Anime: Special Retrospective Pre Marineford Arc- Episode 457

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First Thoughts

Hey y'all! Its my first Anime recap and I am pumped! Mikey shall be doing the manga recap for this week and hopefully the normal cast roles shall be restored pretty soon.

There wasn't anything too special or unique about this episode, its your standard recap filler episode but the fact that this recap is integral to the current situation and features some of the best arcs/episodes in the series so far but admittingly because of the fact that they placed full scenes of these makes the episode drag a little bit, but heck at least its GOOD filler.

Summary

Luffy recaps pretty much the entirety of Ace that we have seen so far in the entire series to Jimbei. It is for the most part, a clip show.

Thoughts

We open this episode's title card to standard shot of Ace all locked up just hours away from his scheduled execution. I really like this shot...the colours just seem reflective of Ace's location and emotions.

We immediately cut to the marine ship heading off to Marineford and once again for the past few episodes, Luffy is standing atop the main cannon waiting patiently for them to arrive to save his brother as Ace's Vivre card slowly singes away. By the way I love the animator for this episode, but like said; since this 80 or 90% clip show his effort is wasted if you ask me.

Here comes our favourite whale shark fishman (man thats a mouthfull) Jinbei! 

Jinbei notices Ace's Vivre card and brings up the fact that Luffy and Ace used to run through the fields as children (Ace apparently told him this at some point). 

They reminiscence on the two of them eating together, sleeping together 

and...Luffy getting his arse handed to him. Ahh brotherhood...

I have to say that Luffy and Jinebi really do hit it off in this episode, since they both make light of the situation that they're heading into a war by remembering the good times with Ace. Luffy explains how he couldn't beat Ace once, even before he ate the Flame-Flame fruit. Which both this and a lookback on the two as kids is FORESHADOWING!

Jinbei asks Luffy if he never saw Ace once since he left for the sea 3 years before Luffy left but we all know thats not true. The two had of course reunited in Alabsasta which we will see right now.

The two brothers reunite!...FLASHBACK STYLE!!!

Of course we see the two (after they managed to escape Smoker which is on Season Two Fourth Voyage) reunite and see Ace try to convince Luffy and the Straw Hats to join the Whitebeard Pirates which of course Luffy refuses. We cut to them on the Going Merry with Ace explaining to Luffy that he's after a man called Blackbeard since he killed one of his own crew...guess where that leads to? (moar on that later)

We also get this infamous scene where Ace gives Luffy the Vivre card and that the next time they meet up...they'll be at the top...which may or may not happen.

Luffy then moves on to remembering the time he met this mysterious man allll the way back in Jaya. 

Another fateful meetup, this time of 2 men who shall one day discover they're enemies. IRONYYYY!

We also get a brief clip of Luffy and Zoro getting beaten up in Mock Town without fighting back (long story, watch Season 3 First Voyage)

"Peoples dreams...will never die!" Love that line.

'Nuff said about this scene. Luffy's next memory is of when he first learns of Ace's execution and Whitebeard waging war against the government at Amazon Lily. Hard to believe its been 9 months since this aired in Japan. Time really flows by doesn't it?

"I gotta save Ace!" count #001

We cut to Jinbei and Luffy again which segments to another flashback after Jinei realising that he didn't know that Luffy had already met Teach. This is when we see Luffy realising the man he met back in Jaya was Blackbeard and gets SUPA ULTRA PISSED OFF!

Another memorable scene, this time from Impel Down

Jinbei tells Luffy how good friends he was with Whitebeard and basically outlines Ace's motives for wanting to take Blackbeard down.

EYECATCH BREAK

We then cut to Marineford and see Ace in his cell awaiting his execution.

I didn't know that Marineford manufactured clones. Maybe its cost effective.

Ace reminiscences on Banaro where he finally finds Blackbeard and faces off in one of the most epic fights in the series so far. In fact its so awesome I'm only gonna sum it up in a few pictures.

'Nuff said...again

And thats basically it. Thats the end. Overall, its a clip show so I didn't expect much but I at least expected a little bit more of new content, but like I said before its good filler. We get the best moments of Ace, Luffy and Blackbeard from Alabasta, Jaya, Post Enies Lobby, Amazon Lily and Impel Down. The chats between Luffy and Jinbei were quite interesting but nothing too special.

Preview

Looks like next week we're getting intel on the other side as we see the Seven Warlords getting ready for the upcoming battle as well as the 3 big admirals themselves; Aokiji, Kizaru and Akainu. Speaking of Akainu, I don't believe we've actually seen him in an episode since the Ohara incident flashback. So more filler on the horizon, but hopefully after this next episode, the war will FINALLY begin.

Next Episode: Flashback Special Before Marineford- Assemble! The Three Admirals

Things'll hopefully be back to normal next week! Oh wait there isn't an new episode until July 11th cuz of the f-ing World Cup.

Bloodshed is only a stones throw away....or at least it would've been