The anime landscape has changed dramatically over the last few decades. Once upon a time, all the largest shows ran once a week, every week, for hundreds of weeks before it either a) ends or b) gets cancelled. If they got too close to the manga, or even ahead of it, the showrunners would just start making stuff up, hence filler arcs and anime-only endings. Nowadays, however, that model is all but gone, replaced with the new seasonal model.
But One Piece didn’t change. It kept on trucking on, one episode at a time, rarely ever taking a break. The pacing was slow and the animation was rough, but with that schedule, corners had to be cut. Even still, One Piece fans are nothing if not devoted to their series.
I should know. Because I am one.
Then something changed. Going out of the Whole Cake Island and Reverie arcs, a new team was put at the helm of the voyage. One that would elevate the Wano arc and bring One Piece to the absolute peak of its popularity. All while keeping up with the same insane schedule as before. Which is just insane.
Don’t get me wrong, Wano still has its issues. The pacing is still as slow as molasses going uphill in January with crutches; you’ll be lucky to get one chapter adapted an episode. Get ready to see lots of flashbacks to scenes you’ve just watched. While the animation has some truly jaw-dropping moments (we’ll get to that), there are still clear signs of cut corners in the lower energy moments. Stiff movements, awkward drawings, all the usual anime problems. But these are issues with the One Piece anime in general, not this specific arc.
In the face of all it did right, all of that becomes so much more tolerable.
Having rescued Sanji from Big Mom, Luffy and the gang head to Wano to reunite with the rest of the Straw Hats. The time has finally come to confront Kaido, one of the four Emperors, and Orochi, the corrupt shogun. Just a few problems: Kaido is basically invincible on his own, and a vengeful Big Mom has arrived to ally herself with him! An all-out pirate war is building in this isolated land, one which will change the future of the entire world.
It’s incredible how many awesome fights are sprinkled throughout this arc. Luffy VS Kaido is the obvious highlight, but let’s not ignore the others! Robin VS Black Maria, Nami VS Ulti, Zoro VS Killer, Killer VS Hawkins, Sanji VS Queen, Zoro VS King, Carrot and Cat Viper VS Perospero, Law and Kid VS Big Mom, and so many more! If you just wanna see anime characters beating the hell out of each other, this arc is like an all-you-can-eat buffet! This is one of the most exciting arcs in the series!
It also happens to be one of the most horrifying. Wano’s land is left barren, its water poisoned by the factories the enslaved locals are forced to work in. Whatever food that isn’t toxic goes straight to Kaido’s pirates or Orochi’s palace. All the starving populace can do is starve and beg for scraps.
What does Orochi do for his people? He sends them the leftover scraps of uneaten SMILE fruits. You know. Those fake Devil Fruits that force you to laugh and smile forever. This evil son of a bitch didn’t just oppress and enslave the people of Wano, he took away their ability to express pain and grief. Imagine being forced to laugh while you’re loved ones are tortured and murdered. That is some horrifying, legitimately evil shit!
Which makes it all the more satisfying when Luffy finally knocks Kaido flat.
Wano isn’t just an amazing arc on its own. It’s the culmination of decades of world-building and setup. Clues left behind all the way back in the first arcs of One Piece come to a head here. Pluton from Alabasta and Water Seven. Nika, hinted at in Skypiea. Wano itself was hinted at all the way back in Thriller Bark with Ryuma, the zombie who gave Zoro his sword. Even Marineford laid subtle hints at Wano!
The payoffs to all these setups range from fun jokes, cool fights, narrative conflict, or jaw-dropping reveals. Zoro’s zombie sword? That’s actually a sacred relic to the Wano people, and him having it gets him into a lot of trouble. Nika? Gear 5! Remember how Ace made a giant a hat in a Marineford flashback? He learned that from Tama, whom Luffy befriends when he arrives! Remember when Robin discovered Roger’s message back in Skypiea? Here’s a massive flashback explaining how that got there, along with tons of other revelations!
All of this plays well into my favorite aspect of One Piece. This entire arc rewards the attentive viewer. Oda basically said, “Thanks for waiting twenty something years. Here’s that thing I vaguely promised. Isn’t it awesome?”
And it is. It is so very awesome. Thanks in large part to the animators.
Yeah, you all knew where this was going.
Toei busted out the big guns for Wano. Staff and freelance animators came together to give us some of the most jaw-dropping visual sequences I’ve ever seen in an anime! Animators such as Chansard Vincent, Henry Thurlow, Katsumi Ishizuka, Tetsuro Nireki, BAHIJD, Naotoshi Shida, Takashi Kojima, Tu Yong-Ce, and Masami Mori (and likely more) all lent their pens to the arc, giving us some god-tier animation!
Nowhere is this more apparent than the Gear 5 scenes. The animators managed to capture the classic Warner Bros. style perfectly! Luffy straight-up hits Kaido with the “Why I oughta!” punch! Bright, colorful, and brimming with energy, it is everything I was hoping for and more! This is one of the best transformations in anime history, fight me salty Dragon Ball fans!
Wano is the peak of the One Piece anime. It’s a beautiful story of despair and hope, with some truly drop-dead gorgeous animation. If you have the patience for the anime’s pacing, you’ll be well rewarded. You will cry. You will laugh. From start to end, it is wonderful.
Here’s hoping the future is just as bright. It’d be a shame if the anime staff changed. That poor team would have some big shoes to fill. If that is the case, I wish them all the luck in the world.
So long, Wano. Thanks for all the memories.
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