While opinions may vary regarding the preferred episodes from each anime, there is no denying that the two anime going head-to-head in 2023 are One Piece and JuJutsu Kaisen.
Despite the abundance of outstanding episodes with perfect 10 out of 10 ratings throughout the year, we must bestow the title of “Episode of the Year” to One Piece, Episode 1062, where the clash between Zoro and King came to a spectacular end.
Even though Gear 5 created a sensation online, many anticipated a remarkable episode for the occasion. However, the battle between Straw Hat’s vice-captain Zoro and Kaido’s right-hand man King exceeded all expectations, unexpectedly elevating the source material. Toei Animation transformed a fight with limited action in the manga into a nearly episode-length combat sequence that will be remembered in history.
The animation reached its pinnacle, and the careful selection of impact frames and creative liberties turned it into a moment that surpassed its manga counterpart, truly marking Zoro’s imprint on the Wano Arc as his defining arc.
Some fans would argue that Episode 1071 reigns supreme due to Luffy’s transformation, or even Episode 1074 because of the clash between Luffy and Kaido. However, 1071 featured a bit too much-reused animation for our taste, and although 1078 is cool, it’s really only a single three-minute sequence that’s cool.
Meanwhile, JuJutsu Kaisen, coming off the heels of its worldwide successful film, had much to live up to come Season 2. It began well enough, showcasing that the series would follow the art and cinematic direction of JuJutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie more than its initial season.
But like a snowball, the season kept getting better and better until we reached its peak, the Shibuya Arc, where the series would enter a stride of Episode of the Year contenders the likes of which anime fans have never seen. Moreover, the studio, Mappa, was going through an overwhelming production process that saw some episodes air “unfinished.”
Although much sophomore anime would kill for an episode like “Thunderclap Pt. 1,” the series returned the following week with the sequel episode that did the impossible: upped the ante on the action in every conceivable way possible. And although there were claims of unfinished animation, it only lent itself to the borderline experimental sequences we got.
So, which series do you choose as Anime Episode of the Year? Let us know in the poll below.
