REVIEW: ‘One Piece’ Episode 1170 – “Get the Key! Luffy vs. Scopper Gaban”

Despite the enormity of the setting and the emotional reward of finally watching the Straw Hats arrive in the land of giants, the Elbaph arc takes its time settling in before revving up the gears. One Piece Episode 1170 delivers the hint of payoff to that patience. Because while it’s been fun watching the original members of the group succumb to their sillier, childish instincts, and watch as the Romance Dawn trio remind us why we instantly cared, it’s been moments such as Loki’s arrival, Shamrock’s shocking similarities to another red-haired figure, and the reveal of the Harley that have offered the most gripping moments. 

One Piece Episode 1170, from the moment it goes, hits the accelerator as we speed towards the main drive of the arc. “Get the Key! Luffy vs. Scopper Gaban” works on two fronts. First, with only necessary hints at the dynamics, and second, the full reveal of the villains seeking dominance over Elbaph. 

The Luffy vs. Gaban (and then Luffy and Zoro vs. Gaban) is a chance to establish Gaban’s (Toshiyuki Morikawa) personality while indulging in Luffy’s specific brand of Looney Tunes hijinks. Gaban will give Luffy (Mayumi Tanaka) the key that would free Loki of his chains, but only if Luffy can take it from him. 

The battle at the center of One Piece 1170 lets the animators have fun. 

The battle between the two is a sign of what’s to come, with the animation getting an uptick in quality as the two brawl, Gaban easily evading Luffy’s attacks. It’s not just that the animation of the fight itself gets leaner, but that it’s shot with a more dynamic approach. The scale of the room is determined through ground-level shots, with the camera zooming in behind a character’s stance to depict the gargantuan size. 

On top of that, the artists and character animators are clearly just having fun. Luffy’s reactions to running away from falling debris are hilarious, his face changing rapidly between footsteps. Zoro (Kazuya Nakai) entering the fray once he realizes Gaban’s immense power also lends itself to a certain thrill of watching the captain and his first mate stand off against someone of such personal relevance to them both, albeit unknowingly. The shaky, high-def quality of Zoro’s movements continues to show a studio that has redefined its style since the epic-scale battles of Wano, finally aiming to meet the quality Eiichiro Oda sets. 

One Piece Episode 1170 stuns by deploying its new, more frequently met bar of excellence. Because it truly looks great. And it does so while fully embracing the world’s silliness. Even Luffy’s eventual transformation into his Gear 5 mode speaks to the inherently childlike playfulness the art style embraces (making the switch to moments of unfeasible darkness all the more shocking when they occur). 

The joy of One Piece continues to shine through in the use of Gear 5.

Oda’s frequent use of the Gear 5 is joyous. It never grows old. And because we’ve seen it deployed so often, there’s now a certain expectation when that transformation happens. Here, the lead-up promises a major standoff, as the camera once again gets a few from the ground, positing Luffy as the larger-than-life goof that he is, only for Gaban to give up the moment Luffy and Zoro get too close. It was, after all, merely a test of worth. 

One of the better teases is the moment when Gaban recalls speaking to Shanks, asking why he’d have such a belief in Luffy. We never get the answer, but it’s a reminder that while Luffy is desperate to run into Shanks, finally feeling worthy of that long-awaited reunion, the fellow Emperor of the Sea is still a major step ahead. 

One Piece Episode 1170 smartly doesn’t let the episode end on the back-and-forth between Gaban and Luffy. Instead, with a sensational sense of unease, the camera once again gives the storybook effect to the island of giants, and we’re introduced to the rest of the Knights of God. Killingham (Shinnosuke Tachibana) and Sommers (Hiroki Yasumoto) join Shamrock (Kenjiro Tsuda) and Gunko (Sumire Uesaka), their arrival through the disruptive black-and-purple summoning circle eerily similar to the one that summoned the Five Elders back in Egghead. 

With the arrival of Killingham and Sommers, Elbaph promises darker days ahead.

Things are about to get serious. That this is all happening in one of the bluest episodes in ages helps create that discordant sense of wonder and trepidation, as the Knights of God all stand against an endless expanse of sunny skies. While Shamrock is being beckoned back, Killingham, Gunko, and Sommers will remain to enact their plan, which will set in motion major events. By refusing to dull the colors, the series sets in motion a waking nightmare, with our heroes none the wiser to the disruption ready in the wings. 

One Piece Episode 1170 proves the might of Elbaph once the story gets going. While it’s been a delight to exist with the crew, something fans have longed for as their adventures grow impossibly more vast and ruinous with each new island, it’s time for the story to truly get going. And with all of the key players seemingly in place, it feels inescapable that all hell is about to break loose. 

One Piece Episode 1170 is available now on Crunchyroll. 

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