After getting complaints in the previous episodes about how the special effects were too much, One Piece animators toned down the aura effects in Episode 1033, a decision that delighted fans of the anime.
Following the new episode’s airing yesterday, fans noticed that the gold aura effects in the previous episodes were no longer there.
Shortly after, animator Tu Yong Ce confirmed on Weibo that Toei Animation reduced the aura effects in the latest episode (via @newworldartur and Reddit).
Potentially, future episodes will also have the reduced aura effect, though there’s no official confirmation yet.
Spoiler Warning: There are One Piece Episode 1033 spoilers in this article.
Fans expressed their disappointment online regarding the Kaido vs. Luffy fight, specifically in Episode 1028. This fight featured Luffy and Kaido clashing with the use of Conqueror’s Haki (or Haoshoku Haki).
In case you need a refresher, Conqueror’s Haki is a rare form of Haki that enables a user to exert their will over others.
When it was first revealed, this Haki grants a user the ability to intimidate or incapacitate weak-willed people.
But in the Wano Country arc, it was revealed that Conqueror’s Haki can be used to infuse weapons and physical attacks, similar to Armament Haki.
The clash of two Conqueror’s Haki infusion users features sparks of black lightning as depicted in the manga.
While the black lightning is also present in Episode 1028, it’s covered up by a glowing gold aura and flower petals.
This is in stark contrast to the manga panels which featured a stark white background when Conqueror’s Haki users clash.
Because of this, fans shared their criticism of the fight scenes online, leading to a change in animation style.
Related: One Piece Netflix Live-Action: Everything You Need to Know
In the new episode, the clashes of Luffy and Kaido are now clearer to see as the aura effects are used more sparingly.
The flower petals are still there, but they no longer cover the screen. Plus, the black-and-red lightning Haki effects are now more apparent.
This switch in animation style has been praised online by fans as it is a much closer depiction of the manga’s style. Along with this, the toned-down auras make the action easier to see.
The tweak in auras coupled with the impressive fight animation meant that One Piece Episode 1033 received a great fan response. Some are even calling the animation of the fight scenes movie-level in terms of quality.
One Piece Episode 1034 will air on September 25, 2022.
Read More: The Ultimate One Piece Watch Order 2022
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