In One Piece episode 1070, the crew truly passes through the valley, the lowest ebb of their journey. Luffy - thus far undefeatable, never outmatched on such a scale - is completely defeated. He has always been able to push himself to greater heights and conquer any foe, but for the first time, he is stretched too thin. Kaido is too strong. Too overwhelming. This is an enemy with more than institutional backing or vast armies or a potent gimmick - Kaido is power personified. Luffy cannot overpower a foe who embodies force itself.
When Luffy falls, the bad ending plays out before the crew's eyes. The people of Wano are utterly broken, and their fate is inevitable. Kaido will enslave them for generations, and the only fruit of the land will be weapons of war. They will never again know a moment's peace. Kaido will make Orochi's cruelties seem like a mere warmup. His petty lieutenants will reign like princelings, earning their positions by pillaging the common folk with abandon.
The heroes of the Raid on Onigashima are no more safe. Beaten and battered, they lack the energy to lift their blades. Now every two-bit Beast pirate low-life is gunning to take out some of the greatest warriors of the Worst Generation, all because they can barely stand on their feet.
This episode does such a great job of capturing this moment of despair. It's one long terrible denouement from the worst possible outcome. Luffy is lost. Hope is lost.
But then come the drums - and with them, a hero the likes of which we haven't seen before.
James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film!― Could There Be More Evangelion on the Horizon? James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film! Plus, we catch up with Kafka and the Ka...
Grant Jones dives into the wild world of giant monsters and how Kaiju No. 8 builds on their legacy.― Kaiju No. 8 is a series that wears its influences on its sleeves. As the first word in its title suggests, it comes from a long line of works in the kaiju genre, using giant monsters and burning skylines as a backdrop to tell stories. While many likely know kaiju in a passing sense, it may help to h...
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Train to the End of the World and Voice Actor Radio are getting a lot of love these last few weeks! Discover which other series stand out in our weekly user rankings!― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings...
Crystal Kay previously sang themes for 2004's Fullmetal Alchemist and Nodame Cantabile― Recently, Anime News Network was able to sit down with singer-songwriter Crystal Kay and talk about not only her involvement with anime over the years but also what it was like to grow up in Japan as the child of a Korean-Japanese mother and an African-American father. Anime fans likely know of Crystal Kay throug...
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