It was pretty tragic when Luffy lost his brother Ace, good thing he had a replacement waiting in the wings.
Title: ''Exploding Fire Fist! The Power of the Flare Flare Fruit Reborn''
Chapters Covered: rest of 743-744
New Characters: None
Episode Director: Yoshihiro Ueda (**1/2)
Animation Director: Kazuya Hisada (***1/2)
Time: 7:30PM EST
Watch It: www.crunchyroll.com/one-piece
Streaming Links: http://connectcast.tv/neetball or http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kacorporation
Not expecting this one to be as good as last week, but we'll see.
Im hyped. I dont think, this Scenes, will have the quality of the Manga, but I think that Ill be satisfied.
Nice, I see both Shida and Tomita on the key animator list.
~Stargazer~, ~Distance~ original stories.
3DS Friend Code: 2234-8294-8917
Ooh, we're in for a visual treat: I see Shida, Tomita, and Hiromi Ishikawa on the kay animator list!
Yeah, I believe people were able to notice Shida in the preview last week. Almost forgot about it though, but that's something to look forward to for sure.
Scratch what I said about Ishikawa though, I was misreading some kanji and jumped the gun.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
Double scratch that, I'm stupid and forgot it's Ishi_gami_, not Ishi_kawa_. So we've got Naotoshi Shida, Yoshikazu Tomita, and Hiromi Ishigami working on this episode. I loved Ishigami's past contributions to the show, so it's great to see her back.
The transition to the excellent animation is as jarring as always, haha.
And wow, I don't think they've done music into the eyecatcher at all since the war.
Shida is phenomenal like always. I didn't expect Tomita to do any scenes. That kinda surprised me.
Fantastic scene and the part with Ussopp was great, too.
Nice theme, but oh such a tease. But hey, should stop with the next episodes!
This episode was the best birthday gift I could have asked for.
Sure, the pacing was slow as fuck, but who cares? The art and animation were amazing!! I have no complaints.
Next week looks good too… maybe Toei is trying to upgrade OP's quality this year.
maybe Toei is trying to upgrade OP's quality this year.
They have upgraded the quality since PH arc, though it seems that many people here don't believe that.
A fantastic looking episode as expected. Next weeks looks fairly good too, someone may need to confirm when the preview shows up but one shot in the preview looks like Nakatani's work but I could be wrong 
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A fantastic looking episode as expected. Next weeks looks fairly good too, someone may need to confirm when the preview shows up but one shot in the preview looks like Nakatani's work but I could be wrong
Now Nakatani is working on Go! Princess Precure as Character Designer and Chief Animation Director (non-credit), and it's really a heavvvvvvvy work.
Preview Ep 679
! Sabo eats Mera-Mera no mi (Flare-Flare Fruit) & Preview Ep 679
They have upgraded the quality since PH arc, though it seems that many people here don't believe that.
Yeah, i was like 8 episodes behind, and after a little marathon session today, i can safely say we're in the middle of a string of very solid episodes, especially the last three. So tonight's being great doesn't exactly comes out as a surprise.
It probably looks that way because Yusuke Isochi is helming the next episode, and he's part of the same studio as Nakatani.
~Stargazer~, ~Distance~ original stories.
3DS Friend Code: 2234-8294-8917
They have upgraded the quality since PH arc, though it seems that many people here don't believe that.
oh, I know, I was just saying maybe they'll be upgrading it even more!! At least that's what I'm hoping hehe
It probably looks that way because Yusuke Isochi is helming the next episode, and he's part of the same studio as Nakatani.
Thats probably how I got mixed up. In any case, lets see if Toei can keep up the momentum of good episodes for a bit.
oh, I know, I was just saying maybe they'll be upgrading it even more!! At least that's what I'm hoping hehe
Yes!! I also hope the One Piece staff can get more budgets, more talent animators, some new EDs and ADs…
But the staff is under a company called TOEI ANIMATION, after all...:getlost:
All hail God Usopp, our lord and savior
Yoooooooo! Fantastic episode!
Fire Fist Sabo and God Usopp have arrived, everybody. Shida delivered beautiful animation to Sabo's fire fist scene. The past two episode have had more animation than a good portion of past arcs.
The misunderstanding scene between Usopp and his newly acquired followers was hilarious and well-done, mostly due to the musical score and timing.
Toei STILL continues to milk the Sabo teasing, even though 99% of the Japanese OP fandom has already seen his face on the official website. I guess waiting another week couldn't hurt.
I hope the sudden episode quality boost streak doesn't end anytime soon.
Art: A
Animation: A
Pacing: B
Content: A
Overall: A
Thank you BasedUsopp
This episode is proof that the law of averages exists. It was definitely the best Ueda-directed episode in recent memory, possibly the best one he's directed in the whole series. Of course it wasn't all him, there's the screenwriter and storyboarder too, but the "God Usopp" scene was all direction. It took a completely different tact than I had expected (I was expecting something a lot more openly comical) but when the BGM hit that crescendo just as the sunlight broke through the ceiling everything clicked. And aside from that the framing and visual beats were spot-on too.
The trio of Tomita, Ishigami, and Shida provided excellent work on the Colosseum scenes. Kinda wish Ishigami did something more actiony than Sabo eating the Fruit, but it was great to have her back all the same. My only complaint art-wise was that Robin looked like she was on drugs at the very end.
Next week looks great too - an excellent start to 2015. Let's hope Deguchi isn't the combo breaker when it's his turn the week after next.
~Stargazer~, ~Distance~ original stories.
3DS Friend Code: 2234-8294-8917
Most of the first half was super pretty, color me impressed. I especially like the scene where the hole is made.
The second half went on for a little too long for my liking, but the music made up for it.
First half was amaze-balls, but I absolutely hate this Usopp storyline, so the fact they stretched it out even further made be basically skip the entire second half.
First half was amaze-balls, but I absolutely hate this Usopp storyline, so the fact they stretched it out even further made be basically skip the entire second half.
How can you when the pay-off is so good?
Soooooo slowwwww.
Sabo was beautiful though. We'll always have that.
First half was amaze-balls, but I absolutely hate this Usopp storyline, so the fact they stretched it out even further made be basically skip the entire second half.
I don't like it either, at all…for reasons that should be clear. But they gave his scene such a "serious" treatment that it at least stopped him from being another Buggy in the anime, so far. I was expecting something more comical too.
Of course it wasn't all him, there's the screenwriter and storyboarder too, but the "God Usopp" scene was all direction.
Speaking of which, do you know who was the storyboarder this week?
Speaking of which, do you know who was the storyboarder this week?
Kôhei Kureta.
@Galaxy:
Kôhei Kureta.
Thanks. Interesting, as his previous two efforts were not particularly good, speaking from memory. I mostly know him as a replacement head director in Saint Seiya Omega.
They way they handled that God Ussop scene has restored my faith that Corazon's flashback will be done Justice.
HOW COME LUFFY NEVER KILLS AN ENEMY?
ODA:ITS BECAUSE IN THAT ERA EVERYONE USES THEIR LIVES TO FIGHT FOR THEIR DREAMS. FOR AN ENEMY WHEN THEIR DREAM HAS BEEN SHATTERED,IT IS AS PAINFUL AS DEATH,I BELIEVE FOR A PIRATE NOT TO KILL AN ENEMY , IT'S GIVING THEM A SECOND CHANCE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR DREAMS.
! They way they handled that God Ussop scene has restored my faith that Corazon's flashback will be done Justice.
Generally, the anime tends to not mess up flashbacks. Hoping it'll be the same for that too!
The anime needs to return to 1 chapter pacing by that point though.
Well nice episode. Loved that Fire Fist Sabo and God Usopp stuff
Huzzah! Fire Fist Sabo bringing in the views.
At times the first half looked too comical (see below), music made it sound as if Usopp was really dying. Still a 10/10 episode for One Piece.
Also who is it that did that frame for Diamante? Their style is very noticeable.
!
Praise the Usopp!
First half had terrible directing. Flashbacks were jarring as hell and the action scenes lacked good transitions between them. It was more like watching a sakuga video, and not an actual episode. The constant back and forth with godly and medicore art/animation wasn't helping too. It's going to be an amazing amv material, but as an episode it didn't work for me.
Usopp scenes, on the other hand, were perfect.
BY THE WAY
Someone needs to make a gif of shocked citizens faces done by shida. This shit cracks me up 
God Usopp has been animated! Geez, it feels like it was just yesterday that chapter came out? Are the anime and manga closer than normal right now, or am I just warping time in my mind?
Gotta love how Usopp's lies always become true, but it's hilarious that Oda took it even further and now he's "God Usopp". So blasphemous, I love it, just like I did in the manga. The Usopp speaking joke didn't seem as concisely done as it was in the manga, though.
Holy shit, the God Usopp scene was incredible, one of my favourites of the anime version of Dressrosa so far, and I didn't like it much in the manga. Those have to be the best music choices for an episode in a long while:
Two outstanding episodes in a row, let's hope the trend continues for at least one more episode, judging from the preview the next one looks good.
hmm not how i thought the breaking the arena went.
i thought he used his fingers to destroy the arena, but anime makes it look like his fist
Just saw the episode an hour ago! I must say that it was done very well, especially that dragon breath scene! 
I like where the arc is going now. It seems like things are coming closer and closer to battles. I'm excited to see what Sabo and Koala have in store for us.
all hail God Usopp!
but anyway that was a good episode Sabo is so awesome
Man, they really outdid themselves with the God Usopp scene. Must have also been a bitch to translate and localize. Surprised on how well they pulled that off.
Fire Fist sequence though had some absolutely incredible animation for this series.
A real grab-bag of One Piece goodness all-around.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Dahaka.:
First half had terrible directing. Flashbacks were jarring as hell and the action scenes lacked good transitions between them. It was more like watching a sakuga video, and not an actual episode. The constant back and forth with godly and medicore art/animation wasn't helping too. It's going to be an amazing amv material, but as an episode it didn't work for me.
Usopp scenes, on the other hand, were perfect.
BY THE WAY
Someone needs to make a gif of shocked citizens faces done by shida. This shit cracks me up
In absolute agreement there, though that first half was still rather entertaining. Those shocked faces are priceless!
GOD USOPP IS BORN ! :happy:
Music choices were fantastic!
I really enjoyed this episode, very well done in my opinion, I can't even choose which I liked more, Sabo or God Usopp.
Next week looks good too.
I liked last week's episode more than this episode. A bit disappointed but I'm not complaining, great episode
