As far as anime returns go, few were more anticipated than One Piece‘s return from its six-month hiatus earlier this April. The long-running shonen anime is in its final saga, and although the conclusion of its narrative is likely many years away, the stakes have never been higher than they are in Part 2 of the Egghead Arc. This series-defining conflict has served as the culmination of years’ worth of narrative build-up and world-building, and with its latest installment — Episode 1125 — the real conflict has officially begun.
One Piece Episode 1125 — titled «A Clash of Two Men’s Determination! Kizaru and Sentomaru» — begins with Admiral Kizaru’s preliminary attack on Egghead Island, and from there, it raises the intensity in a major way. All things considered, Episode 1125 personifies not only the scale of the Straw Hat Pirates’ clash with the World Government but also One Piece‘s increasingly modern approach to production, and even though the climax of the Egghead Arc is still some ways away, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The World Government Flexes Its Muscles as the Assault on Egghead Begins
One Piece Episode 1125 Delivers on All Fronts With Its Action
The production quality of the Egghead Arc has been incredible since its first episode (especially compared to other One Piece arcs), but in the two-part premiere of Egghead Part 2, the series didn’t feature a ton of action — something that probably disappointed a number of fans after it aired. That said, no one can argue that Episode 1125 is lacking in the action department; in fact, it’s arguably the most exciting episode of the series since the Raid on Onigashima, if not the Summit War at Marineford over 14 years ago.
Episode 1125 makes it painfully clear that the World Government’s assault on Egghead Island is unlike anything One Piece fans have ever seen. Thanks to the stellar work done by Toei Animation, the sequence truly captures the scale of all-out warfare, making the looming threat of their 100-ship fleet feel dangerous in a much-needed way. The Buster Call initiated at Enies Lobby happened close to 900 episodes ago, and although the fleet outside Egghead Island was directly stated to be larger than the aforementioned fleet at Enies Lobby by a notable degree, this fact didn’t necessarily feel real until One Piece‘s latest installment. Episode 1125 sees the World Government fleet absolutely lambaste Egghead with a hail of cannon fire, and even though fans of the series have seen far flashier attacks, Toei’s production brings the entire episode to life in a way that feels absolutely incredible.
It’s not just the World Government’s forces that feel tangibly more dangerous either — the forces at Dr. Vegapunk’s disposal are also brought to life in incredible fashion during Episode 1125. While this may have been expected of an established figure like Sentomaru, who squares off against Admiral Kizaru on the ground floor of Egghead, even the Sea Beast Weapons located in the waters surrounding the island come across as a horrifyingly powerful opponent as they level sections of the World Government’s fleet. The influence of One Piece Fan Letter is palpable throughout Episode 1125 as it makes the conflict feel larger than life, leveling hordes of regular Marines left and right as they attempt to gain a foothold on the island.
On the island, Sentomaru and Kizaru’s battle is even more awe-inspiring than the all-out warfare taking place on Egghead’s shore. The pair carry a reputation as two of the most defensively-sound fighters in the Marines, so when they start to trade blows in Episode 1125, it’s a fun, vivid glimpse into the pecking order of the World Government’s primary military force. Their strikes reverberate all the way to the waters outside of Egghead Island; however, in the end, what is most enthralling about their conflict is something that fans might not have expected — a flashback.
A Duel Between Close Friend Highlights the World Government's Malignant Influence
Kizaru's Flashback With Sentomaru Captures the Toll of Corrupted Justice
Although Episode 1125 is packed with action, the episode also includes one of the more unexpectedly poignant flashbacks in recent One Piece memory. During their one-on-one bout, Admiral Kizaru and Sentomaru remember their shared history, which began when Kizaru and Dr. Vegapunk found Sentomaru alone in the woods when he was still a child. Though it was already known that this trio were familiar with each other, it’s entirely different to actually see them meet, and Episode 1125 gives fans a much-needed glimpse of what motivates each of them as characters — especially considering Admiral Kizaru’s adherence to Unclear Justice, which has gone just as undefined throughout One Piece as one would expect.
Eiichiro Oda’s series has always put a major emphasis on the importance of friendship, and as Episode 1125’s flashback establishes, Vegapunk, Kizaru and Sentomaru aren’t just friends. This group legitimately considers each other family because of how close they are. Unfortunately, even their tight bond isn’t enough to overcome the Admiral’s willingness to follow his orders, and as Kizaru stands over Sentomaru’s torched body following an all-out attack from his Glint-Glint Fruit, the Japanese kanji for «Justice» written on his cloak looms over the fiery battlefield.
It’s a poignant shot that captures what is arguably the most horrible aspect of the World Government’s nefarious influence on the Grand Line — the global regime’s ability to splinter social groups based on appeals to justice. One Piece has undercut the authority, legitimacy, and ethicality of the World Government more and more with each arc, and nowhere is this more clear than Episode 1125. Admiral Kizaru helped raise Sentomaru, worked alongside Dr. Vegapunk, and legitimately values his bond with both characters, yet he still ravages Egghead Island because of his obligation to listen to his superiors.
The most exciting element of Egghead Island Part 2 is undoubtedly the action that is set to accompany the second half of the arc. Still, moments like Kizaru’s reflection on his past with Sentomaru are what truly separate One Piece from the rest of the pack, as they give fans a chance to appreciate the nuance that defines the series’ setting — nuance that is only possible thanks to Eiichiro Oda’s long-term commitment to fleshing out his beloved narrative.
One Piece's Age Is Its Biggest Strength in Episode 1125
Modern Production and Decades of Build-Up Have Spawned a Truly Unique Experience
One Piece is one of the shonen genre’s Big Three, and as such, its influence has helped shape the very tropes and concepts that define the genre. However, the overwhelming success of Eiichiro Oda’s series has also held it back at times by drawing the ire of fans who dismiss its originality because of the series’ more dated elements. Though the Wano Arc helped begin a shift away from this sentiment thanks to its stellar production, episodes like Episode 1125 are quickly making sure that Monkey D. Luffy’s adventures will be remembered as some of the most visually stunning storylines in anime history. The entire episode feels refreshingly modern, and in many ways, it’s hard to believe how far the production value of the show has come since its debut in 1999.
Even more importantly — and perhaps even a bit paradoxically — One Piece‘s uptick in production value has helped shine some focus back on the incredible nature of its long-term storytelling and world-building. Without any criticisms to lobby towards the visual quality of the show, the patience of Eiichiro Oda is shining brighter than ever. Admiral Kizaru’s flashback with Dr. Vegapunk and Sentomaru, Roronoa Zoro’s fight against Rob Lucci, and the Straw Hat Pirates’ reunion with Kizaru at the end of the episode are all storylines decades in the making, and as a result, it is hard to appropriately capture just how exciting One Piece Episode 1125 feels for long-time fans of the franchise. That said, viewers need to look no further than the closing moments of the episode for evidence of the show’s future potential.
As Admiral Kizaru enters Punk Records at the end of Episode 1125, he finds himself standing off against Monkey D. Luffy for the first time since One Piece‘s protagonist interrupted Portgas D. Ace’s execution two years prior. However, just as the Admiral starts to state that it’s been a «long time, no see,» his words are harshly interrupted by Luffy, who launches an Emperor of the Sea-sized kick at Kizaru. In a similar vein to Eren Jaeger’s abrupt attack on the Warhammer Titan in Attack on Titan‘s final season, Luffy’s interruption of Admiral Kizaru defies the long-running trope of anime villains monologuing, and it is even accented by a sharp cut to silence as the Straw Hat Pirate quickly demonstrates that things are about to be much different than they were at Saboady Archipelago.
Overall, this idea of growth feels like an appropriate overarching theme for One Piece Episode 1125. The Straw Hat Pirates have changed an incredible amount since they were soundly defeated at Sabaody years ago, and just like them, Toei Animation’s approach to adapting Eiichiro Oda’s flagship series has also majorly upgraded over time. The overlap in these two growth patterns has created a perfect storm, and moreso than ever before, both One Piece and its protagonists are prepared to enter their primes, making the next few episodes of the Straw Hat Pirates’ stand against the World Government must-watch programming.
