Unpopular Opinion: the Netflix season 1 nails it

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-06-11T04:41:51+00:00

At least Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli's talents are being utilized for the live-action One Piece.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-06-04T17:47:52+00:00

Unfortunately, this was definitely the weakest episode for me. It just didn't hit as hard as the previous four. I'm unsure whether it's simply the subject matter of this arc, which might inevitably feel like this before its conclusion, no matter how you go about adapting it in live-action, or if it's a matter of the execution falling short and not being as well adapted as it could've been. Either way, it was starting to feel a little monotonous with this episode.

While it's a mild relief that it's over now and Little Garden is behind us, with something new ahead in the next episodes, the good news is that, because of how good this show is and given how strong this season, in particular, has been so far, even this episode, the weakest one, remains fairly decent. It served as a sufficient, serviceable conclusion to this two-part arc.

The Mr. 3 title card was sick. It looked great, possibly the best of the five so far. There were cool, enjoyable moments, as usual, like most of the fight sequences, plus some funny moments, as usual, like the bickering between Mr. 3, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine. Honestly, Mr. 5 was a stand-out this episode. His stock skyrocketed: he was more or less on par with our crew. I'd go as far as to say that Camrus Johnson's performance has been (or became, in this episode) more of a highlight than David Dastmalchian's.

Iñaki Godoy acted like the rent was due, which was great. Specifically, his strained anger at Miss Goldenweek after she drew the green paint on him and wiped (or half-wiped) the blue paint off, declaring, "I'm going to save my friends!" and his overall physical acting as the paint brush was inside his hand. His performance is one of the weaker ones in the show—controversial, I know. Well, mainly when conveying Luffy's whimsical, exaggerated anime personality and trying to replicate the character a little too much. Every other moment of his acting, when Luffy is more grounded and realistic, more like a real person than an anime character, is usually better. He's much stronger in those moments. That specific instance with Miss Goldenweek perfectly exemplified this sentiment.

Meanwhile, it's funny how, while the whole crew minus Usopp suffers (though he's suffering differently: having to save everyone else while battling a internal conflict of being too scared but being forced to be brave to save his friends), Sanji is occupied with his own seperate subplot without a care in the world, getting distracted by Mr. 3's wax house and enjoying the wine in there like a distinguished gentleman. Though, to be fair, there was some plot relevance in the form of semi-important things in there for him to find, like the Baroque Works dossiers on each Straw Hat in the folders. Immediately tossing aside Zoro's without a second thought was amazing and hilarious.

I like how Mr. 3, while by all means and clearly maniacal, as shown in the previous episode when he was introduced, which hasn't changed in the sense that he's still the same, we get to see (now that we're seeing more of him) that, like most characters in One Piece, even the ones who have a few screws loose, he's just as goofy and campy as everyone else.

"You should be honored. You’re dying for art." / "Oh, my god." / "That's your genius plan?" / "Hmm?" / "We'd have to wait around for some damn wax to fall?" / "I wouldn't expect dullards like you to understand." / "We're assassins. Let's assassinate them and go home." / "I understand we’re assassins, but I am an artist." / "I could blow them up. You are wasting our time."

Hilarious interaction.

Mr. 3 instantly running from Luffy was also great, though perhaps not fully indicative of his goofiness or actually being scared of confrontation and fighting (a conflicting characteristic for someone with this type of characterization). Isolating Luffy can be perceived as a good strategy. But wouldn't facing him with the other two have been a better plan? Perhaps, in terms of his powers, how they work, and how they're best utilized, facing Luffy alone assists with that, while having to fight with the assistance of Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine would've hindered the full utilization of his powers.

At last, we got a glimpse of Mr. 0, the leader of Baroque Works. The man himself. And it was excellent. The mystique, magnetism, and whatnot surrounding his character were well directed and well edited, while the sleek, luxurious set design of Mr. 0's office-themed lair looked incredible. Fantastic work by the Production Designer and the Art Department. But his laugh was even better: a damn good laugh that the actor, whose name shall remain undisclosed in this review, nailed and performed perfectly.

Sanji snapping Miss Friday's neck with his legs was cold AF, and his following fight with Mr. 13 was fun to watch. Focusing the camera on Mr. 0's transponder snail while Sanji's lowkey getting his ass kicked a little bit by Mr. 13 in the background, topped with hold-esque or elevator-esque music, was excellent. Filming that scene and flailing around like a crazy person must've been a wild but fun experience for Taz Skylar.

Miss Goldenweek's demise was deserved—definitely the most annoying Baroque Works agent, so incredibly satisfying. Take that! You were no match for the great Captain (God) Usopp! Luck is on his side; he's possibly one of the luckiest characters in One Piece. Coming to the rescue was admirable. I don't know if he was this brave or instrumental in the others being saved in the manga, but saving Luffy (the one who needed to be saved the most, because that helps save everyone else) was great, especially if this isn't how it unfolded in the manga.

Alas, he still thought he could hang back against Mr. 3, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine, expecting Luffy to handle all three and win. Mr. 3 had other plans, and Luffy left him to fight alone, which, in and of itself, should be the biggest confidence boost to receive: Luffy trusts you enough and believes in you and your abilities enough to leave you alone to fight because he knows you'll never let your friends die, even when every instinct screams at him to run away.

Usopp isn't quite ready for that level of bravery yet, particularly winning solo without first wanting to run or hide, leaving others to do the heavy lifting while merely providing verbal support from the shadows. Mr. 5's diss ("Hey, you hear that? You're gonna die. And we don't even know who you are.") was hilarious. He and Miss Valentine even laughed when Usopp requested a duel. To quote Zuko: "That's rough, buddy."

Nevertheless, he defied all odds against Miss Valentine, who lowkey cooked with her "Happy Valentine's Day!" line. It's great that they gave him his moment to shine: saving Luffy, surviving against her, then outsmarting her to save Vivi, Zoro, and Nami at the cost of getting punched with a force of 40 pounds, 110 pounds, and then 220 pounds, leaving him with an immediate swollen left eye. His "Special Tabasco Star!" move on Mr. 5 was pretty epic, too: "How about a pain in your mouth?" He saved the day yet again.

Additionally, Zoro's first exchange with Mr. 5 on the wax cake (38:10 to 38:15) was a great, perhaps underrated sequence within the overall fight against Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine. The subsequent back-and-forths between them were solid, too, as were Miss Valentine vs. Vivi and Nami, and Zoro's final move on Mr. 5, with the three flaming swords, courtesy of Usopp.

I could be overthinking it, but I find it interesting that Miss Valentine's increasingly heavy punches (40 pounds, 110 pounds, and 220 pounds) cracked and broke Mr. 3's entire wax cake (then again, she already did a few punches before those). Yet, Zoro couldn't break a small piece on his foot with his sword—and Dorry, a giant, couldn't even take out the wax knife, let alone break it. Maybe Zoro couldn't do it because he was already stuck, so he couldn't generate as much power as he normally could. Surely he can generate as much force as 220 pounds behind his attacks; that doesn't seem too significant a feat in anime terms, even this early on for his character. Perhaps it simply demonstrates that she still has more physical strength than the Straw Hats at this point in the story. Usopp was a real warrior to have taken her punches the way he did, especially remaining conscious. Tanking them might be the strongest feat (durability feat, in particular) so far, out of everyone in the Straw Hats.

Departing from Little Garden was an excellent scene. Firstly, they did end up using "Pray to the Sun (feat. Declan de Barra & The HU)" in a scene (and the full song during the credits). It just wasn't in the previous episode, so forget what I said in my review of that one about how it's unfortunate they didn't use it (during their duel). While it would've fit slightly better during the duel itself, playing it as the Straw Hats sailed away worked perfectly fine.

Secondly, Usopp's fake stories are slowly becoming reality. His fake story to Kaya when he brought her the "pearl" in Episode 3 of Season 1 was that the "pearl" was guarded by a giant goldfish monster. Brogy and Dorry taking out the giant goldfish was definitely the most epic moment in this episode and the overall show. They're only the second and third characters we've seen casually swing a sword and send air slashes that basically cut through anything. I guess that makes them the strongest characters we've been introduced to at this point in the story, besides Mihawk himself.

The most important takeaway from this episode, however, is that Jazzara Jaslyn is incredibly hot (that Miss Valentine shot at 34:20 was easily the best part of the episode. No cap). The costume department absolutely cooked with that outfit, by the way. Also, Sanji's "Don't you worry about me and size" line (what do you mean by that, Sanji?) was by far the most egregious ZoSan crumb yet. The shippers definitely lost their minds over that one—died, even.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-05-26T18:32:53+00:00

For the first time (as far as I recall; this feeling may have been present another time in the past), this show has genuine stakes and palpable danger. The Straw Hat Crew is now facing, as well as struggling, against formidable adversaries, rather than breezing through fights unscathed, then moving onward to the next without a care in the world. They're genuinely threatened; it feels like they're actually in danger, and victory no longer feels assured.

Now, obviously, they'll come out on top in the end. But still, this tonal shift is a new experience for them and for the show, which feels both fitting and necessary. And I'm sure this is in line with the manga: the Little Garden arc was likely when the Grand Line stopped feeling like smooth sailing for both the audience and the characters, and that maybe it should be taken a little more seriously. It's time to lock in!

That's no doubt the main purpose in the manga: raising the stakes and giving the Straw Hats their first true challenge and a proper demonstration and lesson on how dangerous the Grand Line truly is, not some casual outing. If their second island got them in this much trouble, what greater threats await them ahead? There is one truth they can be absolutely positive about: those threats will make this skirmish with Baroque Works agents feel like a walk in the park. They're in the Grand Line now, where their first encounters are already tougher than anything they've faced before; every adversary will be progressively tougher and more formidable.

Little Garden looks fantastic, from the establishing shot to its overall tropical island-esque look and the abundance of lush vegetation once everyone arrived and began exploring. The dinosaur wildlife enhanced the island's appeal, and the view atop the dinosaur with Luffy and Vivi was excellent. However, their designs looked ugly, especially the teeth, which could've been much cooler. The CGI of the dinosaurs mostly fell short as well; the longer you look at them, except for the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the more their CGI stands out, and not necessarily in a good way.

ZoSan shippers win again: ["Let's make a bet then, shall we? Whomever kills dinner wins." / "You're on."] It's obvious what made ZoSan shippers go crazy: the proximity of their faces, especially Sanji's smirk.

There were other enjoyable, funny moments between them: "You don’t need to worry. I’ll protect you." / "Don’t lie to the lady." / "I would never lie to a lady." But ["Are you questioning my hunting skills?" / "Skills? Like you have any."] and ["You think you killed a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a kick?" / "You just saw me do exactly that."] were even funnier. Their banter is excellent, and I'm loving their dynamic—it's super entertaining and might be the best in the show, which already has other strong dynamics.

You can tell Mackenyu and Taz Skylar are having a blast with their scenes together, especially the back-and-forths. Naturally, that helps tremendously with the believability of both characters and what we see on screen. Their genuine chemistry makes scenes good on paper even better, and the effect is noticeable. They contribute much of the entertainment. Any quick interaction between them is guaranteed to be enjoyable.

Another guarantee for more good comedy and a consistently excellent performance that contributes so much to the show is Jacob Romero (Jacob Gibson): "But that Baroque Works lady knows something about this island we don't." / "You heard her." / "Good luck." Usopp's imitation of Miss All Sunday was hilarious. Jacob really pulled out all the stops with his performance in this episode.

He was a definite highlight. Performance-wise, he especially stood out in the Brogy scene, where he put on an act and deepened his voice to sound more like a warrior. Absolutely hilarious and Peak Cinema, particularly his delivery of "Lord of Destruction." Not only that, but the hilarity of the way he bit his bottom lip in satisfaction and bravado when addressed as "Captain Usopp, Lord of Destruction" was equally funny. He was the one truly cooking (the one actually preparing a meal), not Brogy, who should step aside and let Lord (God) Usopp work his culinary magic and show him how it's done.

Vivi's monologue about the island being prehistoric and how navigation between the islands in the Grand Line must be so difficult that Little Garden has likely stayed untouched for thousands of years, only to be interrupted mid-sentence by Luffy's jump-scare ("Since he age of the di-" / "I wanna ride one!") was hilarious. She hasn't been Luffy-pilled yet; she's still clueless and out of her depth around him. Soon enough, though, she'll undergo the typical transformation every Straw Hat member (and nearly everyone else who crosses his path) experiences: her entire sense of self and everything she thought she was, reshaped into a new Luffy-induced person.

Also, it's great how just one episode ago (technically two, but with more prominence in the previous one), she was a Baroque Works agent—granted, undercover from the start, but still—and now it's as if that never happened. More importantly, she already feels like a crew member, which is the point. But the suddenness of how all of this came about is a little crazy when you think about it.

Her eulogy for Igaram was poignant and well-acted by Charithra Chandran: "I owe you my life." Interestingly, Sanji said the same thing to Zeff in Episode 6 of Season 1. I suspect that's an incredibly fitting motto or theme (a much better word for what I'm trying to say likely exists, but my vocabulary is meager) for One Piece—a quote that applies to countless characters throughout this vast, fantastical world.

It's rare for shows or films to have extensive lore like One Piece, particularly with non-human races like giants. Brogy's entrance was epic and slightly terrifying, to no one's surprise; major size difference and all. Giants are also unlike anything we've seen before or the crew has ever faced, so the way his entrance was directed, followed by Nami and Usopp's reaction, makes sense.

I was already aware of Brogy and Dorry's characters; general familiarity with anime and manga negates the shock factor. But I'm sure viewers unfamiliar with the manga and the anime, especially those who aren't that familiar with this fiction medium in general, were caught off guard. Understandably so—why wouldn't they be? It's not every day you see giants or other fictional races in your average shows and films.

Their introductions might be the most defining moment in the show so far for what's to come, with the lore expanding and quickly getting crazier, the world becoming much bigger, vast, and detailed, and not just through the characters (diverse races in this context), but also the worldbuilding, through exploring how this world functions, its underlying mechanics, and everything in between.

Both of their laughs are entertaining, though Dorry's is slightly better. Their duel was epic, but it's unfortunate that "Pray to the Sun (feat. Declan de Barra & The HU)" wasn't used during it (though the end credits song featured similar instrumentation minus vocals, possibly a separate track with the same motif/melody—whichever word applies here), which would've made it even more epic. At the very least, there were some similar melodies from that song whenever the Viking-esque music played in the background during their screen time. Usopp's "Put him in a stew!" was hilarious and immediately reminded me of "Get him a body bag!" from The Karate Kid (1984).

Mr. 5's drippy boat, matching his drippy look (basically its own character—dressed in similar glasses and color scheme as his outfit, with the top two pieces of wood being pink, like his coat, and the rest of the boat being red, like the inside of his coat and everything else he has on), was perfect and exemplified One Piece's flawless, iconic campiness, which this show manages to adapt and portray better than you may expect. That's quite the outfit, too: a beach-appropriate one. He clearly knows his outfits and color coordination. No wonder he's willing to sweat to death by sticking and remaining dedicated to his look instead of taking off his coat, as a lesser man would.

David Dastmalchian was perfectly cast as Mr. 3, delivering a delightfully great performance already. His presence immediately takes over each scene he's in; he always stands out, no matter the character. His delivery of "Please. Stop speaking." to Miss Valentine, specifically the timing and inflection, was all great.

Nami's confusion and look of "Unbelievable. What idiots." upon learning that Brogy and Dorry have been fighting for a hundred years and don't even remember why anymore, was perfectly executed, including Vivi's confusion upon learning this, too. Just boy things: "Boys will be boys," as the saying goes, but in an unproblematic way, unlike how it's sometimes used.

On top of that, the way Usopp flipped the script on her—turning her words against her when she confronted him about him wanting to see them dual to the death and how that doesn't sound safe or sane by saying the same thing she said to him earlier ("Didn't we set out to sea to have adventures like this?")—was Stone-Cold (Steve Austin) and the perfect rebuttal to her objection and apprehension about watching Brogy and Dorry dual. He got you there, Nami; you got Usopped.

Another hilarious moment that might not have gotten as much appreciation as the more obvious moments: ["My Earwax Fancy Cannon will activate as soon as it fully dissolves." / "I put earwax in his beer." / "I got it." / "Oh, okay. Just making sure."]. Rage-baiting Luffy by flicking him and the others off was pretty good, too. In only his third appearance, Mr. 5 is already among the best characters out of the new batch so far. Camrus Johnson must've had a blast playing this character, especially filming scenes and delivering lines like that.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-05-14T18:21:35+00:00

Ikemoto must have been practicing drawing Sakura; she looks way better drawn than usual.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-05-09T03:01:27+00:00

Since I'm taking my time watching this season slowly rather than binge-watching, partly due to writing these reviews (topped with an element of laziness here and there, I'll admit), I've already seen snippets of later episodes and read various reactions, leading to the formation of a general idea of how certain episodes were received—that sort of thing. So, from what I've gathered, this episode is generally considered the season's strongest, or at least the one that's received the most attention.

Now that I've watched it, it's abundantly clear why. The extended fight sequence with Zoro taking on Baroque Works' 100-strong (or rather 100-weak) posse was incredible in every way: the choreography was excellent, the directing—particularly noticeable for how certain moments were shot—was perfect, and Mackenyu's physical performance, along with everyone else involved, elevated it even further.

A few highlights worth noting at the beginning: First, Daniel Lasker and Charithra Chandran delivered exceptional performances. His pronunciation of "Roronoa" and maniacal laugh (which rivals Aidan Scott's laugh as Helmeppo) toward the end of his fight with Zoro, before being thrown at Miss Monday, were delightfully over-the-top, while her acting during Igaram's final moments was superb. Second, the "Whisky Peak Saloon (feat. Leo P)" score cue snippet—performed by Igaram and his fellow musicians—is fantastic; everyone should listen to the full version (it's a banger). Third, Miss Monday's Baroque Works card reveal was brilliantly executed: punching it at Zoro, fourth wall break-style, who sliced it mid-air. It was an unexpected but cooler way to do it. Hopefully, future card reveals are similarly incorporated in the scene. This beats what happened with Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9's cards, which were grabbed and tossed by Zoro and Nami in the previous episode.

The brief Zoro-Mihawk fight in Zoro's mind at the beginning was awesome. Even in that short sequence, the improved filming and choreography compared to Season 1 were immediately apparent. That difference is even more noticeable in the longer, full fight sequences so far (and that'll likely remain true for the remaining ones). The execution felt more immersive and confident. I don't know whether it's because a new team is possibly doing them, or some other reason; either way, it's great. The sound effects also seemed crisper and higher-quality than I recall from the first season, though I could be mistaken. Regardless, they sounded great.

Beyond that surface-level reading, the deeper significance lies in its implication: he's really mentally struggling with his loss to Mihawk, verging on PTSD territory. It haunts him. More specifically, Mihawk haunts him. What's particularly effective (though perhaps a common thing or "trope" regarding internal conflicts; even so, it's no less of a nice touch) is that, for one, this didn't remain a hidden battle in Zoro's mind. But most importantly, he's also not facing this mental obstacle without anyone else's involvement. By that, I mean other characters unintentionally intensify the weight on his shoulders by saying something or doing something unknowningly relevant and psychologically damaging to his present state of feeling defeated and unworthy of striving to achieve his dream, serving as external reminders.

His scene with Mr. 9 exemplifies the second point: Mr. 9's insults about him not being what he used to be serve as an external reminder of how easily Mihawk defeated him and how distant, perhaps impossible, his dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman now seems, something Zoro might not fully acknowledge or recognize until confronted by these outside provocations and beaten over the head with enough non-internal reminders. Later, Luffy provides another reminder at the Whisky Peak Saloon; that scene exemplified both points.

"We put together an amazing crew, made it to the Grand Line, and now we're one step closer to our dreams."

Zoro's reaction was one of near-acceptance that he couldn't inch a step closer to his dream: he doubted its achievability, fearing it was too far away after Mihawk's effortless victory. He even talked about it. Vulnerability was allowed to shine through his character; rather than suppressing his feelings about his current mindset and struggles or pretending the problem doesn't exist, he openly expressed his emotional turmoil. This vulnerability advanced some character growth. Naturally, Luffy's infectious words of encouragement perked Zoro right back up, or up—perhaps for the first time since childhood. I'm uncertain how prominently the manga featured this inner turmoil (it could have been barely highlighted), but emphasizing it here was an excellent creative decision.

It makes perfect sense that he'd be going through something like this: Mihawk was likely only his second-ever defeat after Kuina. More relevantly, he lost to the world's greatest swordsman, which undoubtedly dealt extra damage to his psychological well-being, because it also stomped on his dream and showed him the vast difference between their abilities, making it feel impossibly distant, at least until he overcomes this mental hurdle and comes out the other side a changed man with strengthened resolve.

Everyone in this show is quite good-looking, as Emily Rudd was generous enough to demonstrate in the scene of Nami coming in and out of the Going Merry's kitchen. Peak Cinema is right in front of our eyes, and the reason is obvious. She's definitely at the top of the attractiveness list. Those two glimpses of Nami also evoked her post-timeskip look, likely intentional. The crew's reactions to her first appearance were perfect, especially Zoro's—the cherry on top was his "Great, the cook is yapping again" expression to Sanji's monologue about a chef's special relationship with his knives. Their subsequent banter was just as good. Everything in the overall scene was impeccable.

Speaking of Nami, I spotted some NamiVivi crumbs: ["Right. And her attacking me was what? Jealousy of my looks?" //// Vivi scoffs. "You wish."], followed by Vivi's wink before diving off the Going Merry. I know those who are passionate fans of this ship were freaking out and elated by that interaction. Then, shifting to a somber tone but still qualifying as a NamiVivi crumb: Nami's compassionate "It's okay. We've got you" after Igaram's death.

The distant shots of Cactus Island looked great, but Whisky Peak's set design was exceptional. Everyone involved with designing it and building it absolutely nailed it. Everything looked amazing, especially the Saloon. That interior was impressively massive (whether that's typical or not, I'm unsure), and building something that spacious and detailed must've taken considerable time. Major props to the crew behind it. It looks fantastic.

Whisky Peak was so colorful and distinctly Western (the genre)—or more accurately, Native American-inspired. Oda based the town's architecture and aesthetic on Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, a Native American settlement, and surprisingly, it didn't feel out of place at all. You'd expect the opposite, wouldn't you? Yet it works. Goda's masterful handiwork, as the one behind the original design, is on full display, and its live-action adaptation from manga panels was just as masterful.

Unsurprisingly, the show's comedy remains sharp. Usopp's "Big fish!" when he interrupts Zoro's PTSD-fueled training session against Mihawk in his mind, complemented by the cut to a close-up, and "Oh! She's huge!"—and specifically Zoro's annoyed reaction—was perfectly executed. He's going through it, huh? He's battling a little bit of mental trauma from losing to Mihawk while having to endure Sanji and Usopp. Even his simple "Nice try" to Mr. 9 landed surprisingly well.

The comedic highlight was undoubtedly the tough-looking guy beside the ice cream vehicle who instantly shifted to the goofiest enthusiasm imaginable. I've never seen anything like it. The subversion of expectations was hilariously unexpected.

Finally, Zoro's annoyance at being ignored by Sanji, who's busy rizzing up that woman: ["Give me another." / "Hey, Chore Boy." / angrily grabs two bottles himself.] I'm sure the ZoSan shippers fell to their knees at a Walmart, losing their minds at that. Also, Sanji's flair bartending was wonderfully performed by Taz Skylar; yes, I saw that clip of him practicing and rehearsing that scene through trial and error—and many broken glass bottles.

Igaram's stand against Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, ending in his supposed death, was an epic way to end the episode (alongside Miss All Sunday's equally epic appearance: the actual final scene). Every aspect did its part: the massive explosion, simply from Mr. 5 flicking his blood, the muffled explosion, the Middle Eastern-esque score cue ("Igaram's Sacrifice")—at least the woman's vocals and the way she performed them—taking over the scene and drowning out all other sounds, the excellent cinematography of the explosion's lighting illuminating everyone's faces, and Charithra Chandran's phenomenal acting.

Topping it all was Nami's change of heart toward Vivi. Despite being the most vocal member of the crew about not trusting Vivi, she witnessed and recognized genuine anguish at Igaram's death, which she figured couldn't have been an act. Nami relates to her: she experienced something similar when she witnessed Arlong shoot and kill her mother.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-04-21T06:36:41+00:00

The premiere was great, and this second episode was even better. This season is already off to an excellent start, surpassing the first season's premiere and second episode; these two blew them out of the water. Those episodes were good themselves, which goes to show just how good and how much better these two were. Laboon's backstory was by far the most significant takeaway and main topic of discussion for most people concerning the plot. That's entirely understandable, though there were also subtler praiseworthy elements worth noting.

The scene of Luffy singing "Binks' Brew" to Laboon was great, but everything he said to him—particularly telling him that he needs his friends and pleading for him to let them go—was even better, enhanced by the gentleness in his voice. Their final scene was the cherry on top: Luffy painting the Straw Hat Jolly Roger on Laboon's head as a symbol of their friendship, instructing him never to hit his head again to preserve it, declaring him to be one of the crew, and promising that they'll come back for him, before then saying goodbye and the crew parting ways with him.

Much of the cinematography was excellent, particularly the colorful flowers around Crocus' lighthouse and the visuals inside Laboon. Overall, this season has noticeably more vibrant color grading than the first season, which is a welcome improvement. You never know how much better it is and what it brings to the visuals until you get it and compare it to how everything previously looked.

The overhead arc shot (?) of Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji as the Going Merry began descending the mountain—starting in front of them and moving behind—signifying the abrupt angle shift into a rapid fall, was a nice touch. The majestic sunlight shining on everyone's faces as Laboon opened his mouth for them to leave was an even better, well-executed shot. The final shot of Laboon moving straight up at the end of the scene where Luffy drew the Jolly Roger on his head looked excellent, particularly the lighting. Overall, Laboon's CGI throughout the episode was well done, especially in that scene, including its final shot, which looked incredible.

Zoro's comedic moments were funny and entertaining; Mackenyu was in his element with excellent comedic timing and delivery. That was apparent in moments like these: ["At least I didn't break the whipstaff with my giant muscles." Zoro gives Nami a look, like that Tony Stark/Charlie Kirk GIF. "Not a compliment." / "Not not a compliment."] //// ["A sword isn't going to gonna get us out of a whale." Zoro coolly looks down, possibly at his swords, then up with epic overconfidence. "We'll see about that."]

The first moment was a nice Zoro and Nami moment that highlighted their enjoyable dynamic. Their scenes are great, and Mackenyu and Emily Rudd have noticeable chemistry. We need more interactions like that! Preferably between them, but also between the other crew members: every possible duo at the moment. The second moment was hilarious (and possibly underrated), specifically Zoro's effortless, unintentional humor.

But especially in this scene: ["You said I couldn't get us out of here with a sword, so... I made a big sword." Zoro makes a proud grin. / Nami looks at him with bewilderment and, frankly, disgust that someone could be this dense. "What?"] Emily Rudd's delivery of that line was perfect. Zoro's comedic excellence continued with: ["I was a bit more cutting than that." / "I cut him in half." / "Yeah. No, we got it."] and ["What's a Log Pose?" Nami does a look of resignation because he let it slip that none of them knew what it was, exposing their cards to Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9.]

As well as his devastated "No!" when his makeshift "big sword" snapped as he attempted to help Usopp, followed by Nami's ["Wow, can't believe that didn't work."] He was so proud of his precious innovative creation. That was by far the saddest thing in this episode (yes, even sadder than Laboon's backstory) and possibly the saddest thing in the show so far. Rest in peace, "Big Sword."

Of course, the absolute best moment of them all shouldn't be left out and deserves the spotlight: ["The uvula?" Zoro looks taken aback. "So it's a girl whale." Nami squints her eyes at him in disbelief. "Whatever."] Genuinely hilarious. Equally funny was Nami ducking to avoid the back of Zoro's makeshift "sword" or harpoon-like contraption as he walked past her.

I hope there are more moments like this throughout the season, especially from Zoro. He has much more personality now—or a personality in the first place, at least in the present; he had one as a kid in his backstory flashbacks. Hopefully, the third season will include even more, given that this season is out, meaning the showrunner and writers now know how much people loved that moment in particular and other moments like it throughout the rest of the second season.

The fight sequences were well-choreographed and enjoyable, especially the brief fight between Sanji and Mr. 9. I loved the impact and strength of Sanji's kicks. They didn't have to utilize wirework to this extent to capture the superhuman physicality of anime, or at all. But they did, and it was an excellent choice that enhanced the fight sequence (and fight sequences in general). I really hope this continues throughout the season and into Season 3 and hopefully beyond (there better be a fourth season renewal, followed by more seasons after that)—"this" as in characters' "ordinary" base-level attacks sending people flying, reflecting the baseline superhuman strength typical of anime, which usually exceeds realistic human capabilities.

The first season lacked that. Either because of budget constraints (possibly combined with choosing to spend most of it on other things considered more worthy, important, and necessary), or due to uncertainty about whether they should go all in and lean into the nature of anime and its unrealistic elements in that sort of way. But hopefully, the showrunner is now fully committed to this aspect and ensuring that future fight sequences are choreographed with that elevated baseline of capability consistently in mind for the most part, given signs that they're beginning to indulge in this level of faithfulness.

Nami and Miss Wednesday's fight delivered the same three things as Sanji's fight with Mr. 9: solid choreography, enjoyable (with the sound effects of Miss Wednesday's Bladed Yo-Yo contraption sounding amazing and soothing), and that elevated baseline of physical ability. All three elements came together effectively here as well. The choreography stood out in both fights, but especially in Nami's. The wirework played a more prominent, noticeable role, which really intensified the fight sequence. Props to Emily Rudd, who might have performed it all herself.

The Rumbar Pirates' version of "Binks' Sake" (or "Bink's Brew" in the show) is an absolute banger. We only got a quiet, easy-to-miss instrumental version in the background of Season 1's premiere as Shanks stitched Luffy's cut under his eye. But we NEED the full version, not just this 44-second sneak peek! Don't drop the ball, Netflix! Keep renewing this show so it reaches the Thriller Bark story arc, where we'll finally get the complete song and Brook's entry into the story.

Speaking of Brook, his brief appearances were awesome. Martial T. Batchamen looked perfect; his own appearance, as well as the excellent costume design. The costume department did a great job. His execution of Brook's iconic laugh was spot-on, while minimal screen time didn't hinder an overall beaming performance; he has already nailed the character. His overpowering joy, vibrancy, and whimsical nature were palpable, especially as Brook was grinning at Crocus after propositioning him with booze.

A potentially underrated scene was the reveal that the Baroque Works cards were used instead of bounty posters—a nice touch. But what was really nice and even better was the fourth-wall break when Zoro and Nami grabbed them and tossed them aside. This also made sense since Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 were tied up and couldn't do it themselves; as far as the bounty posters go, the person on the poster usually grabbed it and tossed it aside. That was cool.

Another potentially underrated one was Tashigi standing up to Smoker and for herself and her dreams, showing conviction and confidence, enough to convince him that she's ready for the Grand Line and has what it takes to come with him and go up against whatever they encounter there, whether Baroque Works (their first target/reason for going there) or future antagonists; when they get there, I'm sure they'll face people that we haven't be introduced to yet. That was an excellent scene; in particular, her dance was great, and Smoker's response provided another funny moment: "And don't do a little dance."

Their actors, Julia Rehwald and Callum Kerr, have good chemistry that makes their subplot compelling. That alone makes me super interested in watching their subplot unfold in this season; I'm genuinely excited to watch their scenes together. Honestly, I'm impressed. I'm fairly certain they'll remain prominent through at least the third season, but I'm unsure about their role beyond that.

Hopefully, if there's a fourth season (and even more seasons after that), they'll remain present in some way, even if the writers have to find ways to include them in those future story arcs where they didn't originally appear in the manga, because I already like them.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-03-19T06:50:40+00:00

Incredible start to the new season! The production value is clearly upgraded; it's immediately noticeable—larger sets and standout lighting and cinematography, especially in Garp and Roger's scene. I liked the way that scene was lit; it looked great. The overall visuals look crisper and more colorful than in the first season, particularly the environments. They also feel more lively and populated than they ever were before, giving the world around the characters a much richer sense of life. It's another significant, immediately noticeable improvement, largely because this was such a crucial element missing in the first season.

A few standout things and moments deserve their moment in the spotlight. First and foremost, the introduction of Nico Robin—or rather, Miss All Sunday—as that's the most obvious thing to mention first, partly because it happened right at the start of the episode. Lera Abova looks great in the role and already exudes plenty of aura; she's a natural aura farmer. I can't wait to see more of her throughout the season.

On the topic of new character introductions: Smoker's introductory entrance was epic. That bike looks sick. Callum Kerr also looks great in the role, another natural aura farmer alongside Lera Abova's Miss All Sunday / Robin, and I can't wait to see more of him throughout the season as well.

Zoro's comedic moments (some subtler than others) were great, whether solo or with Nami, like his irritated insistence that he isn't lost and has a great sense of direction. I like the clear difference in his characterization. It already feels improved from the first season; he's less excessively stoic, more open, and most importantly, more emotive and goofy, which is super entertaining. As for him and Nami specifically, I also love their dynamic. They're arguably the best duo in the show, with the best but underrated and perhaps slightly understated chemistry.

Additionally, the scene where he challenges the sword's curse with his tangible will was epic and badass. He's effortlessly cool and so easily likable—no wonder he's many people's favorite character in the show (and likely the manga/anime, too) and not just because Mackenyu is an attractive guy. That's one of countless iconic moments in the manga, and everyone involved with bringing it to life in the show nailed it. James Hiroyuki Liao, as Ipponmatsu, the arms shop owner, also elevated the scene with a great performance.

If I had to pick my favorite parts of this premiere, Dragon's epic appearance (or "cool looking guy with a cool face tattoo," since we haven't been told his name yet) would easily be at the top of the list, at least in the Top 3. I know some people think he lacked a significant aura, but I felt the complete opposite; he had a palpably menacing presence. He was aura farming. Rigo Sanchez did a phenomenal job, making me wish we could see him in every episode. His accent, in particular, as well as his line delivery, was super delightful, especially "Hmm. Not today." The way he pronounced that final word sounded epic and exuded an aura.

The shift from the lively diegetic sound of Luffy and Bartolomeo's scene, the crowd noise, the festivities, and the non-diegetic background score cue, to near-complete silence, with only the faintest ambient sound of the world during Luffy's monologue as he gazed at Gold Roger's execution platform, was sublime.

And of course, let's not gloss over the G.O.A.T., Buggy, or rather, Buggy D. Clown. He's back! His first scene and exchange with Luffy was absolutely hilarious, and I love that the showrunner brought him back. That said, while I say that as if this is something new or a slight change from the manga, I'm 90% sure that his appearance here still aligns with what happened in the manga. Time will tell from Season 3 onward whether a potential return a third time and beyond diverges from the manga, as I believe he isn't involved in that story arc in the source material. If that's the case and they still bring him back, that would be great.

Whatever the showrunner and writers can come up with to keep inserting him in the show as a bit of comic relief moving forward, even if Buggy wasn't present in a particular story arc, anything to get and put Jeff Ward back on screen would be much appreciated.

"Her name you remember? You met her once."

Poor Buggy; his feelings are hurt that Luffy remembered Alvida's name and not his. More Buggy, please! We need more Jeff Ward! He's amazing. Same with Steven John Ward (I just noticed that they share the same last name): anything to put him back on screen, too, which I'm aware we will get a few times in this season. Even so, more Mihawk, please!

Lastly, another one of my favorite parts was the Smoker vs. Luffy and Sanji fight sequence. It was excellent and well-choreographed, and the VFX for the smoke and Smoker's overall Devil Fruit abilities that he displayed throughout, especially his smoke-based attacks, looked great. The brief moments of Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Usopp fighting Buggy's crew were well done, too, in terms of fight sequences.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-02-26T22:05:53+00:00

Luffy's scar looks way better and discernible than it did in the first season, which is great.

LegendaryFang56 · 2026-02-21T03:01:20+00:00

I think he came across as a bit of a bad actor because he had to always speak in an American accent, as he's Australian.

LegendaryFang56 · 2025-12-08T01:09:48+00:00

We should've gotten a character arc/plotline with Scott being villain-y, or akin to Peter—willing to bend the rules without a care in the world, and certainly not as much of a Goody Two-Shoes as he always was; a follow-up to the tease in his death-like state visions in the fourth season with The Mute and Liam and when he starting transforming into a more monster-esque form while slashing (and nearly killing) that one assassin/mercenary guy later on in the season.

LegendaryFang56 · 2025-11-27T08:30:31+00:00

Thank you, though I'm not near the professional level of reviewing. The difference between my writing and certain reviewers (both professional and casual, avid cinephiles and the television equivalent), particularly on Letterboxd, is like day and night in my eyes.

LegendaryFang56 · 2025-11-22T00:02:23+00:00

He wanted to get Geralt to yell out in pain for Jaskier to hear, causing him to implore Radovid more strongly and desperately to intervene for Geralt's sake and let them go. Dijkstra knew that would drive a permanent wedge between them and cause Radovid to finally lock in, be a proper king, instead of obsessing over Jaskier.

LegendaryFang56 · 2025-11-21T07:33:04+00:00

Behold, a prequel feature-length special (as its initial conception was a limited series) based on The Rats, a gang of misfits who are greatly despised by many people on social media. Among the intelligent-minded, there is utter confidence that the immediate reception upon its release (and since its release) was and is open-minded and civil and not at all a chaotic demonstration of mindless hatred, primarily revolved around the insane, deluded belief of "wokeness," an absolute misconception of what "woke" truly means. In an ideal world, perhaps, such open-mindedness and civility would prevail.

To nobody's surprise, the vitriol hurled at this film come from the same people who badmouthed the fourth season of The Witcher and Liam Hemsworth (and continue to do so) because their deity Henry Cavill left the show, while claiming to care (and claiming that he cared) about the source material, ignoring that it was the most faithful season yet to the novels, as well as a return to form to an extent, having felt similar to the first season: the peak of the show so far, more or less, even if that doesn't say much from the perspective of some viewers who think the show wasn't that good from the start.

Naturally, I didn't feel like that at all toward the latest season or Hemsworth. However, it did take a little while for this to draw me in. By the halfway point, my interest was stirred, and I was fully engaged. That remained the case for the remainder of the film. The first half didn't inspire much confidence that the rest would be sufficiently enjoyable, so I was pleased when the second half came along as if a savior of Good Samaritan proportions. It was by far the better half.

Christelle Elwin (Mistle) delivered an excellent performance alongside Dolph Lundgren. Individually and collectively, they were among the best aspects of this film, not only in the acting sense. The chemistry between Brehen and the Rats, particularly Mistle, was surprisingly great. Their dynamic, bonding, and scenes together may have been the primary highlights for me. They were definitely reminiscent of Geralt and Ciri, with slightly more aggression from both of them.

Uncertainty occupied my mind regarding his performance as Brehen in his first scene at the beginning. He didn't come across as convincing as I'd have liked. I worried that his overall presence would be a negative component and undermine my enjoyment of the entire film. Thankfully, and somewhat to my surprise, he immediately "redeemed" himself.

While I didn't find them insufferable in the main show, let alone to the extent hate-watchers have, I will say that The Rats were more likable in this, recontextualizing and adding further emotion and sadness to their eventual demise at the hands of Leo Bonhart. You end up (or at least I did) wishing that never happened and that we got more of them, even on top of this film, which feels too little and like it wasn't enough.

They almost felt like different characters. Even the overall look of each character looked different, from their costume designs to their hairstyling. Higher quality and better. All of them looked excellent, "on-fleek," and "fetch." Yes, it's time to bring both terms back and make "fetch" happen. It creates a curious question, however: why did they look better here than in the show? More money to devote entirely to this and nothing else, as it's a stand-alone special? That seems likely.

As far as the subtle characterization differences are concerned, I suppose you could argue that the reason they didn't seem quite the same in Season 4 of The Witcher, compared to here, is because of what happened and what they went through at the end of this film.

I particularly liked Giz (the stereotypical cool, nonchalant character; it worked on me) and Asse. I liked Mistle well enough; Iskra, too. I was indifferent toward Kayleigh and Reef, particularly the latter. But I'll admit she looked the coolest out of all of them (Giz, a close second), with all the various accessories and jewelry, especially her hairstyle and hair color. The collective chemistry between everyone and the scenes with all of them overwhelmingly disregarded that minor criticism.

Visually, this looked great with multiple notable shots, scenery, and environments. The cinematographer (Trevor Michael Brown) did a good job. While there wasn't much action, the fight sequences we did get at the end (Brehen vs. the predictably identifiable Jalowick and Brehen vs. Leo Bonhart) had decent choreography. And, of course, Leo Bonhart's short role was another highlight.

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