Doflamingo changes the stakes.

What They Say:
The mystery of Doflamingo’s return from the dead is revealed! But there isn’t much time to ponder how it happened, as his plan to silence the country of Dressrosa unfolds, spelling doom for the Straw Hats!

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The picking up of events has definitely been a plus amid this arc, partially because it’s managed to go back to some characters we haven’t had to do much with for a bit, such as Sabo. But it’s also given Usopp a chance to really shine in an even bigger way, which is a lot of fun to see at the same time that I continue to revisit older material through the DVD releases. While all the character have changed along the way, some change more than others and Usopp is definitely one that has had some significant growth. So seeing him once again really earning himself a Captain Usopp kind of title and having the admiration of others is very welcome. And with what he’s done here for the fairy people in helping them regain control of their destinies, it’s certainly warranted in the way Luffy has done for others over the years.

With the pickup in events, a lot is still going on naturally and seeing the various groups now moving towards the SMILE factory to destroy it is good to see, though those inside aren’t afraid in the slightest because of how their part of the factory is put together and the fact that two of the top executives are defending the place. The chaos there is building up nicely, as is the chaos in the streets. This episode finally takes us back to Doflamingo as well, who we saw had his head cut off recently, which has been a real surprise to Luffy when he discovered that. With him talking up his Birdcage ability, that freaks out some of the others and sets into motion some intense action since Kyros is intent on wiping him off the planet. But it has this beautiful moment as Doflamingo attacks – and attacks huge – only to have Luffy slide in to slow things down a little. Luffy’s movements have always been interesting to watch in sequences like this because he has such an unpredictability about him and it plays out well here as he gets to refocus on going on the offensive in a big way.

With a few nods here and there to other aspects, there’s some great stuff in this fight with Doflamingo since he plays big and hard, making it a real challenge for the others as they get into some really difficult situations. The big plays that get put into motion here are intriguing, especially with what Doflamingo is doing with his clone body, as it begins to resonate throughout the land as everyone is getting hit with threads from it. With their bodies coming under his control, it turns into a self-destructive blaze of glory as they’re shooting each other, buildings, everything, in an out of control kind of way. Doflamingo as a puppet master is not a pretty thing. The scale of the chaos is interesting to see, especially as it comes after it felt like the tide was turning. Doflamingo goes big with it and then makes his pronouncement about just how much he’s in charge and all it does it reinforce just how strong his position is here. He’s a villain that you can certainly hate.

In Summary:
After ignoring Doflamingo for a couple of episodes after having his beheading, the refocus on him here for the most part outside of a catchup at the SMILE factory is certainly warranted. While I would have wanted more hands on time between Luffy and him, what we get is solid and the series changes the dynamic of the story here in a big way as it goes on. Doflamingo has his own goals, but a lot of what motivates him is his sense of true power and dominion over others. Playing puppet master is certainly right in his wheelhouse like this and issuing a challenge amid the chaos and ruins definitely plays up to the side of him that just loves seeing others think they may have a chance, just so he can dash it. The show is readjusting to what it wants to do now and it looks like a hell of a ride.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.