One Piece Episode 1136, titled “Kuma’s Life”, was released on Sunday, July 13, and serves as the final installment exploring Kuma’s backstory. While One Piece has featured emotional moments throughout its run, the series has never been particularly known to have this element so prominently on display. However, Kuma’s backstory, revealed to be the most poignant yet, proves that Eiichiro Oda is more than capable of delivering deeply moving narratives. This episode ties together all the mysteries surrounding Kuma’s actions since becoming a Warlord and before, explaining his sacrifices, from saving the Straw Hats to giving up his humanity. It concludes a heart-wrenching story, and unsurprisingly, fans are showering this installment with praise.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As of this writing, One Piece Episode 1136 holds the title of the highest-rated episode in the series on IMDb, boasting an almost perfect score of 9.9 out of 10 with over 6,000 user ratings. It has dethroned the long-reigning Episode 337, which famously featured Zoro absorbing Luffy’s pain and declaring, “Nothing Happened.” Considering that an episode from nearly two decades ago held the top spot for so long, it will be fascinating to see how long this newest installment maintains its reign. Given the craftsmanship and emotional weight behind it, the chances are high. Episode 1136 is a true testament to the series’ accumulated storytelling power.
One Piece Episode 1136 Becomes the Highest-Rated Episode Ever and Looks Poised To Hold the Top Spot
One Piece Episode 1136 continues to depict the final moments before Kuma gives up his humanity, showing his unwavering efforts to help others, driven by a belief in kindness and change. However, the true heart of this episode isn’t just Kuma’s continued selflessness, but his discovery of hope in Monkey D. Luffy. To Kuma, Luffy represents the possible savior, the embodiment of Nika, and the freedom he had always envisioned. This symbolically shows that Luffy is now carrying Kuma’s will, a powerful moment, especially within a series that has long explored the concept of the mysterious force of “inherited will.” This belief makes Kuma’s faith in Luffy even more poignant.
What deepens the emotional impact is how Kuma deliberately helped Luffy and his crew on more than one occasion, even saving their lives and protecting their ship for two years. In the end, this episode, which features a B-roll of Kuma’s entire life, as the title suggests, serves as a reminder of his tragic journey. Despite his suffering, he never gave up and continued to do good: as a friend, a father, and, above all, a truly kind human being. His story has clearly resonated with fans, earning this episode the crown of the best in the series. Even if One Piece Episode 1136 is eventually dethroned from the top spot, it remains one of the most memorable episodes, one that fans will continue to cherish regardless of ratings.
One Piece is available to stream on various streaming platforms, including Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of DC Studios -
Image Courtesy of The WB Television Network -
Image Courtesy of DC Studios.
