#Filler episode where they run into the Straw Hats on some island | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ponreviews · 2 years

Text

One Piece: Post Alabasta - Pure Shenanigans

Category: Shounen, Adventure

Overall Rating: 7/10

Synopsis:

After parting with Vivi in Alabasta, the crew take off to traverse more of the vast Grand Line!! They stop over at a few different islands and this filler arc follows each of the Straw Hats as they go on little mini adventures before their next big stop.

[SPOILERS AHEAD THRU EP. 135]

Review:

This arc is a nice little break after defeating Crocodile in Alabasta. They got a little stowaway/new member Nico Robin. Of course, not everyone is fond of the idea of having Crocodile's right-hand woman on board the Going Merry, let alone be part of the crew. Chopper was especially hesitant since Crocodile's control over Alabasta had some similarity to Wapol's reign over Drum Kingdom.

The first episode follows Chopper since he stayed behind to watch the Going Merry while the rest of the crew look for some food. Little did he know that Robin also stayed behind to read a book. This allowed the two characters some alone time and Chopper to start opening up to her about Kureha. It's a nice bit since after this episode, you see that Robin and Chopper become really close.

The following episode has a particular focus on Nami. A suspicious salesman shows up on the Going Merry after Luffy fishes him from the sea with wares he tries to sell to the Straw Hats. None of them seemed to be interested in what he wants to sell, but Nami notices something in his pile of junk, quality paper. The Straw Hats are confused as to why she was so keen on the paper. She wouldn't say what she was working on and still kept her boundaries up with the crew. When Luffy ruins her map, she explodes and threatens to fine anyone who tries to disturb her as she remakes the map. This threat pretty much scares the crew so much that they don't try getting her until a waterspout heading their way gets really close. This part of the story may not have a huge impact considering its a filler but it does give us a little more insight on what goes on in Nami's mind. This may have been the true start of her knocking down the walls she built up. Of course, that actually started in Arlong Park, but it just goes to show that it takes a while for her to open up.

Then, we got Sanji. The Straw Hats get surrounded by the Marines in some fog, where they run into trainee Marine chef, Tajio. We get to see Sanji in a teacher role in this episode. Tajio struggles to remember how to make curry like the Chef wanted. Sanji decided to help him with the recipe all while being chased by Marine soldiers. It's not much, but we do see a bit of Zeff's influence on Sanji here. The style of teaching is similar when it comes to cooking. They both want their student to get it on their own, so they let their pupil take the reigns and only give the subtlest of hints. Considering it's filler (and this applies to all the Straw Hats as well), it's a nice way to show his interests and quirks.

After that, we get more insight on Usopp. The Straw Hats dock on an island right on time for a local fireworks festival. Usopp is fascinated by the fireworks made by one family that the townspeople were talking about. He meets Kodama who is a young fireworks maker on the island. She's determined to create an improved version of a massive fireworks display her parents made. Unfortunately, the original display went awry and resulted in the pair's death. I thought it was a nice way to show Usopp as someone who wants to improve his craft much like Kodama wants to improve hers.

From there we get a little more background on Zoro. We go back into his bounty hunting days and how he met Johnny and Yosaku. Even back then his dream is to beat Mihawk and become the greatest swordsman in the world. For the most part, this episode just provides more context in Zoro's relationship with Johnny and Yosaku. Besides that, we pretty much know everything there is to know about Zoro so far. I love Zoro, but out of the episodes in this arc, I think I was falling asleep the most here. "But Pon! Chopper's episode was him just him talking about Kureha with Robin! At least Zoro had a battle here!" Yeah, well, I am biased towards Chopper. Chopper's filler episode arguably had the most relevance to the plot because of his developing friendship with Robin. This episode with Zoro is just yes we know you want to be the best swordsman because of your dead friend. Call me insensitive, but every bit of information about Zoro was already established in the East Blue Saga. As a result, his episode was not as insightful or entertaining as the others. Additionally, it's a flashback rather than present day. We get flashbacks within flashbacks.

Of course, we wouldn't need to focus on Luffy or Robin in this arc. Luffy's story has to be explored in canon. Robin, on the otherhand, is too new to have any kind of background other than being Crocodile's right hand woman and now the Straw Hats' stowaway. At this point, only Luffy trusts Robin. Sanji is an exception because he's a simp. Everyone else is wary of her presence, and understandably so.

While we don't get much from this filler arc, we at least get some focus on the Straw Hats individually. And although we don't get focus on Robin, we see a more gradual acceptance of her being in the crew. On its own, this filler arc is just a bunch of one-shots following Luffy's pirate crew. It's not a bad way to describe the stories here. It's not the most exciting, but that's kind of the point. It's a cool down period after defeating a WARLORD in Alabasta. At least here, unlike Boruto's odd timeline, there's a clean transition between canon and filler. I'm still not expecting much when it comes to these fillers, but this one at least gives me hope for cohesiveness.

#ponreviews anime #one piece #post alabasta #spoilers

2 notes · View notes

recentanimenews · 3 years

Text

FEATURE: The Unimaginable Terror Of Running Out Of One Piece Episodes

I thought it couldn’t happen. Or at the very least, it could never happen to me! It can take me actual years to finish just one seasonal show, never mind one that’s been airing for decades. I thought I’d be riding this train for years to come, chugging along at a perfectly sustainable pace, perpetually comforted by the vastness of the path before me. I thought this would be a relationship to nurture slowly, and that even if I was reckless in my watch speed, the mountain before me could bear the strain.

But it’s happening.

I can’t deny it any longer.

I’m running out of One Piece.

This realization cropped up on me slowly. When there’s another One Piece arc ahead of you, particularly in the show’s latter half, it still feels like the finish line is many miles away. Sure, I might have reached the time skip, but there are still so many arcs ahead of us! Sure, I might have watched through Dressrosa, but there’s what, three more arcs still to go? Sure, I might be done with Whole Cake Island, but Wano is …

Incomplete. Ongoing. And vanishing fast.

I have resorted to strict rationing in order to maintain my air supply. Where once I might have gleefully watched through a dozen episodes in a day, I now restrain myself to just one or two, and even those I watch in installments, not bursts. Where is the man who once cavalierly suggested One Piece was a fine second-screen watch, or that it made perfect sense to skip ahead if you felt like it? Such thoughts are the privileged purview of those who do not know what mortality is. Those who have not seen the episode count dwindling, and known the face of true fear.

What once I discarded as narrative-adjacent filler, I now cup in my hands like the manna of life itself. Each skipped episode captures a moment in time, a brief capsule of contentment with the Straw Hat crew. I watch these filler episodes gladly, reveling in the familiar bonds of this beloved crew, and gather about me all the films and specials that might prolong my adventure. These baubles please and comfort me, but they cannot mitigate the pain of my greater discontentment, nor rival the towering narrative peaks of the story proper. Arcs like Water 7 or Dressrosa are singular feats of story-crafting scale; I can cling to One Piece’s scraps, but I’m only fooling myself if I consider this a full One Piece diet.

It works. It’s working. I hope it’s working? I’ve already stretched Wano out over a month or more, and am comforted by the fact that I can still say I have “dozens of episodes left” with a straight face. Dozens is an imposing number! Most shows do not last for dozens of episodes. If it were anything but One Piece, the remaining stretch would feel imposing, not paltry, and I try to cling to that frame of mind. Where was the anime viewer who took three years to watch Crest of the Stars, or lacked the stamina for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood? I try to trick myself into being worse at watching ... and I think I’m getting pretty good at it.

But it’s still not the same. One Piece on a drip-feed is not One Piece by the armful, One Piece consumed with the same wild abandon that Luffy brings to the dinner table. I want to gorge myself on adventure, to chew on character arcs and nibble on slow-burning themes, secure in the knowledge that there’s plenty of food still left in the kitchen. I want to lay waste to a feast of fantasy, delighting in the flavors of some rich, distinctive island, even as my greedy eyes wander toward the succulent islands waiting in the distance. I want to watch One Piece until I am a round, contented ball of One Piece, burping happily and then rolling over for a nap.

But I can’t. I cannot treat Wano like one more treasured yet inexhaustible buffet and I cannot escape the knowledge that when these episodes are through, I will have to come to terms with 20-minute One Piece injections on a weekly basis. What even happens in a single episode of One Piece? I’ve been watching so many episodes for so long I’m not even sure how scale or pacing work anymore. Who reads one page of War and Peace every seven days?

Still, I will do it. I will learn moderation and humility. And when the last stores of One Piece have finally been consumed, I will accept weekly episodes with whatever grace I can muster. All I can do now is warn you, and any others who are staring down the One Piece challenge: beware. One Piece felt infinite until it suddenly wasn’t, and now my every waking moment is shrouded by the knowledge of its end. Treasure the anime you love, folks. Every great story ends before you’re ready for it.

How have you all handled the impossible horror of running out of One Piece? Let us know in the comments!

Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Nick Creamer

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

1 note · View note

remotecontrolchuck · 7 years

Text

Last minute Toonami Night Review: Explosive End to February, and the March of Beginnings.

Well last week was the last run of Toonami in February 2017, and did it end on an excellent note. As the month ended, so too did one of the big story arcs in One Piece, Thriller Bark. A story arc full of plot, character development, feels, and ominous foreshadowing.

Indeed, I have a feeling what the Straw Hat crew experienced on Thriller Bark is only a taste of what’s to come. But with the defeat of Moriah, the return of their shadows, and Brook joining their crew, they leave the ship/island full of high hopes on the road ahead. While Thriller Bark ends with last month, a few great events will begin this month.

In March, the World Tournament finally commences on DBZ Kai, with some awesome and maybe funny fights to be sure. In One Piece, the next filler arc will begin, called Spa Island. And while I won’t get into spoilers, I will say that this arc will be short but quite enjoyable. And lastly, but most importantly, this month begins the last season of Samurai Jack! Can’t wait, it’s gonna be great!

As for the other things that happened last week, we had some game promo for Horizon Dawn by TOM and SARA, as well as another great trippy music video per usual. But another thing that could be said about last week is the amount of explosions in last night’s shows, which I will go through now in the recap!

Dragon Ball Super: After a Super Saiyan Vegeta fails to defeat Beerus, the god of destruction decides to settle the fate of Earth through a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, and chooses Oolong to be his challenger. At first the pig man manages to tie against the deity twice in a row, but ultimately screws up in the end by going with scissors again, which is defeated by Beerus’s rock.

With Oolong dropping the ball and dooming humanity, Beerus prepares a massive ball of energy to blow the planet to smithereens. But before he can, Goku suddenly shows up to stop him. Asking for more time to find a Super Saiyan God with a Super Saiyan Please, Beerus eventually agrees to Goku’s request.

Now given a little more time to spare, Goku and the Z-Warriors decide to use the Dragon Balls to summon Shenron, in hopes that he will summon the Super Saiyan God before Lord Beerus. Unfortunately if the promos for the next episode is any indication, apparently Shenron is just as terrified of Beerus. So to quote Piccolo here, we’re screwed.

DBZ Kai: With Goku reunited with the gang, the tournament is about to commence! However, before it can begin all participants must qualify by hitting the punch machine to show their strength level. The Z-Warriors effortlessly punch machine to qualify, enough to surpass Mr. Satan’s score. Unfortunately, Vegeta isn’t one for hiding his true strength, and thus blows up the punch machine with... well... one punch.

So while the other participants have to wait until a new punch machine is brought in, Goku and the gang go off to watch Goten and Trunks fight in the Junior Tournament. But before even that starts, the crowd is treated to a ridiculous reenactment film about Mr. Satan defeating Cell at his... well... Cell games. A film so terrible and poorly made that even Mr. Satan think its embarrassing.

Anyway, in the locker room, A blonde bully with a horrible mullet tries to intimidate Goten and Trunks, only to be humiliated by them.

JJBA: As JoJo heads off to find Lisa Lisa, Erisidisi’s brain jumps off of him, and onto Lisa’s servant named Suzi Q. Possessing her, Erisidisi manages to get the Red Stone of Aja and have it transported off the island, where it is soon shipped by train to Switzerland.

After sending the stone off, he then makes it into Lisa’s bathroom chamber, and was about to attack while she was having a bath when JoJo breaks in to stop him. Caesar soon arrives as well, and the two soon confront Pillar Man, while also trying to come with a way to free Suzi Q.

Eventually JoJo and Caesar free Suzi Q by using a powerful blast of positive and negative Hamon, which vaporizes most of Erisidisi before the sun takes care of the rest. With Suzi Q fine and able to remember where the stone was headed, JoJo and the gang take off to catch it.

After a long car ride, they finally make it, but soon find that the Germans have gotten their hands on it. But their commander seems to know JoJo, and tells him to meet him at a cabin up ahead. That evening Kars attacks and kills the officer’s soldiers, except the officer himself as he couldn’t sense him. It’s then revealed that the officer is Major Von Stroheim, having somehow survived and become a cyborg.

Gundam Unicorn: After returning to the Nahel Argama, Banagher wakes up to Mihiro arguing with the ships doctor, telling to put Merida into a straitjacket due to being a cyber newtype. The boy tries to speak up for Merida, saying that she is a POW and should treated fairly, but Mihiro wouldn’t listen. The communications officer believed Merida to be more of a terrorist than that of an enemy officer, and was still sore about how the latter had killed 7 of her fellow soldiers earlier.

After Mihiro leaves, Banagher has a brief chat with the doctor about the philosophy of newtypes, and then checks on Merida. The two newtypes discuss about their battle earlier, as well as the effects of the Unicorn’s NT-D. After Merida tells Banagher to be strong and not to lose himself by the device before then convulsing, causing the doctor to restrain her and keep her stable.

Banagher leaves the room and soon catches up with his friends. Meanwhile, Riddhe and Mineva arrive on Earth, Full Frontal continues plotting, and Alberto has to deal with a bitch of aunt named Martha Vist Carbine, who has plans of her own to acquire Laplace’s Box. Back on the Argama, Banagher and Daguza have another conversation about responsibility as the ship arrives at the remains of the Laplace space station. Later on, Banagher takes off in the Gundam again, unaware that the Sleeves are nearby and ready to ambush him.

Hunter X Hunter: Kurapika and the other hunters make it out of the mansion alive after having taken care of the two moles in their group, and head off to complete their assignments. Meanwhile, Gon and Killua receive the URL they need for the hunter-only website from Milluki’s eagle, which was just in time as they are about to arrive in Yorknew City.

Naruto Shippuden: After a brief skirmish between Team 7 and the ANBU from the Hidden Mist Village, the captains of both teams to a stop to it and begin resolving the matter. The two soon make a deal regarding Utakata, and Tsurugi leaves with his ANBU team after talking to Utakata. As Team 7 heads back to the mountain fortress, Naruto and Hotaru are talking when suddenly the latter collapses.

Realizing she’s hurt, Naruto takes off to get medicinal herbs, while Utakata attends to Hotaru’s wounds. After getting the herbs, Naruto returns but is shocked by the kunoichi’s bare back, specifically the scarred seal on it. Utakata reveals that it is the Tsuchigumo clan’s forbidden jutsu, and begins raging about those who would use others as vessels or tools without any regard for their welfare.

One Piece: Brooks joins the Straw Hats, a grave is made for the Rumbar Pirates, and Nami gets a special paper that will help guide them to their next destination. We are also given an ominous foreshadow in regards to Ace’s fate, but Luffy believes Ace will be just fine on his own. The Straw Hats soon take off and leave the Floridian Triangle, which may or may not be still haunted.

GitS: SAC: Togusa investigates the murder of a fellow colleague, and uncovers evidence of illegal surveillance done by the police on those investigating the Laughing Man Case via interceptors. Later on, the Police Commissioner holds a press conference to discuss the scandal, but it’s soon crashed when the Laughing Man hacks into one of his colleague’s cyberbrain. Disgusted by the Police trying to cover up the truth, the Laughing Man vows to challenge them again, and delivers a death threat to the comissioner before leaving.

That’s it for last weeks recap, and just in time too for tonight’s Toonami run. This is going to be good!

#toonami #dragon ball super #DBZ Kai #jojo's bizarre adventure #gundam unicorn #hunter x hunter #Naruto Shippuden #one piece #ghost in the shell: stand alone complex

2 notes · View notes

terryblount · 5 years

Text

One Piece: World Seeker – Review

When I first heard of One Piece: World Seeker, I remember thinking it was about time they brought one of Shonen Jump’s most widely-beloved exports to gaming. Unbeknownst to me, the now eight hundred and seventy-three episode anime has actually ventured into our industry numerous times over the last nineteen years. Some quick research revealed that One Piece has inspired several beat ‘em ups, fighting games, turn-based JRPG’s, action-adventure games, and even a baseball game.

Now the series has finally sailed the treacherous waters of the open world, sandbox genre. Veteran One Piece developers, Ganbarion, have yet again given players the chance to don the straw hat of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, but this time with unparalleled freedom to explore, find collectables, and pummel hoards of marines with his iconic, elastic fisticuffs. Thanks to the power of modern platforms, and not least of all the might of the Unreal Engine 4, gamers have the chance to immerse themselves into Luffy’s adventures like never before.

Monkey D. Luffy, one of the most famous faces in anime.

So close, and yet so far. While there are merits to the idea of building a One Piece game out of a sandbox formula, I don’t think One Piece: World Seeker represents the ideal solution. The combat mechanics were relatively enjoyable, and it is obvious that the developers have put some serious elbow grease into the game’s visual representation. Nevertheless, the repetitive nature of side quests and the underwhelming attempt at world building simply did not take advantage of the rich and varied source material that is its namesake. This is simply not the game it should have been.

Watashi wa Luffy!

For the unfamiliar, One Piece is a long-running manga and anime series based around the escapades of Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate who seeks to obtain the eponymous ‘One Piece’ treasure. Whoever holds this legendary booty will be proclaimed as king of all the pirates, so the series is sort of like Treasure Island, but stretched to an encyclopedic length with the distinctive quirkiness and fanfare that only an anime can pull off.

Yet, Luffy’s whimsical straw hat and flip flops belie his true abilities because he accidentally ate the ‘Gum Gum’ devil fruit as a boy. The fruit made him stronger, highly resistant to enemy attacks, and enables him to stretch his body into extraordinary shapes much like Mrs Incredible or Mister Fantastic. With the power of his rubbery physique, Luffy sets sail on an epic treasure hunt across endless seas where he encounters new friends, gains crewmates, and confronts formidable enemies.

Eight hundred plus episodes later, and we have One Piece: World Seeker opening with our man being detained in a sky prison floating above a union of islands named ‘Prison Island.’ It seems Luffy allowed himself to be incarcerated as a distraction while the Straw Hats crew break into a vault somewhere below. Unfortunately, the plan turned out to be a trap, resulting in Luffy bailing the flying fortress to escape the clutches of Isaac, the tyrannical warden of the whole region.

Isaac, the warden of prison island.

Once our hero crash lands on Prison Island, he befriends a new character called Jeanne, who eventually explains that the island’s populace has been split between Pro- and Anti-Navy factions in the aftermath of a protracted war. The Pro-Navy inhabitants live a life of comfort afforded by Isaac and the Navy as their new governors, while their counterparts struggle under their draconian regime.

Never one to turn a blind eye towards the troubles of the little people, our hero agrees to help Jeanne and the Anti-Navy resistance to rebel against their oppressors. As such, the player will take part in various missions such as reuniting Luffy with his crew, getting to know the colourful inhabitants of Prison Island, and steadily crippling Warden Isaac’s (literal) iron fists over the islands. Of course, you also get to beat up lots and lots of bad guys and bosses.

Missing the treasure in plain sight

One Piece: World Seeker’s setting is one of the most obvious links to its anime and manga roots. The narrative brings out the tried and trusted theme of Luffy stumbling upon a new island with a dilemma, and then going on a spontaneous adventure to assist the inhabitants with their struggles. It is the old, ‘good taking a stand against evil’ trope that has sustained the One Piece universe since its origins.

Moreover, fans should be pleased with how the writers have transitioned the characters and some cameos into the game from the One Piece chronology. Everything from their dialogue, to the depiction of the main villain feels like an authentic production from the central story line of One Piece. Considering that Eiichiro Oda, creator of the series, was involved, it is no wonder the game convinced me that I was playing through an actual episode of the anime during its best moments.

Nami, the resident thief of the straw hats. I cannot stop staring at her big… belt! Is she promoting Bitcoin!?

Unfortunately, it is also here where I began to notice how the gameplay of World Seeker ends up linking to the story in a rather shoehorned manner. After the tantalising opening cinematic of the narrative, most players would probably assume that Luffy will become the centre of a complex operation to overthrow Isaac. Instead, the game just falls into the same loop where he must travel to a certain location, and beat the crap of everyone he finds there.

Generally it boils down to you are at A, bad man at B. Go from A to B and remove bad man’s front teeth. World Seeker does try to mix things up with a few sections where you must infiltrate strongholds without being detected. As is usually the case with sandbox games that include ham-fisted stealth sections, they just feel like tacked on filler meant to lengthen your play time. It doesn’t take long for the gameplay to deteriorate from fun, to repetitive, to monotonous.

Gum Gum BAA-ZOO-KAAAA!

Luffy has a basic, three-hit combo that he can unleash upon thugs and navy soldiers, as well as his famous Gum Gum pistol serving as a ranged attack. There is also the option to sneak up on enemies either from behind or inside a barrel Metal Gear Solid style, which then creates the opportunity to perform stealth takedowns. It was rarely necessary to be stealthy though, since the bad guys are not only easy to kill, but sneaking around as Luffy just feels like a disservice to his character.

I must admit that the combat is very well animated, and fighting does a superb job at making you feel powerful. The camera also has the delightful habit of shifting to slow motion when you deliver the KO blow to the last man standing much like Batman and the Arkham games. Seeing the poor sod being launched slowly off a high building after receiving Luffy’s catapult fists was very entertaining… for the first fifty times I pulled it off at least.

Adding some variety is also the ability to switch between the blue and red ‘stances’ of combat on the fly. The red mode is essentially reserved for Luffy’s heavier, more focused attacks along with the ability to guard. Blue mode is faster and deals less damage, but the broad sweep of the attacks makes it appealing for confronting whole groups at a time. The dodge mechanic is also useful in this stance since you can zip out of the enemy’s reach if you need to.

While One Piece: World Seeker’s traversal fails to achieve the fluidity of recent super hero games, I thought that the mechanics of swinging and propelling my way through the game’s surprisingly big open world was implemented nicely. Like the combat, you really feel the forces at work in Luffy’s special ability, and it became a particularly exciting system once there were some high trees and buildings around me. I even managed to gain a bit of fun out of collecting the overabundance of pointless loot scattered throughout the world.

To my dismay, the majority of the side quests have actually been built around this idea of collecting random loot items for citizens of Prison Island. I was horrified to catch myself looking for small flowers at the request of a random man standing near a wooden shed, or finding pieces of copper for a random little kid. Why must I do favours for bland-faced NPC’s who the game does not even bother to introduce to me? This sort of meaningless filler has no place in a One Piece game; I’d rather go looking for Riddler trophies.

At least the game is generous in dishing out experience points from these meaningless exploits. You can use said points to purchase new blue or red fighting moves, or you can spend them on Luffy’s traversal abilities and health points. However, let us not forget that One Piece has had an entire manga and anime saga to build up Luffy’s resume of moves. Does it really make sense hiding them behind experience points which can only be gained by grinding away at meaningless loot quests? No, it doesn’t.

It feels Unreal how much I love this game engine

Sorry about that atrocious pun, but sweet mother of monkey milk this game is pretty. I am not sure why many studios from the Land of the Rising Sun have made the Unreal Engine 4 their engine of choice lately, but World Seeker is yet another example of what a brilliant move this was. Just like the anime, this game is so colourful and vivid that I bet it would cure a defective monitor from stuck pixels.

This game can be seriously beautiful at times.

I cannot deny that the environments were eerily empty at times, nor can I look past at the lack of variety in enemies. However, the character animations, the sheer scale of some buildings, the beautiful landscapes and the particle effects really captivated me on a visual level. Honestly, if Toei Animation did an entire episode in these graphics I would be happy, and I cannot imagine better aesthetics for a One Piece video game.

If only for more time

What struck me from the moment I launched One Piece: World Seeker is that this game feels unfinished. There is nothing overtly broken in its mechanics, and certain elements of the gameplay are undeniably polished. Yet, the lack of voiced cut scenes, the general empty feeling of the world, the repetitive nature of the side missions, and using the same models for most of the enemies are all the tell-tale signs of a studio being pushed for time.

In fact, the stark contrast between the excellent visuals and the bland mission design makes me suspect Ganbarion had plans to make World Seeker more like a JRPG. In any case, it is clear that their plans never came to fruition and they settled on making a more fast-paced, open world game from what they had already finished.

If you are looking to play a good One Piece game, I suggest you look at any of the Pirate Warrior instalments, because World Seeker just feels like too much of a mixed bag. This is not the kind of game we want from this beloved series at this point in time, and playing it makes it clear that the developers share our sentiments. If, one the other hand, you don’t own a PS3, wait for a sale. There is still fun to be had with this game, even if it is very short lived.

Beautiful cut scenes

Graphics and sound design

Story fits the universe

Sterile world design

Very bland side quests

Too many collectables

Insipid mission design

Upgrades locked behind XP

Playtime: 22 hours total. For the single player campaign and light grinding

Computer Specs: Windows 10 64-bit computer using Nvidia GTX 1070, i5 4690K CPU, 16GB RAM – Played using an Xbox One Controller

One Piece: World Seeker – Review published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

0 notes

recentanimenews · 5 years

Text

A Two Minute Guide To Starting One Piece

Every One Piece fan hopes that, eventually, everyone in the world will be into One Piece. Then, we can have the blissful utopia of billions of people just refusing to shut up about Monkey D. Luffy. So, as a One Piece devotee, I was delighted when I discovered that Victoria, Crunchyroll employee and Noted Anime Person, has recently set sail:

*deep breath* Here we go... pic.twitter.com/KjqV6zIBLj

— Victoria! (@sailorbee) August 5, 2019

And later today, I'm sure to read another great installment of my ABSOLUTE BOY Grant's analysis of the One Piece manga:

Outrunning Navy patrols, getting lost at every opportunity, and giving Straw Hat fans the typo-ridden analysis no one asked for. It’s another One Piece reaction thread! #OPGrant pic.twitter.com/MhCkjtMuQ3

— Punderbolt Grantasy (@grantthethief) May 17, 2019

That said, if you haven't jumped into reading the One Piece manga or watching the anime, I get it. There's A LOT of it, with no end date in sight, and that can be kind of intimidating. When I first started it, it had only been going for about nine years. Now, there's twenty years to catch up with, and those numbers can easily make someone go "Nah, I'll just rewatch Bebop." But NO LONGER, as I'm here to provide a handy two minute guide to getting into One Piece that will address all of your most pressing questions.

WHAT IS ONE PIECE?

One Piece is an epic adventure story about a group of outcasts that, through their journey together on the sea, find their place in the world. Also, punching. There's a ton of that, too.

READ THE MANGA OR WATCH THE ANIME?

Both, and I'm serious about that. The anime has a perfect voice cast and an incredible score, so I can't imagine reading the manga without having those musical cues and voices in mind. And the manga is so wonderfully paced and beautifully drawn that I believe every manga reader should at least give it a try. And if you don't have time for both, read the manga and watch specific anime arcs, or vice versa. With One Piece, it's less of an Anime VS Manga thing as much as one serves as a companion piece to the other.

WHAT IF I JUST WANT TO TEST IT OUT?

Watch one of the movies or the specials like "Episode of East Blue." Because One Piece has such a grand, interconnected narrative, it's hard to pick an actual arc to jump into that wouldn't be a more satisfying experience if you hadn't been reading/watching all along. But if you're pressed to, for some reason, just watch one arc, check out Drum Island, which features the introduction of beloved reindeer dude Tony Tony Chopper and is a perfect blend of tragedy, love, and redemption, or Skypiea, which is one of the greatest adventure stories in all of fiction.

WHAT CAN I SKIP?

None of it. Don't you dare skip any of that story. Skip the filler if you want if you're watching the anime (with the exception of the G-8 arc which is one of the best stories in One Piece, canon or otherwise), but skipping any single arc means that you will miss a lot. There are constant callbacks and motifs and themes that are only really rewarding if you see their genesis.

WHERE DO I READ OR WATCH THIS?

Well, the entirety of the anime is on Crunchyroll, which, unless I've made a terrible mistake, is the website that you're reading this article on now. And you can read the manga at Manga Plus, where the first three chapters and the three most recent chapters are for free, so you can get a taste for it. Or you can get a subscription to the Shonen Jump app where thousands and thousands of manga chapters are available for just two dollars a month.

SHOULD I BINGE IT OR TAKE MY TIME?

There's so much One Piece that it's super easy to just knock out dozens of chapters in a day, or watch ten episodes at a time without even really thinking about it. That said, I recommend going at it at a leisurely, yet focused pace. One Piece is a huge story that's full of many little emotional and character moments that make it even more worthwhile. And these are really easy to miss or flip by if your main concern is just running through huge chunks of it so that you can get to making hot takes on Twitter faster.

No matter how you approach it, One Piece has gone on so long that jumping into it now is going to require some kind of commitment. There's no real way to get around it and no cheat code to help you skip to the end while still getting the full experience. But it's worth it, and if you're down for an excellent adventure, please, by all means, read the manga or watch the anime, which you can view in its entirety on Crunchyroll.

Have you taken the plunge and gotten into One Piece? What is your favorite aspect of it? Let us know in the comments!

----------------------------

Daniel Dockery is a writer and editor for Crunchyroll. You should follow him on Twitter!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

3 notes · View notes