Cast Member: Yuriko Yamaguchi

Despite all the talk prior to its release, the film is essentially just routine filler that, whilst definitely still fun and impressive to look at, doesn’t exactly break any new boundaries.

‘One Piece Film: Z’ is a really good ‘One Piece’ movie. It has some very solid animation, plenty of action and an engaging story that genuinely feels connected to the show.

Being an action fan it is fair to say I was very aware of the lack of it, but at the same time this is easily overlooked when you consider the quality exhibited in the story department.

This particular effort is easily my favourite so far as it truly understands the heart of ‘One Piece’ and is an absolute joy to watch.

Existing fans will no doubt spend the majority of the movie bemoaning the loss of certain key scenes, while newcomers will be left scratching their heads throughout.

‘One Piece: Episode of Chopper’ is a surprisingly respectful and entertaining reinterpretation of one of my favourite arcs.

The new animation style makes it feel very unique and there’s a real larger-than-life approach to the whole production.

Although this movie marks the fifth big screen outing for the ‘One Piece’ pirate crew, the series is showing no signs of weakness and continues to churn out one successful adventure film after another.

While I don’t think I could call it my favourite of the ‘One Piece’ movies, this seventh outing is yet another fine example of how to make a very entertaining side story.