Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains spoilers from One Piece Episode 1165.
After last week’s intense ending with the Holy Knights’ arrival, One Piece Episode 1165 slows things down a little and settles deeper into Elbaf, and to be honest, I enjoyed it a whole lot more than I thought I would. On paper, this is an episode that does not contain much action or anything spectacular like that, but the execution by Toei is so spot on, making it very entertaining.
What surprised me the most was how lively Elbaf felt, even from the very start of the episode. There was the giant library, there was the vibe of the small town, and then there was the danger lurking around the corner at the end of the episode, with the mysterious figures arriving in search of Loki. Let us explore in detail.
One Piece Episode 1165 Makes Elbaf More Exciting Than Ever
The biggest strength of Episode 1165 is easily the world-building. I loved how the episode slowed things down and actually let us explore Elbaf properly instead of rushing into fights immediately.
The Owl Library sequence was honestly charming. A giant owl named Biblo casually using a Devil Fruit to gigantify books is exactly the kind of weird One Piece creativity I watch this series for. Also, seeing Chopper immediately get excited over giant medical books was such a small but perfect character moment.
Visually, this episode looked gorgeous too. The Straw Hats’ Elbaf outfits are already becoming fan favorites. Every character somehow looks cooler in Viking-inspired clothing.
I also really liked the contrast between what Luffy expected Elbaf to be and what it actually is. He imagined nonstop warriors and chaos, but instead, the giant kids are peaceful and barely interested in fighting. That little disappointment from Luffy was weirdly funny because it felt exactly like a kid realizing his favorite myth is not fully real.
And then Colon appears and instantly brings the chaos back. The moment his wooden sword shattered genuinely made me laugh. However, I also liked how the episode quietly established Colon as someone different from the other giant children. The reveal that he is a half-giant with a human pirate father instantly makes him more interesting moving forward.
Then we get the giant feast scene, which perfectly brings back that classic One Piece warmth again, before ending on Jarul casually walking around with a sword almost lodged through his head like it is no big deal. Only this series can make something that insane feel normal.
Elbaf’s Mystery Gets Much Darker With the Holy Knights’ Arrival
For most of the runtime, Episode 1165 feels warm and adventurous. However, once the hooded intruders appear on the scene, everything changes. While the anime keeps the identity of the two hooded intruders a mystery for now, the manga audience is well aware that these two intruders are none other than Gunko and Shamrock of the Holy Knights. Knowing this honestly made every scene with them feel way more tense.
Holy Knights’ arrival in Elbaf from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Gunko was intimidating. Right from the start, her terrifying attack on the giant guard was enough to establish her as someone to take seriously. And it becomes even more serious when you remember that giants in One Piece are usually portrayed as absolute monsters in combat, so seeing one get overwhelmed that quickly instantly raises the stakes.
This particular moment, thankfully, was executed very well by the anime adaptation because, compared to the manga, the anime made the whole scene feel far more terrifying thanks to the sound design, pacing, and overall creepy atmosphere. On that note, Toei has honestly been doing a great job lately. Ever since the anime adjusted its pacing approach, the One Piece anime feels much more polished, especially with this type of episode. Even though most of the episode served to set things up, there were never any dull moments due to great direction.
One Piece Episode 1165 Final Verdict
One Piece Episode 1165 is proof that One Piece does not need constant action to stay entertaining. Instead of nonstop action, the episode focuses more on atmosphere and character moments, while quietly teasing much bigger problems ahead.
A still from One Piece Episode 1165. | Credit: Toei Animation
I came into this episode expecting a slower transitional chapter, but I ended up loving how immersive everything felt. Elbaf already feels distinct from previous arcs, and the combination of peaceful fantasy vibes with looming danger is making the arc incredibly fun to watch right now. And if the Holy Knights’ search for Prince Loki is any sign of what is coming next, Elbaf might get chaotic way sooner than anyone expected.
The One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
