This text incorporates heavy spoilers for “One Piece” Episode 1163, titled “I Need You to Reward Me — The Reunion of Robin and Saul.”
The world of “One Piece,” with its powers straight out of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, ridiculous character designs, and fantastical creatures, would not precisely scream “emotional.” And but, this goofy present about pirates and a man with stretchy powers is aware of methods to ship some genuinely heartbreaking episodes of tv.
In 2025, “One Piece” aired the saddest TV episode of the yr and one of many present’s greatest flashbacks, exploring the tragic backstory of 1 Bartholomew Kuma. Simply when followers thought the present could not get any extra emotional, Toei Animation’s adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece delivered what might be the most effective anime episode of 2026.
In case you one way or the other determined to learn this with out having watched any of the previous 1162 episodes of “One Piece,” or you have not rewatched Water 7 in 20 years, the episode sees the much-anticipated reunion of Nico Robin and Jaguar D. Saul. Again in 2006, we discovered by flashbacks that Nico Robin is the only real survivor of her residence island of Ohara, which was destroyed by the World Authorities for researching forbidden historical past. Proper earlier than her complete island was massacred, Robin was saved by Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul, who stayed behind combating one other vice admiral.
For the previous 20 years, audiences have been led to consider Saul was lifeless, killed for aiding Robin’s escape and defying the Marines and the World Authorities. So after we discovered within the earlier arc that Saul was alive and dwelling in Elbaph, the land of the giants, it was clear “One Piece” would ultimately ship one hell of a reunion.
Nicely, that point has come, and the reunion is as heart-wrenchingly good as you’d count on.
One Piece delivered a extremely anticipated reunion
The reunion between Nico Robin and Jaguar D. Saul was filled with callbacks. The second Robin comes throughout Saul on a seashore in Elbaph echoes their very first assembly, when Saul washed up on the shores of Ohara. Again then, Saul tried to jokingly scare tiny little eight-year-old Robin by making a scary face — although she wasn’t scared and even amused. The identical factor occurs this time, with Saul asking one other citizen of Elbaph to inform the Straw Hats he is had an accident and is in hassle — all a ruse to scare Robin. Like when she was a toddler, Robin is neither amused nor scared. What’s extra, Robin had even requested crewmate Brook to chop her hair at the start of this arc to look similar to she did when she final noticed Saul 22 years prior.
Their reunion itself is a testomony to Toei Animation’s crew of artists, putting a concentrate on the character performing and using refined expressions. Robin’s wide-eyed look as she reunites along with her previous buddy, the best way she holds again tears the second Saul says she seems to be like her late mom, the best way she smiles on the point out of her destroyed homeland … all of it serves to repay a narrative 20 years within the making, of Robin enduring untold horrors all main up to date she tells Saul to reward her for being alive.
Each Saul and Robin attempt their greatest to maintain the reunion lighthearted and never concentrate on the tragedy that separated them, nevertheless it’s not sufficient. Upon Robin’s request, Saul grabs her and hugs her, telling her he is happy with her for staying alive and grateful that she got here to see him.
Cue the waterworks.
Nico Robin, the survivor
What makes the reunion so particular and emotional is the way it speaks to Robin’s character arc and her backstory. All through the episode, we see flashbacks to Robin’s childhood after she escaped from Ohara, being chased like a canine for years. It culminates with Robin wanting over a cliff, questioning why she ought to even carry on dwelling, and practically leaping.
Sure, an all-ages blockbuster anime nearly portrayed an tried suicide by a toddler.
“One Piece” has been a rare journey. Its unbelievable size would possibly make this a frightening story for newcomers, nevertheless it’s the most important power of this anime. We have seen Nico Robin’s character improvement for over 1000 episodes. We noticed her carry the trauma of shedding her residence, of shedding the desire to reside for over twenty years. However we have additionally seen her discover mates within the Straw Hats and defy her greatest fears within the World Authorities. Rewatching her well-known “I wish to reside” second from Enies Foyer realizing she as soon as tried to finish her life hits a thousand occasions more durable after this episode.
And now, we lastly see Robin acknowledge each her struggling and her accomplishments. She’s lastly reunited with the person who saved her life and realizes that she’s lived as much as his closing recommendation to her. She’s discovered a motive to reside and folks to get pleasure from life with.
It is no marvel that the Straw Hats can not help however bawl their eyes out, because the episode ends with a transferring music enjoying to moments from throughout the anime of Robin with every of her crewmates. That is her household, that is her motive for dwelling, and he or she’s glad to share that with the person who informed her to maintain going.
