I don't know if it was specifically a choice of filmmaker Shimizu Junji, or if the choice had somehow been forced owing to the bounds of how they premiered, but there's no missing that the first three 'One Piece' films were marked by ridiculously swift pacing, the one concrete issue that troubled them. With a new director attached to this fourth film, however, and the picture's release set independent of the Toei Animation Fair, it's noteworthy that it's the first of the series to not struggle with that overcharged pace. Granted, one might argue that in contrast this overcompensates in the opposite direction, and the pacing possibly lags a bit, even in the third act. Then there's also the question of how writer Suga Yoshiyuki will keep the story interesting, for in a long-running series and a world of highly skilled or supernaturally gifted people, the stakes are low (and audience satisfaction in turn) if we're assured our heroes are going to make it through the day one way or another.
But it's not for nothing that the franchise is so big, and has been ongoing for so long both in print and in television. Scrutinize the particulars as we may, in every way that matters most 'Dead End adventure' is kith and kin with its brethren. 'One Piece' is nothing if not a saga of fantasy, adventure, action, comedy, and just the right amount of heart to make it all stick, and as the Straw Hat Pirates enter a deadly race where anything goes, the scenario is ripe for the crew to make new friends and new enemies, and face untold dangers along the way. As the saying goes, it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. We get everything we could want out of these flicks, this time perhaps with a tone that's a little darker and more serious - a compelling story, varied and flavorful scene writing, exciting action violence, and a terrific visual experience to bring it all to bear. Par for the course even with the more cartoonish side of Japanese animation, we're treated to outstanding detail and texture in every background, environment, and setting, not to mention creative and fetching designs for characters, creatures, and other active elements. Some of the visions herein are genuinely beautiful, and all this is to say nothing of the smooth, fluid, fast-paced action sequences, moody consideration for lighting and shading, or the wildly exaggerated expressions and reactions that are part and parcel of the frivolousness.
All told this movie is everything we commonly anticipate of anime of one sort or another, including excellent music to complement each scene in turn, and expressive and spirited voice acting. I do think this 2003 title has its own additional shortcomings that bring it down a tad, including some sequencing that feels off, possibly some tonal inconsistency, and narrative cogency from start to finish that falls short every so slightly from "rock solid." Even as the high-velocity pacing of the first three titles is resolved, both the mirth and the highfalutin thrills of the predecessors is lost to some tiny degree, suggesting that filmmaker Uda Konosuke, writer Suga, or others involved were still trying to find the perfect proportions of all minutiae to make these features resonate. But maybe I'm nitpicking, because when all is said and done 'Dead End adventure' is very fun, and that's all it really wanted to be. Critique this and that all day long, it's the roundly entertaining adventure that we want out of 'One Piece,' and so long as that core is represented the rest is of lesser importance. It may not be an absolute must-see, but whether you're a fan of the franchise specifically, or anime generally, or just looking for something good and relatively light to watch, I had a good time here, and I'm glad to give 'Dead End adventure' my warm recommendation!
