One Piece 3D: Mugiwara Chase is surprisingly well written, for it is pleasant and relatable, especially if you are a pet owner, and involves a goal that any One Piece fan knows must be achieved at all costs. It doesn’t try to be bigger than it really is. And it’s truly quite short, only a half-hour. As in the show, the humor is spot on and the character interactions are solid. Everything One Piece fans crave in the writing is there. Unfortunately, the 3D animation is disorienting and distracting, and did lessen my enjoyment of the film during times that would normally elicit a reaction fromme, such as moments of hilarity or action scenes that should be cool but just aren’t the same in 3D. The most awkward sequences are those involving the more extreme expressions often seen in One Piece, which are intensely amusing in the show’s normal style but peculiar here. Clearly, the style of One Piece is not suited for this alternative medium and I genuinely wish it was animated normally.

Mugiwara Chase is a lovely watch, but the animation can get in the way of the experience. If you don’t mind or even like the different animation, you will have absolutely zero problems with it.