It's not lost on me that this marks the return of filmmaker Shimizu Junji to the full-length films of the franchise for the first time since 'Chopper's kingdom on the island of strange animals' in 2002. It's also the second 'One Piece' film to have been written by Kamisaka Hirohiko, which I personally find to be a very dubious distinction as 2007's 'The desert princess and the pirates: Adventures in Alabasta' was a sloppy, incohesive mess. However, reading a smidgen of outside context, and watching for even only a few minutes, accentuates the problems with the latter flick while allaying our concerns for this one. What needed to happen in the eighth film is what actually happened with the ninth as it was written, directed, and edited with actual care, and moreover, a story that I'm given to understand derives from the manga is rewritten in some measure to reflect the needs of a cinematic adaptation. Whatever the decision-making that made its immediate predecessor such a perplexing failure, and whatever its ultimate overall quality, it's readily evident from the outset that 'Episode of Chopper plus: Bloom in the winter, miracle cherry blossom' benefited from the same mindful consideration of the first seven films, and we can meaningfully enjoy it and assess it on its own merits.
While the bulk of the narrative takes place in far-flung frosty climes, otherwise this movie boasts all that we commonly anticipate of the series, in various proportions. The predominant adventure airs are rounded out with strong flavors of action and comedy, and just enough drama and heart to keep the proceedings grounded. The character writing is a blast as always with the varied personalities and abilities the figures claim, with temporary supporting character Dr. Kureha being a joy unto herself fit for the rest; as this story serves as a point of origin for Chopper, his treatment here is extra special. To that point, even as the plot finds the Straw Hat Pirates facing long odds, difficult circumstances, and powerful enemies, as is usually the case in 'One Piece,' the thoughtful introduction of one of the series' most recognizable figures is a welcome change of pace. The narrative is compelling even as it remains fairly light on its feet, and the scene writing is arguably even more diverse and dynamic in turn as the dominant vibes shift over a wide spectrum. Excellent as the full-length features broadly are, they're not all equal, yet in this instance Kamisaka has whipped up a gratifyingly solid screenplay to retell this tale, with shrewd nuance and depth making it all the richer.
I will grant that the picture is maybe a tad imbalanced between the two parts of the story it wishes to tell, "past" and "present." Yet as the whole plays with some difficult ideas and emotions, and only in the most brilliant of fashions, that imbalance doesn't seem so dire as the two parts dovetail; even the dialogue is rather fantastic. Anyway, if that's the worst criticism I have to impart, then the title has done very well for itself. Meanwhile, in every other regard 'Episode of Chopper plus' is just as well made as we anticipate. The artists of Toei Animation turned in reliably terrific work, providing the resplendent visual experience assumed of anime. Even with the especially cartoonish slant of this franchise there's no missing the outstanding detail and creativity that fills every corner: beautiful backgrounds and environments, wild character designs, fluid action sequences, dazzling effects, and fine consideration for even lighting, shading, perspective, and vibrant color. The voice acting is adept and spirited in bringing the characters and the saga to vivid life; the original music of Tanaka Kohei and Hamaguchi Shiro is a fabulous complement to every mood, idea, and scene herein. Even the sound design is crisp and clean, allowing all the audio to ring out clearly.
As Shimizu's direction seems even more sure-footed here than it did in the first three films, and some lovely, admirable themes underlie the storytelling, the end result is surely one of the better movies in the franchise. Nitpick some odds and ends as we reasonably might, the strength of the writing speaks for itself, and all other elements come together splendidly to facilitate an absorbing, highly satisfying viewing experience. Mileage will vary by each individual according to personal preferences, but as far as I'm concerned 'Episode of Chopper plus: Bloom in the winter, miracle cherry blossom' is a minor treasure. Standing tall among its brethren, I'm happy to give this ninth 'One Piece' picture my high recommendation!
