ONE PIECE: The Cursed Holy Sword - A deep review of the fascinating story and characters

"ONE PIECE: The Cursed Holy Sword" - A mix of legend and adventure

"ONE PIECE: The Cursed Holy Sword" is an anime film based on Eiichiro Oda's popular manga "ONE PIECE" and was released on March 6, 2004. The film depicts the many trials and adventures that Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates encounter after arriving on Asuka Island. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of the film, as well as recommended points.

■ Story

Luffy and his friends arrive at the bustling port town of Asuka Island. It seems that the most beautiful sword on the Grand Line, the Seven Star Sword, and other dazzling treasures are hidden on this island. However, Luffy and his friends are more interested in food than treasure, so when they return to the Going Merry after procuring some food, they find that Zoro, who was supposed to be the ship's guard, is missing!

Luffy and his crew immediately set sail in search of Zoro, and while dodging attacks from the navy, they enter a lake in the depths of Asuka Island.

On the shore of the lake, there was a beautiful girl named Maya. Luffy called out to her to ask her about Zoro. However, Maya was frightened and ran away. Luffy and Usopp frantically chased after her, but for some reason they went in a different direction from Maya on a different animal trail. Meanwhile, Sanji and his friends followed her to the village, where they were confronted by armed villagers! Then Zoro appeared with the Navy swordsman Bismarck and Boo Kong! "Why are you with the Navy guys...!?" Sanji and his friends were shocked. Zoro slashed mercilessly, took the three precious stones that Maya had been holding dear, and left with the Navy.

Meanwhile, Luffy and his friends have wandered along a trail and come across a naval dojo, where they are confronted by the dojo's master, Saga, and his student, Touma. Touma is innocently happy to face off against Luffy, who has a bounty of 100 million yen on his head. Saga then declares that Zoro is one of their allies, and toyed with Luffy with his demonic long sword. Luffy still stands up to them, but ends up being pushed off a cliff along with Usopp!!!

With the misunderstandings among the villagers cleared up after the incident with the Navy, Sanji and his friends hear from Maya's grandmother, Isaiah, the legend of the cursed sword that is passed down on Asuka Island. The cursed sword that was sealed away after destroying the country of Asuka with great power is actually the Seven Star Sword, and it is said that it will awaken with increased power on the night of the red full moon that occurs once every hundred years. The only thing that can stop its resurrection is the jewel that Zoro stole. The sword is now in Saga's possession. He has had Zoro steal the jewel in order to revive it. What is the relationship between Saga and Zoro? Will the Seven Star Sword be resurrected?! All will be revealed on the night of the red full moon!!!

■Explanation

The invincible "Weekly Shonen Jump" (published by Shueisha) has a circulation of 3.5 million, and its American version "SHONEN JUMP" is also doing extremely well. Last year marked the 35th anniversary of the founding of this historic magazine, and the long-running hit that boasts the greatest popularity by far is "One Piece"!

The comics have been translated and published in over 11 countries around the world, and the total number of copies of each volume (volumes 1-31) has exceeded 90 million in Japan alone! The TV series (Fuji TV, Sunday nights from 7:30) is now in its fifth year on the air and continues to draw high ratings. The fourth film, which began airing in the spring of 2000, was finally released on its own, becoming a huge hit that attracted an audience of 2 million people. This unprecedented success will accelerate even further with the release of this film!

The story is set on Asuka Island, where a terrible and sad legend is passed down. Zoro's best friend and the most ferocious swordsman Saga joins the fray, and the biggest battle in history will unfold, shaking up the Luffy Pirates. Of course, don't miss the original characters and guest voice actors in the movie. The role of the swordsman Saga will be played by kabuki actor Shido Nakamura. He is not limited to kabuki, but continues to challenge himself in movies, dramas, and commercials, and will once again show off his new talents. In addition, the role of Touma, Saga's disciple and master swordsman, will be played by Hiroki Uchi, a member of the group "NEWS" who made a brilliant debut last year! And the role of Izaya, an old woman who tells the legend of Asuka Island, will be played by Masami Hisamoto, who has been ranked the No. 1 most popular talent (female category, NHK survey) for three consecutive years. The unique guest voice actors who capture the hearts of children and adults alike will dramatically liven up this thrilling and hot adventure spectacle!

The director is the veteran director Kazuhisa Takenouchi, who is making his first appearance in the series. The fifth film adaptation by this talented director, who sent "Interstellar 5555" to the Cannes Film Festival, is sure to draw you into an unprecedented whirlpool of intense power and tension!!

■Cast

• Monkey D. Luffy/Mayumi Tanaka
• Roronoa Zoro/Kazuya Nakai
• Nami/Akemi Okamura
• Usopp/Kappei Yamaguchi
• Sanji/Hiroaki Hirata
• Tony Tony Chopper/Ikue Otani
• Nico Robin/Yuriko Yamaguchi
• Saga/Shido Nakamura
• Touma/Hiroki Uchi (NEWS)
• Isaiah/Masami Hisamoto

■ Main staff

• Produced by Yusuke Okada, Hiroshi Takahashi, Hideki Yamashita, Chihiro Kameyama, Jun Takeuchi
• Original work: Eiichiro Oda
• Planning: Shinji Shimizu
• Screenplay by Yoshiyuki Suga
• Music by Kohei Tanaka and Shiro Hamaguchi
• Edited by Shinichi Fukumitsu
• Recorded by Osamu Ichikawa
• Effects/Kentaro Washio
• Color design: Tsukada Takashi
• Digital Director of Photography: Yoshitada Ishii
• CG Director: Toru Yoshiyasu
• Production manager: Ryuichi Sugimoto
• Art Director: Takashi Yoshiike
• Character design and animation director: Noboru Koizumi
• Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi
• Production: Toei Animation
• Produced by "2004 One Piece" Production Committee

■ Main Characters

• Monkey D. Luffy: "I'm going to become the Pirate King!!" A pirate who holds up a straw hat and skull. After eating the devil fruit "Gomu Gomu no Mi", he becomes an amazing rubber man whose whole body stretches like rubber. He admires the red-haired Shanks and continues his voyage in search of the "One Piece" treasure.
• Roronoa Zoro: "I will become a great swordsman who will never be defeated by anyone!!" A master swordsman who aims to become the world's greatest swordsman in order to fulfill a promise he made to his childhood friend Kuina, who died without ever winning a single time. He is known for his three-sword style and is feared by pirates as "Pirate Hunter Zoro."
• Nami: "I want to draw a world map!!" She was a thief who specialized in pirates, but her hometown was saved thanks to Luffy and his friends, and she joined them. She has a tattoo of a mandarin orange and a windmill on her shoulder, which is full of memories of her hometown, and she continues to sail. She has genius surveying and navigation skills. She is very particular about money.
• Usopp: "I will become a brave warrior of the sea!!" He is an expert at pachinko. He is skilled with his hands and is good at drawing pictures and making weapons with mechanisms. He is also good at talking, but hates lies that hurt people. His father is Yasopp, a member of the "Red Hair Shanks" pirate crew.
• Sanji: "I'll see the All Blue with my own eyes!!" A kindhearted chef searching for the "All Blue", the legendary sea where fish from all over the world are said to gather. He has solid cooking skills and footwork, which he learned from the once feared sea thief "Red Foot Zeff", but he's weak when it comes to women.
• Tony Tony Chopper: "I'm going to travel the big world!!" A blue-nosed reindeer who inherited Dr. Hiluluk's will and studied medicine. He ate the "Human-Human Fruit" and gained human abilities. He also has the ability to transform into a seven-stage monster using the "Rumble Ball" he created over the course of five years.
• Nico Robin: "I want to know the true history!!" Searching for the Rio Poneglyph, the true historical text, she is an archaeologist who has lived in the underworld since she was eight years old. She is the user of the Hana Hana no Mi, which allows her to make skills bloom from anywhere.
• Saga is the instructor at the Asuka Island Navy Dojo. When they were young, they attended the same dojo as Zoro and competed against each other in their skills. He was aiming to become the "sword of justice," but he became fascinated with the cursed sword...
• One of the three most skilled disciples at the Touma Asuka Island Navy Dojo. He was attracted to Saga's strength and became his disciple. His swordsmanship is outstanding, and he is known as the "Light Speed ​​Swordsman."
• Isaiah is an old woman who lives on Asuka Island. She tells the sad legend of the red full moon that is passed down on Asuka Island. She is the descendant of the shrine maiden who appears in the legend.
• A beautiful girl who lives on Maya Asuka Island. She is the descendant of the legendary shrine maiden, and has inherited her powers strongly. She is Isaiah's granddaughter.
• One of the three most skilled disciples at the Bismarck Asuka Island Naval Dojo. Tall and skilled with the sword. He is calm and collected, and is known as the "Iron Knight" because he wears armor.
• One of the three most skilled disciples at the Buconguasca Island Navy Dojo. He has incredible strength and can swing an iron bar.

■ Related works

• One Piece TV Series

■ Theme songs and music

• TM1
• To that place
• Lyrics by Matsukaze Yuya and Uchida Hiroyuki
• Composer: Matsukaze Yuya
• Arrangement: Masao Akashi
• Song: Haruharu

■ Evaluation and impressions

"ONE PIECE: The Cursed Holy Sword" is a work that focuses on Zoro's character in particular, and offers fans a new perspective by depicting his past and his growth as a swordsman. Asuka Island, where the story takes place, is depicted as a place where beautiful nature and terrifying legends intersect, making it a visually appealing addition.

The relationship between Zoro and Saga is particularly impressive. It depicts their friendship and rivalry from childhood, and delves deeply into Zoro's inner conflict. Nakamura Shido's voice acting as Saga is also superb, and his presence adds depth to the story. Uchi Hiroki, who plays Touma, and Hisamoto Masami, who plays Izaya, also give charming performances in their respective characters.

The battle scenes are also one of the highlights, especially the sword fights between Zoro and Saga. The visual beauty and tension-filled direction by director Kazuhisa Takenouchi have the power to draw the audience into the world of the story. The music, by a team of Kohei Tanaka and Shiro Hamaguchi, also plays an important role in enhancing the adventure and tension.

■ Recommended points

This movie is a must-see, especially for fans of Zoro. It delves into his past and his growth as a swordsman, giving a deeper understanding of the character. And for fans of the series as a whole, it expands the world of One Piece by adding new characters and legends.

Don't miss the powerful action scenes and beautiful images. It's also highly entertaining, so you can enjoy it with your family and friends, and it will be enjoyed by a wide range of people, from children to adults. Another highlight is the luxurious cast of guest voice actors, and you can enjoy their acting.

"ONE PIECE: The Cursed Holy Sword" is a film that can be recommended not only to One Piece fans, but also to anyone who loves action and adventure. Be sure to watch this film and experience Luffy and his friends' new adventure.