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Fun anime pirate adventure has cartoon violence, language. Rated: 4/5 • Aug 28, 2020. If you crave a narrative that, in Martin Scorsese's words, only amounts to being a theme-park ride ...
- (16)
- Fantasy, Anime, Adventure
- Takashi Otsuka
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- The pirates get a wonderfully absurd feature film.
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By Will Harris
Updated: Apr 28, 2020 10:29 pm
Posted: Oct 23, 2019 11:00 pm
One Piece: Stampede will play in limited theatrical release in North America on the following dates: Oct 24, 29 & 31 (Subtitled); October 26 & 30 (English Dub) Canada: Oct 25 & Nov 5 (Subtitled); Oct 28 & Nov 8 (English Dub).
“In a deep, lofty darkness, you will find your answer.” This is the only hint left by Gol D. Roger, king of the pirates, after he hides an “invaluable treasure” on the island where the great Pirate Festival, the setting of One Piece: Stampede, takes place. And that’s all the setup we need for a perfect “greatest hits” film which pits the Straw Hat crew and so many of One Piece’s most beloved and fan-favorite heroes and villains (Trafalgar Law, Boa Hancock, Buggy, Eustace Kid, and more) against one another in a thrilling carnival setting as they race to find Gol D. Roger’s treasure.
When the Straw Hat crew receives an invitation to the Pirate Festival, we are deluged with exposition about Buena Festa, host of the event, and about the event itself. Some crew members dance and sing and wax lyrical about all the festivities they’ve heard so much about, while others ponder what kind of traps might be lying in wait. The exposition is awkward, but not anything out of the ordinary for a shōnen anime. It also serves as a great catch-up for those concerned they might be lost (don’t worry; you won’t be). This minor reintroduction to Luffy and his crew is a welcome one, and it invites us into their fun – they’re excited, and they want us to be excited, too.
The fact that this is a story that’s both outside the canon and one that celebrates the legacy of One Piece is leaned into enormously throughout the film, and that’s what makes it such an intensely fun romp from beginning to end. What has kept One Piece so endearing to its audience is that it’s a ‘90s shōnen anime that has remained so faithfully ‘90s. Power levels that rise with the stakes; campy characters and wild world-building that embraces nonsense; decades-old sound effects as iconic as the Wilhelm scream; tasteful usage of CGI and sakuga – all of these elements help One Piece keep the blessed flame of ‘90s shōnen alive.
One Piece: Stampede introduces two main villains: Bullet, former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew (whose name is pronounced like mullet in the dub because, well, he has an enormous mullet), and the mystery mastermind behind the film’s events – no spoilers for their identity here but it isn’t hard to guess. This character proves to be a disappointing villain, but Bullet takes center stage as such an absurd embodiment of ‘90s shōnen strength-obsessed, power-raising muscle and rage that this can only be read as tongue-in-cheek. Bullet is strength personified. He’s a living challenge for Luffy and the other pirate captains to overcome.
Watch the English dub trailer for One Piece: Stampede below:
The success of this film -- which sees One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda as its writer and creative supervisor -- is in its pacing. The way that the action of this 100-minute movie escalates is masterful. From the celebratory opening scenes, and the reunion with old friends, to the shift up to the island and the insane brawls that follow – both one-on-one and team-up fights – there’s a constantly rising level of intensity and exhilaration. Not a single moment feels bloated or wasted, but neither is it rushed. Everything we need to know is spelled out clearly and with real emotional weight, even as the rising action and tension takes center stage.
While One Piece: Stampede doesn’t leave an impact, story-wise -- there are no great upheavals or shifting of the status quo -- that’s not really the point here. This movie is a celebration of the legacy of One Piece. It reminds us how far Luffy and the Straw Hat crew have come. It basks in the absurdities of ‘90s shōnen and boasts about One Piece’s...
Review scoring
great
Anime's favorite pirates get a worthy big screen adventure in the nostalgic One Piece: Stampede.
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Anime's favorite pirates get a worthy big screen adventure in the nostalgic One Piece: Stampede. Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Oct 24, 2019
Oct 24, 2019 · Battles in One Piece: Stampede are as exhilarating as ever and the movie provides a glimpse into the series’ future. The movie thanks viewers for sticking with Luffy’s adventures for 20 years...
- Just Lunning
Oct 21, 2019 · One Piece: Stampede is a movie that delights in rewarding long-time fans with all sorts of familiar faces (Captain Buggy! Capone Bege! Lily the Glutton!). The film even makes fun of itself...
Aug 9, 2019 · Read reviews on the anime One Piece Movie 14: Stampede (One Piece: Stampede) on MyAnimeList, the internet's largest anime database. Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hats arrive aboard the Sunny to the Pirates Festival, the world's largest celebration created by and for pirates.
Oct 24, 2019 · Review scoring. great. Anime's favorite pirates get a worthy big screen adventure in the nostalgic One Piece: Stampede. Will Harris. Read Review. Summary. Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate...