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One Piece
Episode 1069

by Grant Jones,

How would you rate episode 1069 of
One Piece (TV 1999) ?
Community score: 4.5

op1069.png
© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Hey folks, back for another week of One Piece.

What's that, you ask? Do I have anything new to say? Do I have any novel observations about the Wano arc, which, at this point, has been airing for three years and has consistently defied expectations both compared to what came prior and in its own achievements?

No, I don't. It's still great, and I know you're watching it too, so who are we kidding here?

…

Well, I'm getting word that I still have to say more than just "One Piece good" every week, so here is my attempt to do so.

As is typical fashion at this point, we open with a few brief check-ins around Onigashima. Some bits with Raizo and X Drake and Jinbei. It's all excellently paced, and each vignette has at least one big moment where the animation pops off and the emotional climax hits. I was pretty particular about the blood running down X Drake's blade myself, but take your pick because they're all great in their own way.

Then the back half of 1069 was Luffy and Kaido throwing down. By rights, this should be dull by now. How long have they been slugging it out on top of the world at this point? I've lost track, to be frank with you, yet it doesn't matter in the slightest. It's just knockout blow after knockout blow rendered in glorious, fluid animation. If repetition begets wings, I pray my constant refrains carry these compliments to the Toei team's ears: thank you for the incredible work you put in every week for this silly pirate adventure story. Finding new ways to depict "rubber monkey punches drinky dragon" every week cannot be easy, but they make it feel like the first time it's happened every time.

Also, a big shout-out to the sound design this week. When Luffy is cocking back his arm, we hear the ratcheting sounds or when he's racing across the stones. His legs make a satisfying clunk-clunk-clunk. Those helped cement the scene and give it heft.

Rating:


Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

One Piece is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.com.

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