WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE ANIME EPISODE #1062

Zoro's incredible One Piece anime made Sanji's character better, episode 1062 raised the bar even higher.

Episode 1062 of One Piece, titled "The Three-Sword Style of the Supreme King! Zoro vs. King," saw more than Zoro taking down Kaido's strongest subordinate. King's face reveal, his and Kaido's backstory, and the fight against Zoro received much more focus than they did in the manga. With One Piece author Eiichiro Oda aiming to end the manga series within the next few years, several interesting moments in the series happen off-screen or in fewer s than readers hope for. With that being said, the latest episode of the One Piece anime reached the full potential of what an excellent anime adaption can achieve by expanding on the lore and action viewers desire.

Animators Gave Zoro Vs. King More Focus Than The Manga Could

After the One Piece Wano arc switched up its art direction, the series started to shift in a way it never had before. Several episodes from the latest arc have often trended on Twitter for their stellar adaptations, like the beginning of the Raid on Onigashima (#982), Luffy's first Red Rock Fist against Kaido (#1015), and the flashbacks involving Oden witnessing Roger fighting Whitebeard in their primes (#965), to name a few. Episode #1062 and these others all have something fantastic in common; they added meaningful content to accentuate the themes and emotions of the series in a way that Oda could not in the manga.

Impact Frames From One Piece #1062 Contain More Story Beats

Image from One Piece anime episode 1062 shows a stylized impact frame of a young version of King raising his arm up with eyes glowing green and his dark wings spread out.

With One Piece releasing weekly episodes over the last twenty-three years, several moments have been heralded for their animation. However, over the previous few years, the series has been hiring animators from across the globe with phenomenal results. Artists behind the latest episode even added impact frames into the episode's fight that tell their own part of the story. Hints of each character's past and the trials they've faced to reach this point are hidden throughout the episode and provide more character development for both King and Zoro in an incredibly stylish way. The visuals combined with the music demonstrated what Toei is capable of when its talented team works together.

Now that the anime is receiving the attention, budget, and talent to produce stunning episodes, some fans believe One Piece's flashy fights take inspiration from DBZ too far. Still, episode #1062 managed to defy those expecting a stretched-out battle between Luffy and Kaido's strongest crewmen. From the beginning of the episode to the series iconic "To Be Continued" end card, each minute was packed with new information and animations that added to the viewers' experience rather than wasting their time. If this is the kind of content Toei and its team is capable of, anime watchers are in for a real treat when Luffy and Kaido's battle soon hits its peak, and One Piece will likely sur itself once again.

Watch the latest episodes of the One Piece anime on Crunchyroll, and Funimation.

Source: Crunchyroll Collection/YouTube