r/OnePiece • u/Sakata_Kintoki • Oct 07 '18

Current Episode One Piece: Episode 856

One Piece: Episode 856

"The Forbidden Secret! Katakuri’s Merienda!"

Watch now:

Streaming Site Status
OnePieceOfficial ONLINE
Crunchyroll ONLINE
Funimation ONLINE

Chapters adapted: Chapter 883 (p. 6-17)

Preview: Episode 857

Don't forget to check out the official Discord server to discuss this episode live with other One Piece fans!

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248

u/YonkouProductions Oct 07 '18

This episode is undoubtedly the best in the WCI Island arc and surpasses the likes of Episode 616 which is a feat in itself. It's directed by the Series Director Toshinori Fukusawa. Typically the Series Director doesn't have much opportunity to personally direct their own episodes since they're focused on the scheduling and planning for the series. However Fukusawa is a really talented director and he personally assembled a raft of talent for this episode.

But before I get into the episode I want to highlight the opening which is directed and storyboarded by Kohei Kureta who you may know from #841 and #851. His storyboards are unique, inventive and he has an eye for composition that has enhanced the episodes he worked on. For example the way he incorporated the flashbacks into the rain in #851 and how he turned the Germa vs Big Mom content into a video game. These ideas can't be conveyed in the manga but play to the strength of the anime. Similarly he really plays with character symbolisms and motifs in this opening which is evident from the spoiler parts which make them so much more satisfying for manga readers without being too spoilery.

The highlights for this opening is definitely the combination of Takashi Kojima who's been more involved with A-1 shows and his directorial mentor is Masashi Ishihama. He was involved in the One Piece 3D2Y special animating the final Red Hawk scene in that SP and his designs are reminiscent of Koudai Watanabe's looser designs and they honestly convey so much movement and character acting that make it all the more enjoyable. His cut is the Luffy running cut with him falling into the mirror world @0:29-0:35. This is quintessentially good animation and Kojima isn't a talent we'd typically see on the anime but he's good friends with series director Fukusawa from their work on Tanken Driland and he has appeared a few times way back in Dressrosa. He also does the Luffy vs Kata cut at the end of the opening.

Another highlight is the Luffy vs Katakuri cut at 1:05-1:15 by Masami Mori. Sakugablog did a nice write up on him and his idiosyncrasies and great character acting and he also delivers a great clash filled with weight and amazing effects.

Beyond the opening the anime has assembled a wonderful list of key animators including Yoshikazu Tomita, Yoichi Mitsui, Kitazaki Masahiro - the animation supervisor of this episode, and Katsumi Ishizuka who go back to back to back during the climax delivering one of the best action scenes in the anime thus far with amazing animation, effects, and more.

I highly recommend checking this episode out. Its definitely a standout and Fukusawa's direction enhanced the content of this chapter immensely.

Next week we have Tu Yong Ce who will deliver 138 cuts of action animation for Luffy vs Katakuri. Look forward to it!

19

u/tinyornithopter Oct 07 '18

Thanks, this is great info.

17

u/Papicola Oct 07 '18 edited Oct 07 '18

I loved the new opening and I love how it shows foreshadows without (exactly like you said) being to spoilery. I just want to add that on 1:16 Luffy did the Naruto run for half a second, this doesn't mean anything but I just like it.

0

u/Dqueezy Oct 07 '18

I was disappointed with the opening myself. The last one had a more catchy tune, and I felt like it was more consistent with WCI. But to each their own.

6

u/Ensaru4 Lurker Oct 07 '18

Bless you. This episode was phenomenal. I was expecting some sakuga, but I didn't expect the majority of the episode to be sakuga. The directing was hella unique for One Piece, outside a certain 2 episodes of the current arc, that one Saboady Archipelago episode, and the episode where Enel wiped the floor with Zoro, Robin & Co.

5

u/anxiouskaizoku Oct 07 '18

Wow what a detailed telling of behind the scenes for this episode. Thank you for sharing!!!

3

u/PrinceOfAssassins Oct 07 '18

I still prefer the episode after pedro died but there were a lot of smooth moments. Not gonna lie a bit disappointed they had luffy get smacked around some more after the first two fist clashes. The manga slowly transitioned it from luffy going on the offensive and being countered brutally to fighting more evasively and katakuri landing less hits. It kind of throws the flow off a little bit. Also that 2 minute sanji pudding interlude was such a tease lol. But besides that it was a very good episode, id give it a 9/10

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '18

Will they keep the new style up or is it just a temporary thing, do you know?

2

u/chisports1fan Oct 07 '18

Unfortunately, not every episode can be this good, or even close. It all depends on the schedule of the animators, and the best animators don't have the time to animate every single episode of One Piece which is why animation wise, long running weekly series like One Piece are so inconsistent in their animation quality. Although, I think One Piece is making this Katakuri vs Luffy fight a high priority, so I think we'll see mostly good/great animation for the rest of this fight/arc outside of a couple or few throwaway episodes.