OnePiece's much-awaited 1000th episode was everything that the fans could have wished for. The episode marks a huge milestone for One Piece, and fans of the series had huge expectations from the episode. Suffice to say, the episode delivered on every front.
The build-up to the 1000th episode was phenomenal. Toei Animation had revealed a commemorative visual, which showed Kaido and Luffy going head-to-head against each other. The visual was sufficient to hype up the fans for the landmark episode, but it wasn't the only thing the episode had to offer. There were a lot of things that the fans loved about the 1000th episode — here are some of the highlights.
6 Nekomamushi & Inuarashi's Transformation
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi made their debut in OnePiece during the Zou arc. The two rule over Mokomo Dukedom and protect it from any danger. Both of them are very powerful, but when they faced Jack, they couldn't overwhelm him. Jack's ancient Zoan type devil fruit provided him with absurd stamina, which allowed him to fight the two rulers without any problems. Eventually, he used the poison gas that was created by Caesar to gain the upper hand.
The Minks didn't stand a chance against the dangerous weapon, and ended up losing the fight. Due to the torture from Jack, Nekomamushi lost his arm and Inuarashi lost his leg. The two rulers of the Mokomo Dukedom held a grudge against the All-Star for a long time, and in the 1000th episode, the two finally used their Sulong transformation to attack Jack. Needless to say, the transformation was incredible, and fans absolutely loved it.
5 Flashbacks Of The Straw Hats
The monumental episode would not have been the same without the inclusion of the Straw Hats. The 1000th episode focused mainly on the Straw Hat Pirates, the series' main characters. All the Straw Hats had their moments, and when each Straw Hat was being revealed, there was a minor flashback showing their journey so far.
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It definitely made the fans nostalgic, as many longtime viewers have grown up watching Straw Hats go from one island to another. The flashbacks to the crew's adventure so far was an excellent touch.
4 Quality Of The Animation
Toei Animation has drastically improved the quality of the show's animation in the Wano Country arc. Almost every episode in the arc oozes quality and is thoroughly enjoyable, which has led a lot of fans to conclude that the anime is in fact better than the manga.
So far, the Wano Country arc has provided OnePiece fans with some of the best episodes in the entire series. It was quite obvious that OnePiece episode 1000 wasn't going to be any different, and once again Toei Animation proved that the series is in good hands.
3 A New Opening Pays Homage To The Series
The opening for OnePiece episode 1000 was very special. Instead of the regular opening for the Wano Country arc, Toei Animation used the iconic "We Are," which was the very first opening featured in the show.
The song was the same, but Toei added new visuals that featured the Straw Hats in their current costumes. Furthermore, the opening also included other important characters such as Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid, Sabo, Yamato, etc. The opening served as a timely reminder that many characters in OnePiece are yet to play a major role. So, there is plenty to look forward to in upcoming episodes and storylines.
2 All The Straw Hats Appearing Together For The First Time
The 1000th episode is in fact the first episode where all the ten members of the Straw Hat Pirates were shown gathered together. Though the Straw Hats were together at Fish-Man Island, at that time Jimbei had not officially joined the crew. Luffy had made the offer, but it wasn't until the Whole Cake Island arc that the former Shichibukai accepted to become a part of the Straw Hats.
It was in this latest episode that the Straw Hats were finally all together at the same time. It was definitely an emotional moment especially after the Whole Cake Island arc, where the crew almost lost Sanji to the Big Mom Pirates. Seeing all the ten members together was something special, and fans will undoubtedly remember it for years to come.
1 The Beginning Of The Scabbards Versus Kaido
The build-up for the fight against Kaido started all the way back during the Punk Hazard arc. After a few more arcs had passed, it became apparent that the Scabbards have held a grudge against Kaido for decades, after watching the Yonko murder Oden in cold blood. The Scabbards had to hide their frustration for decades, as they could not afford to expose themselves to unnecessary danger and ruin the chance of getting revenge.
The 1000th episode is the very beginning of the fight between the Scabbards and Kaido. The group led by Kin'emon is going to clash against the Strongest Creature in the World. After holding back their emotions for so long, the eight Scabbards finally have an opportunity to make their mark against Kaido, and they will ensure that they don't let it pass by.