"This is art"- One Piece fans in tears once again with episode 1137 official art

The One Piece series has been the home of numerous emotional story arcs and narratives ever since the very first chapter of the series was released. Although the series has had its fair share of fan favorite storylines, Kuma's tragic story has been cited as one of the most impactful and rather well-written aspects of the recent story arcs.

Recently, the official art associated with the upcoming episode 1137 has been released. The art itself depicts Kuma embracing Bonney. While Kuma's story is already well-regarded, many fans appreciated its visceral emotions. The anime series is currently adapting the Egghead Island arc, with the manga adapting the Elbaph Island arc, focusing on the internal conflict within the country of warriors.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the One Piece series.

One Piece episode 1137 official art further emphasizes the episodes' emotional weight

The official art for One Piece episode 1137 was recently released on various social networking sites. It depicted Kuma before his cybernetic enhancements, holding Bonney as she continues to weep. The recently released episode 1136 continued the Egghead Island arc, with Bonney experiencing Kuma's memories before he was transformed into a pacifista.

Given the overall buildup around Kuma, many fans went on to appreciate the sheer finesse and the emotions invoked by the artwork. Episode 1137 might serve as the culmination of Bartholomew Kuma's character arc, with his final confrontation against the Five Elders.

Fan reaction to new official art

A few fans went on to appreciate the official art as an impeccable piece of visual art, with many others mentioning how this Sunday will mark the release of one of the most emotional episodes seen in One Piece.

"Tears from thousands of people this Sunday…" one fan said.

"Tears will be shed, again and again," another fan said.

Jewelry Bonney as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Several other fans took note of Kuma's entire story, alongside his rather exceptional perseverance, and mentioned how Kuma as a whole resembles Guts from Kentaro Miura's Berserk series. Some fans simply quoted Bonney's own words, commending Kuma's kindness, despite being recognized as a tyrant by a major part of the population.

"Kuma’s vibes really remind me of Gus in Berserk," another fan wrote.

"Everyone calls him a tyrant, but my dad is kinder and cooler than anyone, I won’t forget him," one fan cited.

Bartholomew Kuma before the cybernetic enhancements as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece episode 1137 will be released on July 27, 2025, and will mainly focus on Kuma's encounter with the Five Elders. Given the official art, it is possible that the episode also adapts Kuma's most impactful moment in the entirety of the Egghead Island arc. Fans wanting to experience the story before the anime adaptation can read the One Piece manga starting from chapter 1103.

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About the author

Anupam is an anime and manga writer at Sportskeeda. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Transportation, Anupam has simultaneously gained professional experience of almost 2 years as a content writer, having worked previously for Otakukart and Sportslumo.

Being part of the anime fandom for over a decade, Anupam believes his greatest strength lies in theorycrafting around animanga series and predicting their plots. His personal experiences have guaranteed him detailed knowledge about the reputation, reception, and plot points of several anime, which he combines with extensive research to report on a topic. They have also taught him the significance of respecting and accurately reporting on community sentiments attached to a particular series, which has now become a non-negotiable part of his writing process.

Anupam’s favorite artist is video game designer Hideo Kojima, whose ability to nonchalantly embed deep messages in his games he deeply admires. When not debating fresh anime theories, Anupam can be found reading or playing combat games.

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Edited by Tiasha