Movies / Animé and Toons

One Piece Season 3, Second Voyage

By Chris Zimmerman
September 11, 2010 - 12:25

After a draught of extended arcs that focus on world building instead of the occasional filler fight, One Piece jumps back into the saddle with this latest release, setting the stage for yet another story arc that promises fun and adventure in ways only One Piece can deliver. Picking up at episode 157, this set commences what is dubbed as the Skypiea arc, this latest run of episodes has the unenviable task of following the exceptionally crafted Alabasta storyline and while it can’t hold a candle to its predecessor, it’s still preferable to filler though that is not to say it is terrible; Given this is One Piece, it should come as no surprise to viewers that a healthy dose of humor, action, and the prerequisite epicness is in store.

Those hoping to learn about the bizarre nature of the world of One Piece should consider this set a gold mine. New lands are explored, bringing with them mysterious new powers such as mantra as well as advanced technology that can be used for a variety of tasks from powering boats to combating opponents. Viewers are also treated to a lesson in the history of Skypiea, detailing the rift between its cultures and the recent rise of its malicious ruler Eneru.

Spliced in between are the usual battles between Eneru’s lieutenants and the Straw Hat pirates. These fights aren’t exactly the best the series has to offer, with many dragging along due to the fact that many of the adversaries the Straw Hats face aren’t really perceived as worthy threats to the majority of the crew. Factor in that most of them just seem to be thrown out there to be given the protagonists something to do and it’s easy to see how the momentum of the series can find itself dragging.

The real satisfaction that comes from watching these episodes is the slapstick comedy characteristic of the series. From fleeing giant snakes to Usopp using Luffy and Sanji as his guinea pigs to test his newest outlandish inventions, One Piece still managed to deliver a gut busting laughs.

Aside from the marathon play, the only extra of note is a commentary between the voice actors, discussing their roles and what they believe the story holds for their characters. It’s not very informative but as far as anime commentaries go, it’s the standard fair.

As one who has followed One Piece can tell, flashbacks, character introductions, and fights are all ingredients laid out for the building of an arc. Though this string of episodes isn’t successful on all fronts, the set up is completed, allowing the next set to jump right into the high jinx. When taken as a whole, these episodes are best appreciated as building blocks for the real mayhem in store for next time.

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Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12