We are twenty-five years into the saga known as One Piece, a manga series created by Eiichiro Oda about a stretchy pirate which released its first chapter in Weekly Shonen Jump in the summer of 1997. The anime quickly followed, running weekly since 1999 at the expense of pacing and animation (do not watch the anime except to check out some of the fights). I have been reading the series weekly since 2006. Oda-sensei says we are in the “final saga” and the series may finally reach its conclusion within the next couple years. At this point, if you’re not in, it’s not happening. Either you want to read 1000+ chapters about a world of pirates, strange superhuman abilities, and a talking skeleton, or you’re fine on the sidelines. One Piece is now the top-selling manga of all time, though it still feels under-appreciated in the United States. Which is fine for me; I like feeling like this is a story just for me. One Piece Film: Red, released in conjunction with the series’ 25th anniversary, does not exist to find new converts. Red is a musical celebration of the series’ most important theme: freedom. Filled with cameo appearances from some of its most popular characters who haven’t appeared in the main story for years, the movie is a canon-swerving, candy-colored explosion of song with some fun visuals and little sense.
Like most anime films, Red introduces us to a new character never before mentioned but of great importance. Taking the spotlight (literally) is a young woman named Uta, a pop star beloved across the world, though her identity has remained a secret until now. The Straw Hat Pirates, led by our hero Monkey D. Luffy, have arrived at an island called Elegia for her first live concert. After a rousing song, Luffy realizes he knows Uta – she’s Red-Haired Shanks’ daughter, of course! Shanks, rarely seen but one of the most important characters in the story (having given Luffy his straw hat), apparently abandoned Uta not long after she first met Luffy for reasons unexplained. Uta harbors some resentment towards Shanks, but she is more focused on giving a performance so powerful that the entire world is united in harmony.
The film hits the ground running, not even pretending to re-introduce the Straw Hats, Marines, or anyone else for that matter. Red assumes you are caught up on the manga, and god help you if that’s not the case. The story doesn’t really fit anywhere in the canon, as fishman Jinbei is part of the crew, but he couldn’t actually join until after the Wano arc, in which the entire balance of the world shifted. But that’s too granular for this review – what matters is Uta and her tragic backstory on Elegia, and the secrets that lay behind her singing voice.
One Piece Film: Red is a good time, but don’t expect any world-shaking revelations. Shanks is too important to the series’ endgame for him to actually have a significant role here, and Uta, like the movie characters before her, is not going to make an appearance in the manga. If you just want to spend time with Luffy and hear some poppy tunes, that’s what this is all about. The animation is not at the Broly level, but it’s serviceable and colorful. You really should be caught up on the manga though.
One Piece Film: Red
Dir. Goro Taniguchi
2022
115 min
In theaters Friday, 11/4
