It’s Saturday morning, the rain outside is relentless, the TV is on but the remote is nowhere to be seen – it’s likely down the back of the sofa. You’re stuck watching children’s cartoons, sucked in by the bright colours and high-stakes, save-the-world narratives. One Piece Film: Red is in this great tradition: a sugar rush of stunning animation, great music and a strong central story with frequent stretches of utter nonsense.
The One Piece franchise centres on Monkey D Luffey and his crew of pirates; this one-off adventure introduces us to Uta, a beloved, stadium-packing singer from Luffey’s past who turns renegade and attempts to use her special powers to trap her fans in an alternate universe. The pirates work to take her down – and then a lot more happens as several dozen new characters and new subplots sputter and zigzag with little concern for cohesion. Narrative discipline is not the first concern here, but the core story about Uta and her motivations is emotionally resonant.
A feast for the eyes and ears, every frame is decked with colour and detail. The final showdown is a sensory assault and is akin to watching a fireworks display – colours swirl and things go bang. There are musical numbers throughout, each accompanied by eye-popping, rainbow-dripped visuals that reel you back in when the plot loses you. The songs themselves are marvellous: performed by Japanese musician Ado, they stand their ground against current chart-toppers and justify the idea that Uta is the world’s most popular singer. When focused, this film truly sings, but it takes its time and tests your patience to land on the right notes.
• One Piece Film: Red is released on 4 November in cinemas.
