Zoro gets separated from the crew, and suddenly you're watching a different show. The sacred sword plot is thin, but it doesn't matter because this movie is actually about an old friendship betrayal that cuts deeper than any cursed blade. The final fight between Luffy and Saga feels like the payoff the setup never earned, and you'll take it anyway because One Piece movies live or die on whether the action lands, and this one does.

Luffy and his crew land on an island in search of a fabled blade said to be the most costly sword anywhere. Their hunt comes apart when marines attack and a group of beautiful maidens appears, splitting the crew up. Zoro turns against his crewmates to help an old friend. Meanwhile, Luffy and Usopp wander through a cave while the others help a village fight off the marines. At stake are a set of sacred pearls, the only protection against an evil sword that could plunge the world into darkness. The movie mixes action and comedy with a fantasy adventure.