One Piece Manga Reader: A Love Letter to Japan

The Wano arc of the One Piece anime series is a love letter to Japan, with the island of Wano serving as a depiction of the Edo period. The team at Toei Animation makes some truly inspired decisions when embellishing the manga, adding an additional layer of music and theater to the story. The result is a fluidity and vibrancy that bursts onto your screen like cherry blossom petals.

The opening moments of Wano mark a significant shift in the animation quality of One Piece. Gone are the days of lagging behind its peers; instead, the show now boasts a color palette expanded and detail-oriented animation. This change is evident from the very beginning of the arc, which uses the framework of a kabuki play to superimpose a three-act structure across the entire story.

The anime's take on the Wano arc was released about one year after the manga's conclusion, and it serves as a throughline beneath the entire production. The One Piece anime itself, its story, and its audience have all undergone major shifts since time immemorial (or at least, since the early 2000s). Luffy's grin in a well-worn kimono is just one example of how things have changed.

The Wano arc has cushioned the entirety of the COVID experience, and yet, when the new promotional image for the upcoming Egghead Arc graces my screen, it will be the first time ever that I won't be greeted by Monkey D. Luffy. Over the past four years, I've gone from being One Piece curious to die-hard to professional pundit.

The story is now moving on to a new island, and One Piece itself is in a whole new world. The Wano Country Arc has finally come to an end, nearly four and a half years after it began. With its conclusion, the stage is set for a fresh start, and fans can't wait to see what's in store next.

One piece manga reader