"Cheap AI rendering" - Latest One Piece episode sparks debate over a surprising animation choice

The most recent episode of One Piece has sparked a vibrant discussion among fans regarding its polarizing use of CGI for the animation of the destruction that follows Pacifista's attack. Instead of using hand-drawn animation, the episode relies on computer-generated effects to depict collapsing buildings and explosions, which some viewers found distracting.

While the CGI gave the destruction a greater sense of scale and intensity, many fans say it went against the anime's flavor. This somewhat controversial visual style has resulted in fans being split on the degree of CGI used and actively discussing how CGI can completely alter the tone and impact of these vital moments in a series.

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The use of CGI in the latest One Piece episode caused debate over animation choice

asi

@asinwo92841

@Leleo2211 it's like cgi/ or cheap AI rendering. definitely not hand drawn.

The latest episode of One Piece has created intense discussion across the fanbase. This time, the debate is not necessarily due to its narrative developments, but because of an interesting decision the animation studio made during the destruction scene after the Pacifista's attack.

Instead of continuing the hand-drawn animation style that has long defined One Piece, Toei used CGI to depict sinking ships, fiery explosions, and widespread destruction.

The use of CGI gave the scene a unique look in an attempt to emphasize scale and pandemonium, but it stood in stark contrast to the existing look of the series. CGI has been a part of One Piece for a long time, and by no means was the earlier disaster a CGI catastrophe. However, for a scene of such importance tied to the emotional response of the episode, many fans were taken aback by the large use of CGI.

Pacifistas turned against the Marine after Bonney's command 1140 (Image via Toei Animation)

Fan reactions to this stylistic decision have been very mixed. Some said the explosion effect looked unnatural, like a digital effect overlaid on stone, like in a game engine. Others mentioned it pulled them out of the story and disrupted the cohesion of the animation.

Others likened it to a video game cutscene, arguing that its attempt at realism actually made it less believable in context.

"Saving the budget for other episodes," a fan mentioned.

"The switch from cg to 2d is insane," someone said.

"The CGI on the ships and explosions was trash but the 3D pacifistas were actually good, " a fan points out.

"I thought they started using AI," someone mentioned.

Many fans were left to wonder if this odd tactic was intended to conserve resources for the upcoming series of high-stakes episodes, which might require rich fight choreography, and possibly applied greater parts of the budget and people towards those episodes.

There were also subtle criticisms from fans who admitted that although the compositing and technical integration of the effects was good, the tone of the sequence overall was too detached from the style of the series. The abrupt change between 2D and CGI was another point of contention, as some labeled the transition as jarring and immersion-breaking.

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Final thoughts

Studio used CGI to show the destruction of the ships(Image via Toei Animation)

The latest One Piece episode has once again divided fans based on its use of CGI during the aftermath of the Pacifista's attack. While the effects added scale and attempted to heighten the visual intensity, they did not blend well with the show's long-established 2D style.

Some viewers appreciated the effort and execution, while others found it distracting and even immersion-breaking. The question of whether this was a creative experiment or a step too far has sparked renewed debate about how CGI will shape the future of One Piece’s animation.

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