One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1165

Episode 1165 of One Piece is one where you settle in and watch the crew enjoy some downtime for the full runtime.

I'm very mixed on these sorts of entries. On the one hand, it sure is a nice reprieve from the relentless big action and cavalcade of dramatic plot reveals. There were times through long stretches of recentish arcs (Wano in particular) where I never felt like I had a chance to breathe. It was titanic mega-punch here, ultra attack there, shocking reveal in between - dramatic escalation after dramatic escalation. At the time, I yearned for a slower pace, smaller stakes, and more room to let moments sit.

We do get that relaxed sense in this episode, which I appreciate. The Straw Hats get time to enjoy Elbaph and its people without the need for a lit fuse or a Sword of Damocles hanging overhead. Since anything beyond the One Piece itself counts as a long-term objective, the crew finally reaching Elbaph after all this time is something the lads have been trying to achieve for the longest time. The crew is taking a victory lap of epic proportions! They're soaking in the local flavor, taking in the sights, and enjoying a victory feast for the journey rather than an earth-shattering battle for the fate of the known world.

I just wish there was a bit more to chew on beyond the vibes. Yes, we get new costumes and a catwalk for a few of our favorite goobers. There's an extended explanation of the book, enlarging magic that's nice if a bit unnecessary. We also get some fun continuity check-ins with long-time supporting characters from many moons ago. It's not lost on me that some of these characters are so old in real-life terms that the old-timey black and white film reel effect for their flashbacks holds more truth than flourish…

But I can't help but feel this was an opportunity for a few more character beats to be in the mix. The moments are nice, but they are mostly confirmations of existing character concepts rather than any new quirks to their personalities or fond connections. Zoro likes the drink. Sanji sees women and is dismayed when they have something on their mind other than him. It's the usual fare with little else worth mentioning. I suppose the children being goobers is somewhat novel, but even then, we end up in a very similar joke to one we've seen countless times (young boys burying their heads in chests and so forth).

Which is all to say that none of this is bad, but for the time expended, there are a lot of missed opportunities and berries left on the table.

Rating:

---

One Piece is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.