Episode 1104 lights a fuse in a room full of gunpowder then pulls a twist or three for good measure.
In the first instance, we have the pacifistas. Bonney gets a chance to see some of her father's memories thanks to Vegapunk's tech, and we as the audience relive these scenes as well. They are impactful and help communicate her anguish beyond the face-value relational dimension. The prior interactions between Kuma and Vegapunk help uplift both characters in terms of their emotional nuance. Kuma always was one of the cooler designs and conceptual villains in One Piece, but the years have really been kind to him in terms of growing his unique story into something special. This arc has only continued to solidify that impression.
Additionally, we get the pacifista copies going wild on Vegapunk's stronghold. There's not a whole lot to say here in terms of textual depth or plot implications, as this is a more visceral scene. We get some absolutely jaw-dropping animation from the Toei team that manages to be both fluid and easy to understand. I think the sequence with baby Mihawk power sliding up the tower before the big slash is the best of a great bunch. Similarly, Usopp and Nami freaking out inside the structure is pure hilarity and joy.
The final moments involve Stussy turning traitor on her CP-0 fellows. Kaku and Rob Lucci getting taken out so fast might seem like a letdown. But despite getting offed rather fast, you have to keep in mind that being taken out of a fight by having your blood drained by a violent be-fanged demon lady is the best possible end anyone can hope for. So in my estimation, they've both won One Piece even if they lost the fight.
As a final minor note, I got a real kick from some of the laser sound effects used in this episode. I swear some of these sound effects are the same laser sounds used back in 80s cartoons like G.I. Joe and the like that I used to watch as a kid, so it was a hoot to hear them used anew in 2024. I realized this probably only matters to me and maybe half a dozen other or so geriatric fans, but still thought it was a fun note.
Rating:
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