One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie Review

An excellent television special in the One Piece anime saga.

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia is an entertaining television special in the ongoing anime saga. Produced by Toei Animation, the must-see special has plenty of action, adventure, and comedy for anime fans. Featuring a memorable theme song performed by the talented Namie Amuro, One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia reunites the lovable band of Straw Hat Pirates for another exciting journey. Sail away!

Straw Hat Pirate leader Monkey D. Luffy (Mayumi Tanaka) sets out on a new and exciting adventure on the mysterious island of Nebulandia. When expert swordsman Roronoa Zoro (Kazuya Nakai) and chef-extraordinaire Sanji (Hiroaki Hirata) run in to trouble on the island, it's up to Luffy and his close pals to help save the day. Can Luffy help out Zoro and Sanji?

Encountering brand new challenges, Luffy is joined by Nami (Akemi Okamura), Tony Tony Chopper (Ikue Otani), Usopp (Kazuki Yao), Franky (Kazuki Yao), Brook (Yuichi Nagashima), and Nico Robin (Yuriko Yamaguchi) on the new quest. The island also poses a threat to the magical Devil Fruit Powers. Battling against the villainous Foxy, Luffy has a new and exciting challenge in store – and an adventure awaits!

The animation is one of the stand-out elements of the production. The animation direction by Hiroya Iijima (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood), Hiroyuki Yoshimura (Captain Earth), Katsunori Kikuchi (Fairy Tail), Koki Sugawara (Angel Heart), and Yusuke Isouchi (The Everyday Tales of a Cat God) is top-notch. The island is brought to life with a sense of wonderment that is impeccable: the background layouts and colorful illustrations provide the production with magic that makes the journey all the more special. The character designs by Masayuki Takagi also impress and provide the production with some extra finesse.

A new adventure awaits.

The music score was composed by Keiji Inai (Alderamin on the Sky, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan), Kohei Tanaka (Sakura Wars, Angelic Layer), Minoru Maruo (One Piece: Episode of East Blue, One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventure in Alabasta), Shiroh Hamaguchi (The Princess and the Pilot, Tari Tari), and Yasunori Iwasaki (Robin Hood, One Piece: Heart of Gold). The score is epic and altogether exciting. The scope is outstanding and the score keeps the action scenes exciting from start to finish.

The screenplay by Atsuhiro Tomioka (One Piece Stampede, Fairy Tail) is impressive and manages to keep the television special entertaining. The characters are at the heart of the series and the film has plenty of memorable moments. The special has a wonderful sense of adventure that Tomioka was capable of imbuing in to the production.

Directed by the great Konosuke Uda (Sailor Moon, Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Fantasy), One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia is a thrilling television special that offers fans a fun and exciting adventure. Uda impresses in spades. The special never lulls for a second and the entire film is imbued with the energy necessary to make for a memorable experience. Fans of the franchise will love the film and appreciate all the terrific spectacle it offers. A must-see production.

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation, One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation is impressive on many levels. The release has exceptional color reproduction. The picture-quality is crisp and dynamic throughout. The video-quality never struggles to present the action scenes or the dramatic moments. An outstanding presentation.

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD and Japanese 2.0 Dolby TrueHD (with English subtitles). The lossless audio adds a lot to the experience. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and engaging. The surrounds are well utilized with both music and sound effects. An excellent audio presentation.

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Joining the Crew: With Ian Sinclair and Michael Johnson (HD, 10:52) is an interview with two of the English dub production voice-actors (who discuss their specific roles in the television special and the significance of the One Piece anime).

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia is an entertaining and action-packed special set in the beloved anime universe. Luffy and friends embark on a brand new mission that has plenty of exciting moments. Featuring stunning animation and top-notch direction, One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia is outstanding entertainment and an essential film in the anime franchise. Highly recommended.