Everything you need to know before watching One Piece Film: Red

Over the past 25 years, One Piece has accumulated a large and illustrious catalogue of non-canon and spin-off movies. As it currently stands, there are a total of 15 feature films in the franchise, each having varying degrees of importance to the main story. And the latest addition to the franchise, One Piece Film: Red, hit Bangladeshi theatres on October 14.

Released in Japan in August 2022, One Piece Film: Red follows the Straw Hat Pirates as they venture into the world's grandest concert. At the helm of the festivities will be Princess Uta, who is apparently the daughter of Red-haired Shanks, one of the most mysterious characters in the series.

While the announcement of the film's release in Bangladesh garnered widespread popularity, most fans still have their own reservations about the upcoming film. Owing to the sheer volume of inconsequential and lacklustre One Piece movies in the past, a large number of people are worried about the events surrounding the movie and what they can expect out of it.

Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, One Piece Film: Red isn't canon. To be more specific, the events that transpire in the movie are wholly independent of the continuity of the main story. However, the film will likely explore elements and shed light on information relevant to the current plot.

According to One Piece author Eiichiro Oda, Film: Red will reveal canonical information about Shanks, despite his character getting little to no development in the actual series. The film is supposed to shed light on his past, which will directly connect to the manga's ongoing story. 

Furthermore, the film's trailers suggested a childhood friendship between the primary protagonist, Luffy and Uta, which might prove to be important to the main storyline moving forward.

Another important matter that must be touched upon is the extent of prior knowledge that is required to properly enjoy the movie. Unfortunately, this is where things start to get trickier. 

Film: Red's cast of characters includes both protagonist and antagonist forces from some of the most recent arcs like the Whole Cake Island arc. Moreover, there are also certain abilities and revelations in the film that haven't even been adapted into the anime yet. As such, the film will definitely navigate through spoiler territory for those who aren't fully caught up to the source material yet.

And unlike other films like Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which could be viewed without prior knowledge regarding their respective franchises, One Piece Film: Red does require some amount of knowledge regarding the vast world of fictional pirates. As a result, casual fans who haven't watched One Piece before may not be able to fully indulge in everything the film has to offer.

Regardless, the film has earned over 15 billion yen locally, making it one of Japan's highest-grossing films ever. Fans and critics alike have praised the show for its lush animation, an abundance of soundtracks, and top-tier fight scenes, making it a must-watch for One Piece fans.

Reference:

Sportskeeda (July 18, 2022). Oda confirms One Piece Film: Red will uncover Shanks' secret that has a canon connection.

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