The frequent complaint about manga-based anime "filler" arcs and theatrical features is that they're not canon. Well, no such complaints can be levied at One Piece: Strong World. The tenth film based on the hit manga from creator Oda Eiichiro, Strong World was conceived and supervised by Oda himself, with new characters, relationships and details neatly fitting into established One Piece continuity. Not that it matters that much; this is your standard One Piece adventure, meaning equal parts stirring friendship, over-the-top action, offhand coolness and pronounced wackiness. One Piece fans, this is your One Piece movie dream.

Strong World details the Straw Hat Pirates' conflict with Golden Lion Shiki (entertainingly voiced by the ubiquitous Takenaka Naoto), a one-time rival to legendary pirate Gol D. Roger, and the man who's eaten the Fuwa Fuwa Devil Fruit, giving him the power to levitate objects. Shiki's grand plan involves using a flying island of mutated animals to destroy the East Blue Sea – which doesn't sit well with the Straw Hats because they all happen to be from East Blue. Making matters worse, Shiki kidnaps Straw Hat navigator Nami and handily defeats the crew in their first battle. The message he sends is that Nami has joined his crew and that they should let her go. Of course, that's more than enough reason for the Straw Hats to rebound, regroup, and seek out Shiki for one last winner-takes-all throwdown. Cue big anime battles and lots of familiar character-based wackiness.

Despite Strong World being touted as canon, it still feels disconnected from One Piece lore in that the storyline doesn't add much to the surprisingly large and involved epic that is Oda's manga. Shiki's actions have been mentioned in the manga, but the film's storyline is pretty much a one-off, with everything starting and ending within two compact hours. If Golden Lion Shiki is going to have a bigger effect on the One Piece world then it's gong to have to be in something other than Strong World. Also, as is usual for One Piece theatrical features, the crew eventually takes a backseat to captain Monkey D. Luffy beating the tar out of whatever big bad they're facing this installment. At least he has a new friend, a flying peacock-like bird named Billy who can shoot lighting and has a perpetual runny nose. However, Billy hasn't been seen since Strong World either, so who knows if he'll ever matter.

Still, Strong Piece delivers plenty of One Piece goodness, and that's likely enough for anyone who'd care to tune in. Much of the charm of One Piece lies in the indomitable will of its characters, most especially Luffy and his rubber-man powers, which seem silly but become insanely powerful in his stubborn, childlike hands. Oda's characters are innately charismatic and enjoyable, and Strong World still gives each crew member their moment in the sun – though obviously, there's some imbalance. Luffy and Nami particularly get tons of screentime, with Nami's involving bikinis and costume changes, and Luffy's involving the aforementioned final showdown with Shiki. Everyone else gets at least one chance to show their unique abilities, plus each is decked out in fab new costumes ripe for merchandising and ancillary revenue. In particular, Chopper's pink bathrobe is a license to print money.

Production values are also a big plus of Strong World. Luffy's "Gear Two" and "Gear Three" rubber powers have already turned up in the anime, but likely not as well-rendered as here. Also, the new character designs depart from previous ones, with the Straw Hats looking tough and dapper and also carrying guns for nearly the first time in their 13-year history. One Piece may be looking at another 10 years of continued storytelling anyway. The series has seemingly only reached its mid-point, with the anime and manga still massively popular worldwide. Strong World is not the best we've seen of One Piece (the Alabasta or Water Seven arcs are near the top), but it does encapsulate much of what makes the anime and manga charming, compelling and oh-so-much fun. Strong World is simply more of the same, and it's hard to complain about that. "The same" is exactly what it should be.