One Piece Film: Gold is the next theatrical film release of the mega anime/manga franchise One Piece. Having grossed millions in its original run in Japan, the film hits overseas in the US and Canadian theaters in mid-January. In Film Gold, the Straw Hat crew reach Grand Tesoro an independent country charted by the government, which is actually an enormous ship and entertainment vessel. After getting lucky and winning millions in berry, the crew finds themselves on the end of bad luck as head of Grand Tesoro, Gild Tesoro threatens to execute Roronoa Zoro if the Straw Hats can’t pay back the money owed to the money hungry mad man.

One Piece Film: Gold is an 2015 shounen anime film, it is produced by Toei Animation, and licensed by Funimation Films. It will debut in American and Canadian theaters from January 10-17 in a limited English dub run.

The Straw Hat crew decked out in Film Gold.

Being the second of the “Film” series of the One Piece film franchise, Gold continues the quality from Z with an entertaining plot, group of characters, and a theatrical release. While Gold, like Z is nothing filler, it does feel big and coherent enough to come off as a singular One Piece story arc, and satisfies in it’s delivery mostly.

The Straw Hats prepare for battle on Grand Tesoro.

THE GOOD: One Piece Film: Gold is the second in the One Piece:Film line of movies which have much stronger plots and action sequences than the previous film franchise. Main villain Gild Tesoro and his comrades feel like a true threat to Luffy and the Straw Hat crew, even taking out Straw Hat heavy hitter Roronoa Zoro minutes into the film. While not exactly canon, the story and villains had enough of quality to be added into the core story, at least in my opinion.

Gild Tesoro as he appears in the film.

THE BAD: I felt that Tesoro was perhaps the least fleshed out of all of the new characters which is a shame, as the main villain he needed all the development he could get throughout the 2 hour run of the film.

Grand Tesoro as it appears in the film.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: One Piece Film: Gold is a great second step into the ‘Film’ series of One Piece and is looking to start a new standard for anime films from long-running franchises. The main villain suffers from limited development, but he does feel like a true adversary for the Straw Hats. Otaku Dome gives One Piece Film: Gold an 86 out of 100.