Elli-torial: One Piece Film Red: Pulling At Heart Strings And Straw Hats

I know I know what a surprise, Elliott reviewing another anime. I’ve reviewed Cyberpunk Edgerunner, and I’ve also gone over the winter lineup of anime and how unbelievably STACKED it is. While discussing that lineup, I mentioned this film toward the end of the post. Whether you like it or not, One Piece is an absolute staple in the anime/manga community and a celebration of fiction. The story of the Straw Hat Pirates has been ongoing for more than 25 years. Though creator Eiichiro Oda has stated that the end is nearing for the crew, that doesn’t mean it’s showing any signs of slowing down. With over 1058+ chapters, 1040+ episodes, and 15 movies, how Oda had managed to keep ideas, characters, and stories fresh is nothing short of a genius at work. That isn’t to say it is without faults.

(For the Winter line up and my Cyberpunk Edgerunner Review, click the links below)

Weebtober: The Return of Legends and The Beginning on New Ones

Elli-torial: Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Plugging Back Into Night City

One of the issues that One Piece and other anime have, is that the movies are not canon. Movies that are basically one-offs and have no consequences to the overall story. They might introduce new characters, locations, and villains, but if they aren't connected to the overall story it feels cheap. Oda finally decided to make this film a part of the story and though it is loosely connected, this does help give the movie a much needed emotional punch. In true One Piece fashion, Oda manages to immerse you into a bombastic setting with fun, outlandish characters all while asking the light-hearted question:

"Is world peace worth it if it means losing your freedom?"

The story focuses on the series protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, The Straw Hat Pirates, seeing the world-famous music sensation Uta. Uta is putting on a free worldwide concert promising "a New Genesis." Once at the concert, Luffy realizes that Uta is in fact his childhood friend and daughter to one of the most important characters in the One Piece world: The captain of the Red Hair Pirates and one of the Four Emperors: Shanks. Uta is played by voice actress Kaori Nazuka but also by Japanese pop artist Ado. Ado who, back in 2020, debuted her first hit single "Usseewa" at the age of 17. Since then her popularity has skyrocketed throughout Japan. Ado's singing is one of the film's strong points, while also being its Achilles heel.

Ado recorded an album's worth of music for this movie and while most of the songs get shortened for the movie, her singing is a focal point to the movie's plot. To many, especially though who do not enjoy a lot of signing in their movies, I can understand where you may lose interest. With that said, these songs absolutely SLAP. From the opening jam that is "New Genesis," to the tempo setting rock anthem "Backlight," the dread inducing "Tot Musica," to the gut-wrenching finale that is "Where the Wind Blows." Ado's voice paired with Kaori's portrayal of the ethical antagonist is what makes her so much different from other villains in the series.

Uta isn't an evil character, in fact, it is the opposite. She has seen the world and how broken it is. The navy doing the bidding for the all-powerful elites known as the Celestial Dragons. The world's people are being robbed and abused by sinister pirates plundering islands. She is the voice that gives these people hope, and it is up to her to save everyone from their current strife. Uta has the power to make everyone happy and continues to work on making the world a more peaceful place. But what happens when the means of doing so begin to get warped? What happens when your ideals collide with your closest friends? That is where the conflict lies between the guilt riddled Uta and Luffy who only wishes to be the "King of the Pirates." To be the King of the Pirates means to be the freest man in the world and that dream has been instilled in Luffy's head since Shanks gave him his iconic straw hat.

This dynamic is different from most because we often see villains that simply want to abuse and manipulate the people around them. Uta doesn't hate Luffy, in fact, he's the last person she wants to hurt. She simply wants to help those who have been left to dry by the world government. It is these themes and conflicts that help make this movie shine. But where there is praise there must also be criticism.

Where the movie struggles is in the CGI. Though the opening performance from Uta doesn't have bad CGI, it gets progressively worse throughout the film. Especially in the middle of the film. There is one particular piece of animation that is comically bad, which can take away from the seriousness of the movie. Another issue I had was the use of a certain anime trope that feels redundant at this point. Without going into spoilers there is a particular term that rhymes with "shmemon ding" that is used in what feels like 99% of ANY action anime and frankly, it's stale. Lastly, it feels that outside of Luffy, we didn't get too many lasting moments from the rest of the Strawhat Pirates. They all play their parts in the final arc, but for a portion of the film, they feel like any set of side characters which takes away from the essence of One Piece. What makes this series so special is how the main cast interacts with one another, and although I understand this movie is focused on Uta, it still feels like the crew was left on the ship. With all that said this did give other characters moments to shine.

One Piece is notorious for introducing absurd characters with even more bizarre designs and within minutes will have them become your new favorite character. From the edgy Law with his bear companion Bepo, to Luffy's super fan and subordinate Bartolomeo, it is these goofy characters that bring some well-timed comic relief to the story. Next, we have to discuss the Red Hair Pirates. Not too much info is out there even in the manga about this notorious group of pirates, so it was a pleasure as a fan to get to see them finally in action. Their introduction into the final arc of the story brought home the bombastic finale and gave fans exactly what they have been waiting for. If you follow the series at all I can assure you will be very happy with the final fight of the film. Even if you are a casual, the film makes it easy to follow and the final fight has an incredible score with beautiful animation.

In conclusion, One Piece Film Red was another win for the franchise. Though it may not be as impactful as Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, or have the gore of Jiujutsu Kaisen 0, it is another fun outing for the Strawhats. The soundtrack, fights, and overall fun tied with an empathetic antagonist help give the story an emotional impact to help give this movie balance. Ado's singing is electric and though I can see where some might get tired of the singing, I personally felt that it is what gave the film its flair. The CGI and lack of impactful screen time for the Strawhats can feel like an anchor, but overall this film is exactly what One Piece is all about, a fun adventure with an emotional gut punch for good measure.

Final Score: 7.8/10 It's fun, dynamic and entertaining but not ground breaking. With excitement for the upcoming episodes and chapters, we're officially in the endgame now and Oda is just getting started.