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One Piece Chapter 1146 Review/Recap

The Straw Hat Pirates are in trouble. In the middle of trying to help save the giants of Elbaph, Nami, Usopp, Brook, Jinbei, and Colon managed to run into Gunko of the God’s Knights. As strong as the Straw Hats are, no one outside the Monster Trio might be able to take them on in a fight. What’s worse is that the Celestial Dragons’ plans to blackmail the giants are starting to come together. If they are not stopped, then when the final war begins, the giants could be fighting on the wrong side! And if that happens, there may not be any hope left for the world.

Recap

The Colon Pirates are shocked by the sudden arrival of Gunko aboard the ship, realizing she was one of the intruders. In response, Gunko goes on a tangent saying how she is one of the gods, and that they were kidnapping the children to bring them back to Mariejois. Outraged by this attempt to enslave the children, the Straw Hats hit Gunko with all they’ve got. However, they discover that she can regenerate from even their worst attacks, and that her powers allow her to strike at them from anywhere. Worse, she can use her arrows to even redirect their attacks onto each other. Before the Straw Hats know it, they’re all down for the count.

As she takes Colon hostage, Gunko monologues about how the God’s Knights are doing all of this to blackmail the giants of Elbaph. They had hoped to keep the world in the dark about the impending Armageddon, but now that their hand is forced and war is imminent, they want the giants to fight for them. And with their kids about to be taken hostage, the adults may not have a choice. Elsewhere, the other God’s Knights have subdued the Giants. Qillingham is getting ready to broadcast to the entire country, and worse, Sommers has just beaten the daylights out of Saul, much to the horror of Robin and Chopper!

Review

As expected, the God’s Knights are nothing to sneeze at. Then again, given how much One Piece loved the concept of serial escalation, it makes sense that the enforcers of the World Nobles would be this powerful. What’s worse, though, is that they are every bit as black-hearted as the majority of their brethren.

Thanks to Gunko’s decision to monologue, the heroes now know that the Celestial Dragons plan to annex Elbaph. They’re going to use the kids as blackmail to force the giants to do their bidding in the final war of Ragnarok. If that happens, and the giants are forced to serve them, then there would be no hope left for the world. Everyone who doesn’t live on the Red Line would eventually die. And what’s worse is that now that they know the Straw Hats are in Elbaph, the God’s Knights could force the giants to hunt them down.

All is not lost, though. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji are safe in the underworld for the time being. And with Loki having eaten plenty of food, the giant prince might be strong enough to get back on his feet soon. While he might not be wholly trustworthy, the Straw Hats might not have a choice but to work with Loki to kick the God’s Knights out. Meanwhile, Franky, Ripley, Lilith and Bonney dealt with their own attackers, so they could join the counterattack.

Harald Had Horrible Timing

There was one other detail that stood out st the end of this chapter, though. It was what Sommers said about the giants of Elbaph growing soft. He complained that King Harald had screwed things up for them, and that got me thinking. The big fan theory is that Harald was secretly a puppet for the World Government and weakening his people from within. But what if he was actually trying to disarm the Giants so that they would be a non-factor in the coming Ragnarok? If that’s true, then Harald was doing it to prevent countless people from dying in the final war that is to come.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: now is not the time for the giants for pursue the path of peace. The World Government and the Celestial Dragons represent an existential threat to the entire world. They will not stop until they destroy what’s left of it and rule what remains! They have made war inevitable, they need to be brought down, and the Giants need to be the ones to help!

Having managed to catch One Piece fever in the wake of the anime’s return, I can honestly say I’m looking forward to the next chapter. I want to see the God’s Knights be out in their place!

I Give “Motion in Silence” a 4/5

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Matt Braly Announces the Return of Amphibia in a new miniseries!

When Amphibia came to an end in 2022, I didn’t think that we would be getting a continuation of the story anytime soon. We would eventually get a real-life version of Marcy’s Journal, which, along with shedding light on Marcy’s own journey in Amphibia, would hint that the Calamity Trio could return one day. Given how Disney had chosen not to do anything further with another story-driven cartoon, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, after it ended, I didn’t get my hopes up. However, all of that has changed. During a signing for the new artbook for the series (which I have), series creator Matt Braly announced that Amphibia would be getting a sequel in the form of a graphic novel miniseries, Amphibia: Strange Voyage.

And just like that, I have another reason to keep going in life. Thank you, Universe!

A New Adventure

Details about the upcoming miniseries remain scarce, but Matt Braly gave fans a basic synopsis during a book signing for The Art of Amphibia at The Grove Barnes and Nobles in California. The series will be ten issues long, and it will see Sprig, Polly, and their friends exploring a new continent. The same one that Ivy told Sprig Grime and others had recently discovered. One that is untouched by anyone from Amphibia. Beyond that, we know nothing. However, that’s still enough to have fans pumped! Who knows what sort of people and creatures they will find in this unknown land. Will they be friendly or hostile? If they’re not amphibian, then what will they be? I’m drooling at the thought!

To sweeten the deal, not only is Matt writing the story himself, but it will be illustrated by ZeoRandy, who’s made a name as a fan-artist in the Amphibia Community. She’s the latest of several people I’ve seen use their fanworks to get a chance to work alongside their heroes. As someone who wants that kind of opportunity, I wholly support this.

I’m So Pumped for this!

If you’ve read my blog, then you know how much Amphibia means to me. It helped me get over the end of Star vs and Game of Thrones. It helped me get through the worst of the COVID Pandemic. Getting to see it continue is something that I wanted, but didn’t think we would get anytime soon. Thus, you know that when it comes out, I’m going to be reviewing each issue for old time’s sake. Until then, I’ll keep supporting the show and its creators on social media.

Also, if you haven’t already, go buy The Art of Amphibia. I haven’t had time to read it yet, but I know it’s going to be good.

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Harley Quinn S5 Review

It’s been almost a month since the latest season of Harley Quinn ended, and I should’ve reviewed it by now. However, having other shows to watch and good old procrastination kept getting in the way. Thankfully, I was able to binge-watch the season in two big sessions, and I am so glad I did. This season serves as the biggest departure from whatever formula the show has had to date as Harley and Ivy leave Gotham behind for whiter pastures! They’ve gone to Metropolis!

Harley is Headed to Metropolis

A year following the end of season four, Gotham City is worse than ever. The Bat-Family’s disbanded, organized crime is no more. Even Harley and Ivy’s attempts to build an all-girls vigilante group has fallen apart, leaving the chaotic couple in a rut. Thus, when Lena Luthor hires Ivy to run a green initiative in Metropolis, they decide to move! Unfortunately for them, it just so happens that Metropolis is being targeted by Brainiac. And thanks to Harley, Superman has left to go on a sabbatical.

Uh-oh.

What an Improvement over Last Season

I’m just going to come out and say it: I think this season was a major improvement over the last one. I like how Harley decides to drop ant intentions of being a full-on hero and does whatever she wants, regardless of the morality spectrum. I like how the show decided to switch to a new location to keep itself fresh. And unlike my chief complaint about the last season, I dont mind all that much that most of the cast from the first season is now out of focus.

Joker and Bruce Wayne do appear, but they don’t even partake in any real heroic or villainous acts. Joker has become largely chill for a man who got thrown out of being mayor. As for Bruce, the longer he isnt being Batman, the more obvious it gets that this incarnation of him is…pretty sad to look at. He lost his parents and blamed himself for it. He’s lost two of his adoptive sons. His biological son has a strained relationship with him. Even his own butler is tired of him. He feels less like Batman and more like a character from The Venture Bros. It’s a very human look at one of the most iconic characters in the superhero genre.

The Most Human Version of Brainiac

Speaking of humanizing iconic characters, Harley Quinn continues that trend with possibly the last villain I could think of: Brainiac. If you’ve read my reviews for My Adventures With Superman, then you’ll know that I consider that incarnation of Brainiac the most vile I’ve ever seen. However, the Harley Quinn version of Brainiac might be the complete opposite, being the most sympathetic.

Whereas most versions of Brainiac are genocidal madmen, this version was a family man who tragically lost his entire planet while he was off doing his job. The trauma of that led him to seek out the best cities of other worlds, perfect them to his standards, and then shrink and bottle them. He’s a man motivated by tragedy and doesn’t want others to experience what he did, though he’s also driven crazy by his loss. He thinks he’s still talking to the family pet, though said pet has been dead for decades! And when Harley and Ivy show up in Metropolis with their usual brand of chaos, they become a major problem for him.

Harley Quinn Season 5

VERY SILLY but i like that it was more on the serious side with Brainiac and was actually pretty compelling. Lena was a goofy BUT cool villain. Frank dying wasn't on my bingo card thwts for sure, but Frankette is cute. The ending was peak ready for S6😩 pic.twitter.com/0VAf6581gA

— Gray = Natsu THE GOATS🗣🗣(Stan Holup & John) 💟🌸 (@WorthlessBaka) March 31, 2025

At its core, the fifth season of Harley Quinn is a conflict between order and chaos. Brainiac represents order, while Harley is an agent of chaos, albeit one that is wholly good or evil. Both are things that play a role in our lives, and many people have a preference for one over the other. Many claim that they would like a stable, controlled life like what Brainiac is offering, but the truth is, life is always going to be chaotic in some way. And that can be a good thing! Life can be messy, chaotic, and you may never fully know where it will take you. It can be scary, but that is also what makes it so much fun. In a way, Harley and Ivy embody this, living life to the fullest and encouraging others to do the same.

Also, in the end, it’s not Brainiac who serves as the big bad of the season; it’s Lena Luthor.

Lena is Just as Bad as Lex

Being Lex Luthor’s sister, Lena is just as evil and narcissistic as her brother, and she starts off working with Brainiac to rule Metropolis. However, it doesn’t take long for her to decide to turn on him, and she tries using Harley and Ivy as her instruments of destruction. To further drive home how evil she is, she murders Frank and pins it on Brainiac! Frank dies and doesn’t come back, being replaced by his daughter, Frankette! That was a pretty shocking moment!

But in the end, whether it’s Lex, Lena, or Brainiac, none of the villains are a match for the chaotic power of Harley and Ivy. Brainiac writes himself out by deciding to end his long existence, and Lena and Lex wind up getting eaten by Frankette. And just when it looks like Harley and Ivy might die in space, Superman saves them! Happy ending all around!

In fact, this feels like a moment where the series could end.

If this is the end, I’m at peace

I saw a video already saying this, but the final episode of this season of Harley Quinn feels like it could be the final episode of the series. It would make sense, too! Harley and Ivy are content with their lives and have a strong relationship. The supporting cast, both hero and villain, all seem happy with their lives. And with Superman looking to save all the other cities Brainiac shrunk, Harley looks set to help them all with therapy! It feels like the series could end here!

And, if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t mind that.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love it if the show kept going for a few more seasons. But sooner or later, you have to let a show rest before it ends up like The Simpsons. With no announcement about a sixth season, maybe now is the time for Harley Quinn to rest. And if it is, I might get sad, but would accept it in time. Plus, I think that the show will need to keep reaching into that barrel if it wants to remain interesting, and I don’t want to see that taking place.

I Give Season 5 of Harley Quinn a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1145 Review/Recap

Can we stop and take a moment to mention how awesome Jinbei the Sea Knight is? He fought alongside the late Fisher Tiger, became a Warlord, was a friend of Ace, and helped save Luffy’s life multiple times. All of the Straw Hats have their own value, but Jinbei is something else. And in the latest chapter of One Piece, he’s the reason why the kids of the Walrus school won’t burn alive.

Also, this is a reminder that the anime has returned after being on hiatus for the last six months. Considering how that has never happened before, it was a big deal.

Recap

Because Luffy decided to help save Loki’s life, Zoro, Sanji, and Goldberg start hunting for meat. With the help of a Homie Goldberg has called Nash, the group brings down a dinosaur for Loki to eat. Sadly (for Loki), the Prince is forced to endure Luffy’s disastrous attempts to help him get better, much to the delight of the Giants.

Once Loki calms down, he claims he wasn’t lying about knowing where Shanks is, but he won’t talk until Luffy fully sets him free. He does, however, sympathize with Luffy’s desire to meet his hero, as he, too, had a pirate he looked up to but couldn’t join.

Back up above, the Giant Pirates get busy fighting the nightmares, with Gaban noting how if Elbaph isn’t safe, the world is in trouble. The firefighters are desperately trying to put out the fires, but their efforts aren’t working fast enough. As the kids get closer and closer to the flames, Gunko watches and notes how the flames would wake the kids up in time to burn alive. At the last possible second though, Jinbei uses his Fishman Karate to unleash a tsunami on the flames, extinguishing them just in time!

As the adults all celebrate, Jinbei jumps aboard Colon’s ship and joins the group, with the boy praising how cool he was. However, their joy proves short lived. Gunko saw them, noticed how Colon was the one kid who wasn’t at the school, and appears right on top of the figurehead.

Review

Jinbei, you magnificent Fishman, you! For the umpteenth time since meeting Luffy, Jinbei has come in clutch for Luffy and the other Straw Hats. Thanks to him, the Giant kids are safe from being burned to death. However, that won’t matter if they reach the harbor. Once they’re taken to Mariejois, their parents may never see them again. And I’ll be damned before I see any more kids suffer at the hands of the Celestial Dragons! For the sake of everyone, the Giants and Straw Hats need to beat the God’s Knights now.

The question is, can they?

Right now, Colon’s group is at a severe disadvantage. Nami and Usopp aren’t the strongest of the Straw Hats, and while I’d rank Jinbei as the fourth strongest in the crew, even that might not be enough to beat someone like Gunko. However, they might have a secret weapon in the form of Brook. In the last chapter, it was revealed that Gunko is a fan of Soul King Brook. Having to fight her idol might trip her up enough to give them the advantage. As for the other Knights, I think Gaban could take them if he pushed himself. However, keep in mind that he’s no longer in his prime. He might be able to fight them to a standstill, but that’s about it.

Loki Was Influenced by Xebec?!?

Now, for the big reveal of this chapter: the connection that Loki has to the Rocks Pirates. Loki’s flashback reveals that he looked up to another pirate crew and wanted to go out to sea with them. While the chapter doesn’t name which crew it is, the fact that their captain dropped the name “Newgate” makes it obvious it was Rocks D. Xebec who was talking. This explains so much about Loki and why he, on some levels, feels like a darker version of Luffy. Besides both being impossibly strong, they’re also mischievous, tricky, and could potentially destroy the world if pushed that far. The difference is that Luffy had a positive role model in Shanks, while Xebec wasn’t. Maybe it was fate that the two would end up meeting.

Regardless of that, it appears that the real fight is about to begin, and all the Straw Hats need to join in. I’m hoping that Jinbei and the others can hold off Gunko, but right now, Luffy needs to join the fight before it’s too late.

Also, by the time you’re reading this review, the One Piece anime will be back in full, and I am so looking forward to seeing it! The flashback for Kuma’s life is going to leave people in tears, and I cannot wait to see Saturn get his karma in 4K.

I Give “The Blaze in Branch 8’s Forest No. 2” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1144 Review/Recap

When the Straw Hats and learned the giants of Elbaph were moving away from their warrior culture, I knew this would backfire. Living a life of peace is always a welcome decision. Peace is what allows most people to grow and thrive as a whole. However, with the World Government attempting to conquer them, the giant’s decision to abandon their warrior ways was very poorly timed. Now, Elbaph is under attack by the God’s Knights, an army of monsters, and their kids are in danger of being kidnapped! As the Straw Hats and Giant Pirates mobilize, hopefully this will be a wake-up call for the nation. With armageddon lurking on the horizon, the world needs warriors to help save it!

Recap

Ripley and Franky continue their tour of the Treasure Tree when the former shows the latter something amazing: a giant robot lying in the middle of the tree! Bonney and Lilith are already there, and Lilith thinks the machine’s over three thousand years old! Before Franky can let that number sink in or start investigating, one of Qillingham’s monsters arrives and starts attacking them.

In the western village, the Giant Warrior Pirates sober up as another monster starts bearing down on them. Nami, Jinbei, Brook, and Usopp offer to help, even telling Jarul about the other intruders. However, the giants insist that, as guests, they sit things out. Nami, unwilling to let children get hurt, rallies the others to help anyway. As fate would have it, Colon (who was also told to stay put) had the same idea. He agrees to let them go on his Svar, but he becomes the captain (LOL).

Back with the kids, Saul tries using shields to stop the hypnotized kids. While they do protect him from the thorns, stopping the kids makes them prick each other. Changing tactics, Saul lassos the backmost kid out of line. However, he’s then attacked by another giant monster! Everyone around Elbaph is under attack at this point!

Thankfully, the first wave of the cavalry arrives. After throwing up all the booze, Dorry and Brogy lead the Giant Warrior Pirates in a counterattack on their now-flying ship. Dealing a dual-blow to one of the monsters, Dorry and Brogy tell everyone the Giant Warriors will handle the threat. The others can focus on saving the kids.

They’re not alone, either. Scopper Gaban is aboard the Great Eirik, ready to battle!

Review

I think most One Piece readers knew something was up when we learned the giants were abandoning their warrior ways. Oda is excellent when it comes to foreshadowing things, and savvy readers should have picked up that something was about to happen. Something that would make the giants see that now was not the time to give up being warriors. Striving to be peaceful is usually a good thing, but there are moments when one needs to fight. Hopefully, the events of this arc will make the giants see that, with the world as it is now, they can’t afford to give up being warriors. The World Government is not content to leave them be, instead choosing to stoop as low as kidnapping innocent kids. That’s grounds for declaring war.

In any event, it was surprising to see the Giant Warrior Pirates rally so quickly. I’m pretty sure that throwing up all that alcohol isn’t enough to make one sober, but beggars can’t be choosers. Thankfully, Dorry and Brogy are being backed up by Scopper Gaban, one of the legendary Roger Pirates. After seeing how he made Luffy and Zoro take him seriously, it’s safe to say Scopper will be a great help. Whether he can fight the God’s Knights is up in the air. However, at least the Giant Warrior Pirates can hold the line until Luffy and the others show up.

Speaking of Gaban, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as Colon is as fearless as his dad. I had a feeling that if some big incident happened, Colon would wind up playing a big role. Hopefully, him helping to save the kids will make them stop treating him like an outcast.

In any event, this chapter helped build up a lot of anticipation for the fight that’s only started. I also found it funny that Gunko’s favorite song is “New World.” Imagine her reaction if she winds up facing Brook? It could be hilarious! I’m looking forward to it!

I Give “Time for Warriors” a 4/5

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