One Piece Episode 1175 Review: Jinbe Steals the Spotlight in a Strong Elbaf Episode

Episode 1175 of One Piece does not rely on a massive battle to keep things moving, but it still gives Elbaf several moments that made me feel the arc is heading toward something much bigger.

After watching the episode, I especially liked how it balanced lighter character moments with the darker situation unfolding around the children of Elbaf. While some parts are deliberately slow, Jinbe’s heroic intervention and Loki’s past give the episode the impact it needs.

Jinbe’s Heroic Save Gives Elbaf a Much-Needed Moment

The biggest highlight for me was easily Jinbe‘s intervention when the Elbaf children were about to walk straight into the flames. Seeing the firefighters fail to stop it in time created a genuine sense of panic, especially because the children were completely unaware of the danger around them. That is where Jinbe comes in.

Jinbe from One Piece Episode 1175. | Credit: Toei Animation

Jinbe uses his Fish-Man technique, Umigumo Ipponzeoi, to send a huge amount of sea clouds toward the fire and finally extinguish it. I really enjoyed this moment because Jinbe does not need a long fight or a flashy speech to remind us why he is one of the Straw Hats’ most dependable members. He simply sees people in danger and acts.

It also fits Jinbe perfectly. His strength has always been connected to his calm personality and his ability to protect others when things become chaotic. The danger, however, does not actually end there. The children are still being guided by Gunko’s arrow. So while Jinbe saves them from the fire, he cannot immediately break Gunko’s control over them.

And then, to make the situation even worse, Gunko appears. Her arrival on Colon’s ship completely changes the mood. Until this point, the episode had mixed comedy, character interaction, and tension. Suddenly, Gunko is standing directly in front of the Straw Hats and Colon, and the situation feels much more personal.

I thought this was an effective way to end the episode. Gunko is one of the Holy Knights, and the group has already been presented as a serious threat to Elbaf. Her interest in Colon also makes the danger feel much closer. The cruel attitude of Gunko and Sommers toward the children also makes them particularly easy to hate. Their willingness to watch innocent children walk toward the flames shows just how far they are willing to go to complete their mission.

Luffy, Loki, Zoro and Sanji Keep the Episode Entertaining

The other major part of the episode is much lighter, and honestly, I needed that balance. Luffy’s attempt to feed Loki is exactly the kind of ridiculous comedy that makes One Piece feel like One Piece. Luffy does not exactly understand how injured Loki is, so he keeps trying to feed him hot food in the most careless way possible.

I especially enjoyed Gerd’s reaction to Luffy’s behavior. While Loki is clearly suffering, Gerd gives Luffy a thumbs-up, which makes the whole scene even funnier. These little reactions are what make the comedy work without completely taking away from the serious story surrounding Loki. But the episode also gives Loki more emotional depth.

When Loki learns that Luffy looks up to Shanks, he reveals that he once had a similar admiration for Rocks D. Xebec. This was probably my favorite part of the Loki conversation because it creates a fascinating parallel between the two characters.

His younger self even challenged Rocks and was soundly defeated. He wanted to be part of something much bigger, but he was simply too young and was living at the wrong time. It also makes Loki’s character more interesting because we are seeing a side of him that does not match the frightening reputation he has built in Elbaf.

At the same time, the episode also gives Zoro, Sanji, and Goldberg a fun little adventure while they search for food. Their encounter with the Groggysaurus is exactly the kind of random adventure I expect from One Piece. Sanji launches Zoro into the air, Zoro cuts down the giant dinosaur, and the animation looked so crisp.

Another thing that caught my attention more was Goldberg’s shield, Nash. Learning that Nash is a Homie adds another interesting connection to Big Mom’s past. Overall, this part of the episode does not push the plot forward as aggressively as the fire sequence, but it gives the episode some much-needed personality. After all, One Piece works best for me when serious developments and ridiculous character moments exist side by side.

One Piece Episode 1175 Final Verdict

After watching One Piece Episode 1175, I would call it a strong Elbaf episode rather than a spectacular one. There is no huge fight that dominates the entire episode, and that is perfectly fine. Jinbe is the one who definitely steals the spotlight in the episode.

Zoro from One Piece Episode 1175. | Credit: Toei Animation

All in all, I enjoyed its balance of comedy, character development, and rising tension. For me, that is what makes it a strong episode. It quietly moves several pieces into place while leaving us with a clear feeling that Elbaf is about to become much more dangerous.

One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.

One Piece Episode 1175 Review: Jinbe Steals the Spotlight in a Strong Elbaf Episode