One Piece TV Special 3: Mamore! Saigo No Dai Butai

The Straw Hat Pirates stop at an island where they came across a theater ship. The place is own by ex-Lieutenant Randolph. Randolph has for many years performed his plays and has inspired numerous people who have seen him act. When the crew was short on actors, the Straw Hat Pirates volunteered to fill in the parts. But soon they'll discover that Randolph has a grudge against all pirates. Reason why is he lost his family from a pirate group long ago. Since then he made his own plays to inspire people to have courage after losing a loved one. Randolph will retire soon as he may soon lost his voice due to a chest injury he received long ago. Meanwhile a marine commander came to the theater ship for Randolph's arrest on a crime he didn't commit. Will Luffy and everyone else save Randolph's final act? And will Randolph see that not all pirates are murders.

This one is better than the previous one. Due to the story being unique and well done. There's plenty of comedy in some scenes and Randolph's character is well developed. Overrall this one can't be described as a filler like episode. But just describe as a great One Piece TV movie.

Luffy and his team are breaking into adventure again. In this special, we see a story not only about a theatrical performance, but about a person. The person who survived the terrible. Whom divided people into good and bad, looking only at the surface. And this person wants to tell others about hope and revenge.

Pirates are terrible people, he says. But knowing that the Straw Hat team will meet with this person, we already understand what may change.

You are happy to watch this movie. After all, it is the way we love: simple story about friendship, support. And that everything is not divided into black and white.

"One Piece TV Special 3: Protect! The Last Great Stage" is an original non-canon adventure that, while fun, struggles to leave a lasting impact compared to the stronger arcs and movies in the One Piece franchise.

One of the special's standout qualities is its unique setting-an island with a famous theater where a legendary final performance is about to take place. The concept of protecting a cultural treasure rather than hunting treasure itself adds an interesting twist to the usual pirate formula. The Straw Hat crew's personalities and interactions are on point, bringing humor and energy to the story.

The animation is decent for a TV special, though it doesn't reach the quality of the movies. The action scenes are serviceable, and the special does well in highlighting each crew member's abilities in small but entertaining moments.

The biggest drawback is the forgettable villain and overall lack of stakes. The antagonist, who seeks to disrupt the final performance for selfish reasons, feels generic and doesn't pose a real threat to the Straw Hats. This makes the conflict feel somewhat shallow, as it lacks the emotional weight or thrilling action of One Piece at its best.

Additionally, because it's a TV special with a short runtime, the pacing can feel rushed, and there's little room for deep character development. Fans looking for a meaningful or intense adventure might find this special underwhelming.

"Protect! The Last Great Stage" is a lighthearted but ultimately skippable entry in the One Piece catalog. While it provides some fun moments and a unique setting, it doesn't offer much in terms of stakes or memorable storytelling.

Rating: 7.5/10 - A fun distraction for die-hard fans, but not essential viewing.