Thread by @SakugaRelux

One Piece #1062

In the midst of an already demanding arc, Katsumi Ishizuka, Ryosuke Tanaka, and a team of remarkable talents managed to put together one of the most impressive animated action spectacles of the year. Let's break down how they made it happen.

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#ONEPIECE

First of all, it needs to be expressed that this sort of thing simply isn't possible for the vast majority of long-running series, especially not in the middle of such an action-heavy arc (with the most important content still yet to come). Not only did they manage to execute a-

-large-scale sakuga episode on an unprecedented level for the series, they did so immediately after another action episode featuring many of the team's strongest regular artists. By all means, this would ordinarily result in some sort of production collapse, but the planning-

-behind the OP anime has been incredibly effective in facilitating big episodes like this while still ensuring that future moments get the attention they deserve. Producing 2 consecutive action episodes of this quality is quite the feat, and wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

We can get a rough idea of the timeline from the drawing Ishizuka posted back in September of 2022, which matches up directly with a shot from the episode. As this was by far his largest SB contribution yet, he evidently spent months on it between that and animation direction.

While I don't intend to downplay the influence of Tanaka or any other involved staff, it is Ishizuka's presence that elevates this episode to such a memorable level. His storyboard evokes the raw scale and ambition of certain historic action episodes, clearly drawing inspiration.

Castlevania 4x09, Fate/Apocrypha #22, Mob 2x5 or 3x6, each of these rely on the same variety of unrelenting spectacle to overwhelm the viewer with animation power. It's not exactly a sophisticated formula for action, but it's one that I can't get enough of.

In a particularly comparable moment from FGO Babylonia #08, we see a sword-wielding character up against countless serpents, which she cuts through to reach an eventual final blow. This type of setup for an action scene is perfect when the team has talent to spare.

In Takahito Sakazume's supremely stacked Priconne 2x04, characters are up against an army of monsters and a massive golem, which also just so happens to be the perfect scenario for skilled animators to flex as hard as possible.

This is a common formula to see in openings as well, specifically when a lot of talent is involved. If the team needs an excuse to showcase spectacular action animation, inventing some sort of giant enemy or obstacle tends to do the trick.

The point here is that knowing they wanted to go big, Ishizuka essentially scrapped the manga's version of the finisher and decided to set up a scene like one of these instead. This way, he allowed the animators to go hard while overseeing and assisting them in doing so.

That isn't to say that only Ishizuka's section is notable, however, as there's plenty of good stuff in the first half as well. Toranosuke Hori's animation starts the episode off on the right foot, just as it did back in #1051. It's a short yet snappy and impactful exchange.

Tatsuya Miki's animation is complimented here by appealing photography as well as storyboards from Sota Shigetsugu, which he created and sent in without even being asked to do so. I'm glad they were used because it's my favorite section of the first half for all of those reasons.

Contrasting orange and blue is a classic color design practice and works wonders in these shots. It's certainly helped by how strong the post-processing is, just as Naoyuki Wada's photography amplifies the visual appeal of the eventual climactic moment.

Isuta Meister's Purgatory Onigiri quite literally sets the stage for the madness to come and is, questionable sound design aside, a very solid piece of animation. As this particular move was visually defined by Ishizuka back in #934, his influence can be found in multiple places.

It's cool that despite him not touching the first half, multiple direct references to Ishizuka's past animation and/or storyboards are still visible.

The flashback which begins the B part is understandably the least bombastic segment of the episode, but is still enjoyable through the soundtrack usage, color design, and some cool shots throughout. That, and some more healthy anime-original additions.

Dorian Coulon's sequence adds some animation flavor into the mix, sporting strong effects and character acting that reminds me of Tatsuya Yoshihara's approach. As with Yoshihara's character work, there's a consistent flow to the movement with minimal variation in spacing.

Once the action starts again it's immediately clear that this half will be something else entirely. The relay between Fasto and Shoutarou Ban (switches @ 0:29) features what I would consider to be both of their best work as individuals.

Ishizuka's board here has a strong sense of tempo. Two quick jumps from Zoro leave him suspended in slow motion while centered on screen, and as his movements cease the background is engulfed entirely by fire. Stopping Zoro before the fire hits allows the viewer's focus to shift-

-comfortably from one part of the action to another. The same technique is used here. King and Zoro slow down momentarily to give the viewer a moment to register what happened, and then again when it's time for the explosion to happen behind them. This tempo is beneficial for-

-the pace of the action, especially when there's a lot going on at once. As a random note, the paper-esque debris employed by Ban here is reminiscent of Hisashi Mori's iconic debris shapes. I always find it fun to pinpoint inspirations like this.

This quick moment also features some of the best Ishizuka corrections in the episode. In certain ways, it feels as though he channeled both Masami Mori and Takashi Kojima here, while still being unmistakably drawn by him. I can't get enough of this cut of King, honestly.

Tatsuya Miki brings us back into the action with a strong execution of what was my favorite piece of action from the chapter. Using those lines of fire to depict King's movement is an effective way to build tension for his incoming attack, which is timed perfectly with Zoro's-

-dialogue and the start of the OST.
In an episode filled with fantastic impact frames, Miki's are easily some of the best. To my knowledge, he does it all on paper, which does set them apart from the majority of the others.

On another random note, I'm 99.8% sure the composition of this cut is a direct reference to a cut I've seen elsewhere, but I've thus far been unsuccessful in finding it. Pulling Zoro away from the camera before throwing him back towards it on impact conveys the speed very well.

While not officially credited to anyone as of now, I consider these cuts to be among the strongest in the episode. They carry a remarkable sense of both weight and volume, on top of being elevated by some great Ishizuka corrections.

Yen's Ultra Tiger Hunt is another showcase of Ishizuka's action tempo. Once the attack has been set up, Zoro still doesn't fly forwards until after the (absurd) background animation track-back has been completed. Although he's stationary for a moment, we still feel movement due-

-to the background and effects remaining active. Micheal Sung's part follows, which was a name I was excited to see due to his history of excellent effects work. He certainly delivered on that front, especially when it comes to the extra detailed flames on Zoro's swords.

And so, it begins. Vincent Chansard's first contribution to OP as a contracted member of the team is frankly his best ever (with some help from Luana Nguyen). There's a lot to unpack with this one, but it's simultaneously difficult to put into words.

Vincent's uncanny ability to draw or rotate subjects from any possible angle allows for scale to be expressed in numerous different ways. I've seen many people immediately blown away by this shot, which simply could not exist under regular circumstances. King sure looks small.

Clever manipulation of independent painted background elements makes the setting feel significantly more three-dimensional, as well as accentuating the sheer size of the area. This technique is fairly uncommon to see in an age of 3d backgrounds, but very welcome.

Something as small as keeping Zoro's position visible as a tiny green star provides perspective and allows the viewer to relate the positioning of both characters. This sets up the distance he needs to cover to reach his target, and once again emphasizes the scale of it all.

As the chaos begins, the camera actually loses track of Zoro's location before quickly swiveling to reveal him slicing his way up the dragon. Ishizuka's tempo ensures that the camera completes its movement just before Zoro appears, and of course, it ends in a slow-motion shot.

While not quite a 1:1 comparison, I find this to be an interesting similarity between 2 pieces of amazing animation. I can't say with 100% confidence that inspiration was taken here, but the usage of 1s and light trails are fairly alike.

It isn't until Yen's big sequence begins that we get a good look at the absolute madness unleashed by King, which appears to almost be alive thanks to the pulsating shades of orange presumably added to the beams by Wada.

Contributions from both Ishizuka and Sota Shigetsugu to Yen's base result in some of the most satisfying effects animation I've seen in a while, and really sell the chaotic power/heat of the blast.

Between the animation, the photography, the new OST with that killer Shakuhachi flute, and the pure intensity of the drawings, I cannot think of a better way this spectacle could have concluded.

Yen's loose/smeary approach synergizes perfectly with Ishizuka's corrections, which actually managed to replicate the inky style he uses in his Twitter artwork within the episode. Some of these drawings would be perfectly at home within a Mob Psycho episode.

After such an onslaught of colors, sights, and sounds, there is an element of calm and catharsis to the aftermath, which wipes away the orange and green for a more limited palette that reflects the end of the fight.

Hard to say whether it was an idea of Yen's or Ishizuka's, but debris converging on a distant character before they burst into the foreground is yet another creative way to depict extreme speed.

As if all of that wasn't enough, we close things out with some unnecessarily complex background animation (Yen), a few more blasts from the Shakuhachi, a badass landing (Hiromi Ishigami), and a highly memorable to-be-continued screen.

Honestly, I didn't expect to have quite this much to say about the episode, but I find Ishizuka's section in particular to be endlessly interesting to break down. Many independent elements come together to make for an incredible showcase of animation power, and I live for that.