, and we all remember how much of a last ditch effort that was with its dramatic cool-down phase. Cracker is that level of an opponent, being one of an Emperor's top generals and all.
I also like the mild scenery change that we get as the fight takes them to the outskirts of the Seducing Woods, where they bump up against the wall of Whole Cake Chateau. There's a clearing with a little Hansel and Gretel house that they get to smash into as the fight goes through its ebb and flow, before Luffy smashes Cracker back into the woods with his new power-up. The best part, however, is when Luffy's attack seems to break Cracker in half, and we discover that the large-bearded man we've been fighting this whole time was just a suit of armor for the real Charlotte Cracker, who's got a much leaner (and in my opinion, cooler) design. Cracker's been so good at hiding his true persona that even the Navy's wanted poster of him only shows his armor, none the wiser.
Cracker has a "Biscuit" Devil Fruit that allows him to summon a seemingly infinite amount of carb-heavy materials and shape them however he wants. This means that the armor that Luffy had been struggling with so much can be one of many, piling on the excitement as we wonder how Luffy could possibly fight his way out of this. A shonen hero never giving up is a cliché, but I've always loved how much One Piece makes you feel it.
In general I would describe this as a very pretty episode. We cut back to Sanji and Reiju, and all that stuff looks great, but I did find myself chuckling at the on-the-nose visual metaphor that the anime included, where Sanji is admiring a butterfly that flutters away the second he's reminded of the bomb cuffs around his wrists. Nice try, guys. Very subtle.
My Hero Academia has really raised the bar for me when it comes to looking solid and on-model at its worst and mind-blowing at its best, so when a One Piece episode makes me say "I wish this is how all One Piece episodes looked!" I have to pause because even that height isn't quite up to snuff compared to other modern shows. It's still true though, and when we do occasionally get an episode of One Piece that has that extra bit of pulse, all is right with the world.
With seven full routes and one mini-route with a character from the previous game, if you enjoyed Cupid Paradise, Sweet & Spicy Darling is worth playing.― The first order of business is this: if you haven't played the original Cupid Parasite otome game, there isn't much point in picking up Sweet & Spicy Darling. There is one new route for this sequel, but even that relies on you knowing the backgrou...
With the release of Dead Dead Demon's Dededededestruction, Nick and Steve take a look at it and some other manga that were thought to be "unadaptable"—and see if that was truly the case.― With the release of Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction, Nick and Steve take a look at it and some other manga that were thought to be "unadaptable"—and see if that was truly the case. Disclaimer: The views and...
When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad.― When even the author says this story will hurt, you know it will be bad. That's assuming, of course, that you weren't prepared for it going in. The fate of Astrea Familia is well-known to readers and viewers (and players) of the various Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon iterations, and the most recent season of ...
The documentary was full of cool tidbits about the 82-year-old producer and the anime he's worked on—including Ninja Scroll, Pluto, and In This Corner of the World.― Late last month, Japanese television network NHK put out a documentary on anime producer Masao Maruyama as part of their Anime Manga Explosion series. In it, the show delves into the now 82-year-old producer's life, philosophies, and so...
Masaki Watanabe directs anime at TMS Entertainment― Shueisha announced on Monday in its first "Jump Press" video that Yuuto Suzuki's Sakamoto Days manga will get a television anime series in January 2025 starring Tomokazu Sugita as Taro Sakamoto. The video also revealed the main staff. Masaki Watanabe (KADO - The Right Answer, Bartender, several Battle Spirits anime) is directing the anime at TMS En...
This is where the series earns its place in anime history, setting a precedent that other magical girl shows will follow.― It's a moment of magical girl history, right there on the screen: in episode forty-six of Fairy Princess Minky Momo's original 1982-83 television series, Momo is hit by a truck and dies. Even putting aside the question of whether or not this is Truck-kun's first victim, this is ...
Teaser video streamed― Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on Saturday that the Ghost in the Shell franchise is getting a new television anime series in 2026. Science Saru will produce the anime, which is tentatively titled Kōkaku Kidōtai (The Ghost in the Shell). Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, Science Saru, and Production I.G are on the production committee for the series. Bandai Namco Filmworks al...
This is a movie I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is.― Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Part 2 is a film I never want to watch again. However, this is not because it's bad. Rather, it's a testament to just how incredible this film is. The film is full of well-developed and memorable characters—especiall...
Company acquires studio behind Lu over the wall, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim anime, Tatami Time Machine Blues― The entertainment company Toho announced on Thursday that its board of directors has decided to acquire all shares of the anime studio Science Saru, effective on June 19. Toho will then make Science Saru its consolidated subsidiary from the second quarter (June-August) of the fiscal year ending i...