Luffy vs. Lucci in One Piece episode 1100 has fans ecstatic

One Piece episode 1100 was released on Sunday, April 7, 2024, and was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from fans, who have flooded platforms such as X with posts of appreciation. The quality of animation, particularly during the action sequences between Monkey D. Luffy and Rob Lucci, is undoubtedly a peak for fans, fully justifying the new style that has been adopted for the Egghead arc.

This episode was eagerly anticipated by the manga readers especially because they were aware that from this point onwards, the story would start picking up pace. The episode begins to unravel the mysteries of the One Piece world, which makes sense because it is part of the Final Saga. Although the final war is still some distance away, the events that will potentially trigger this war are perhaps in this very episode.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

Why anime fans consider the latest One Piece episode 1100 to be the peak

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The Luffy vs Lucci fight sequence in One Piece episode 1100 has been recognized by fans as one of the anime’s best fight scenes, thanks to its visuals, pacing, and color choices. It is no surprise that fans, including @GreninjaGoat, are gushing with excitement about this episode.

Toei Animation, the studio behind One Piece, has faced its fair share of criticism from fans over the years. The issues primarily revolve around the quality of animation and the pacing of the series. One Piece has aired weekly since 1999. However, the poor animation quality of the early arcs could potentially discourage future viewers from watching the series, as if the length of the series were not already a problem.

The pace of the series is another significant issue that has continued to frustrate fans. However, the animators have to keep producing new episodes without catching up with the manga by Eiichiro Oda which only releases around thirty chapters a year. This often results in fans enduring weeks without new content, repeated recaps, and filler episodes and arcs.

Lucci vs Luffy as seen in the One Piece episode 1100 (Image via Toei)

Interestingly, despite the criticism, the filler arcs have been well-received by fans due to how entertaining they are. However, fans have been less forgiving regarding the pacing issues. This is particularly evident during battle sequences, which are thrilling in the manga but often become tedious in the anime due to drawn-out scenes and unnecessary reactions from every character present.

These concerns were also expected in the Egghead arc when the studio had announced that each episode would only adapt half a chapter. However, the most recent episode has demonstrated that the animators are capable of enhancing even a weekly anime like One Piece.

How fans have reacted to Luffy vs Lucci action in One Piece episode 1100

Gear 5 Luffy as seen in the One Piece episode 1100 (Image via Toei)

The general sentiment among One Piece fans after watching One Piece episode 1100 is that of giddiness, given how amazing the action was. One X user, @regeckted, for instance, exclaimed,

“Toei Animation Did it Again🔥 The Episode 1100 of #ONEPIECE was AWESOME!”

This sentiment is shared by another X user @YooMontee, who, referring to Toei Animation, said that

“they did not disappoint with luccis awakening straight fire”

Fans had previously seen Luffy's Gear 5 transformation during his battle with Kaido in the Wano arc. However, this episode surprised fans by visually capturing the essence of the transformation, which is simultaneously absurd, comical, and defying reality, in an even better way.

The clear, thin-lined art and dynamic style deserve praise for accurately depicting Luffy’s rubber-like powers as he stretches his body, dodges attacks, and jumps around Egghead. Another user @Hatchofly_ shared,

"Toei considered that Luffy Vs Lucci was a high priority episode and delivered one of the best episodes of the entire series. #1100 competes with #1089 for best episode of the arc. By coincidence, both were made by the same director, Nozomu Shishido."

Adding to the excitement is the return of Lucci, Luffy's old adversary, who harbors a grudge against him, and is now more powerful than ever. The episode delicately renders Lucci's Awakened form, which is both beautiful and dangerous, fast and supple. On the other hand, the changing color palette captures the heartstopping moments when Lucci and Luffy’s fists collide, with neither gaining the upper hand.

Lucci's Awakened form as seen in the One Piece episode 1100 (Image via Toei)

The episode's pacing is its backbone, making it one of the best fight sequences animated by Toei for One Piece. It is also worth noting that this rematch is taking place after 17 years for anime viewers and draws many parallels between the latest and the original fight between Lucci and Luffy.

Despite the positive reception, some other fandoms have criticized the fluidity of the episode, particularly referring to the scene where Luffy, in Gear 5 form, mocks Lucci. One such user stated,

“This is genuinely one of the worst fight scenes I have ever seen, of course it comes from mid piece 💀”.

There have also been accusations of the use of AI to produce some scenes. However, such comments are unlikely to deter One Piece fans from talking about the improvement in animation shown by the studio.