Anime: Marineford Arc- Episode 481

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First Thoughts 
OH MY GOSH! I was smiling so much in the first half of this episode! Just seeing Luffy and Ace together made me so happy. Everything about the first half of the episode was perfect and I enjoyed every moment of it! This was the best way to end the year for One Piece. I felt tears of happiness after watching last week's episode and that happy feeling continue on from the first moment when I saw Ace and Luffy (with Mr. 3) floating in the air in the tunnel of flames.



Summary
Ace and Luffy fighting though Marines as they make their escape.

Squad drives the Moby Dick paddle ship into the square.

Whitebeard issue his final command to his crew and tells them to escape.

Thoughts 

 My gosh! I was smiling for almost the whole first moment of this episode. If it involved Luffy and Ace jumping around and beating up Marines (heck them just standing next to each other) then I was smiling from cheek to cheek.

How can't a person be happy to see these two brothers back together? Luffy literally went to Hell and back then jumped into the hurricane that was Marineford just for Ace who isn't actually his brother! Damn! It such a heartbreaking story of brothers and it is awesome to see them back together since we haven't seen them together for the last three hundred episodes. It was Luffy fault that Ace got imprison but still it is just touching that these brothers are back together and kicking some overconfident Marine butt!

It seems like Hancock's bust has deflated a little since last week's episode.

I can see that a lot of people share my opinion about seeing Ace rescued. Such a happy moment if you are not a Marine who is going to get roasted by Ace attacks. I was a little happy every time I saw a Marine getting roasted by Ace attacks. Does that make me a bad person? I don't think so since many of the Marines were getting on my nerves for being so cocky.

Also was it just me or did it seem like we saw a lot of new background Whitebeard pirates in this episode?

I miss Big Bust Hancock....

My smile just widen seeing these scenes. Watching the Marines trying to stop Ace and Luffy was awesome since they were so pitiful against them. Bullets won't work because Ace is flame and Luffy is rubber. Damn awesome to see Luffy stretch out and fire back those pullets while Ace looked cocky as the bullet did nothing to his body.

"They make a perfect pair."
-Vista

You can say that again Vista.

The part where Ace pushed Luffy down to avoid being slashed just made me happy. Ace and Luffy are awesome together and it reminds me back to when they were taking out Baroque Work agents back in Alabasta except better. Both of them fighting together to help each other out while kicking some butt. So awesome. Beautiful.

I am such a sucker for brothers working together. haha

This is maybe one of the low points of the episode. Seems like Toei Animation got a bit lazy and repeated a scene that they used earlier in the episode. Whatever....This episode was already awesome with so much Ace and Luffy fighting together. haha

My heart and face went "Aww!" when I saw this scene. The flashback of young Ace and Luffy running together with Luffy having trouble keeping up then going to the current moment where Ace and Luffy now running side by side pulled at my heartstrings.

Toei Animation is really trying to build up this moment and make it last. If they are doing that then they are doing a damn good job of it. Seeing Ace and Luffy together is making me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Now this looked really nice. Adrmial Aokiji versus Fire Fist Ace. A battle of fire and ice. Clearly Ace would win this fight but it was cool to know that Aokiji was still willing to give it a try. It was very big brother-like of Ace to want to protect his little brother.

So far we have Pheasant Beak for Aokiji and Hound Blaze for Akainu. So I wonder what is Kizaru signature move that is based on his nickname, The Yellow Monkey.

Awesome moments for Buggy and Mr. 3. I didn't care too much for Buggy but seeing him staring at the screen like that looked pretty cool. Though nice to see that Buggy has such big dreams. haha

Mr. 3! I so love you! My happiness for seeing Ace and Luffy together was all because of your brave efforts to fulfill your friend's wish! I am so happy and now a big fan of you! I don't care what you do from now on because you are just plain awesome in my book. Way to go Mr. 3!

Looks like mix reactions from the Marines. If they are not getting beat up they are either been discouraged or upset or if you are Doflamingo then happy. Nice to see that big feather boa guy is in a good mood. Fufufufufufu~

I hate to be the Marines right now since they are either getting beat up by Ace or Luffy or by themselves or Akainu. I think I rather be getting beat up by Ace since he is so warm. haha Though Sengoku seems really upset. He had Ace and Luffy right in front of them and he still couldn't stop the two from escaping.

Cool music. Not cool Squad.

I have really mixed feelings about Squad. I feel bad for him since he stabbed Whitebeard and he himself feels horrible for doing that but I also think he is an idiot. He goes out riding on the ship that could be used as Whitebeard and the guys' escape and puts it on the battle field so it can be used as possible target practice for the Marines. Smart idea genius! Now how will everybody escape? Sigh...

At least Squad as a loyal crew who is willing to stand by him no matter what even if it means death. That surely seems to be Squad's plan since he thinks that is the only way to repay Whitebeard after stabbing him in the chest.

Also what the heck is Akainu doing? Shouldn't he do something about the giant ship that is about to crash into the island that he cares so much for? What a douche. I have to say that at least the anime is doing a good job in making Squad look like an idiot since I wasn't feeling this when reading the manga.

Whitebeard is an amazing old man.This guy was able to stop a huge boat and then create a huge crack in the Marine HQ. Surely Whitebeard didn't get the name "Strongest Man in The World" for being lazy.

"Everyone, survive at any cost and go back to the New World safely!"
-Whitebeard

Seems like Whitebeard is willing to lay it all here at Marineford just for his 'sons' can get away safely. This is his final order as captain and that is stressing the word captain since it seems like he knows he won't be living Marineford alive. That is hard to believe since nobody known has died in One Piece during the current timeline. That doesn't stop this order from being taken serious since it surely sounds like it going to be hard to get out of Marineford safely. You have Marco with two holes in his chest and a frozen Jozu who has lost an arm (Looked back to the last episode and saw that Jozu fell down and when he did his arm came off.). Still Whitebeard really cares for his crew and he is willing to lay down his life just to ensure that his crew is okay.

So the episode ends with Whitebeard looking back to his younger years. A time when he knew what he wanted, a family.

Preview

Things don't look good in the next episode. Not good at all! Things got serious dangerous seeing that Akainu is now walking with magma dripping. That is not the only thing dripping as a droplet of blood can be seen falling on the ground. Then we have a vivrecard that is burning away. Surely it can't belong to somebody that helped make me feel warm and fuzzy! It can't!

Damn....Things don't look good at all and it seems like Akainu is behind it all. What has he done to create such a bad feeling just by watching an episode preview. Seems like we are going have to wait till 2011 on January 9th to watch the next One Piece episode.

Next Episode: The Power That Even Burns Fire - Akainu's Final Move

Oh boy! Things don't sound or look good at all. Till next time true believers!