The English voice cast absolutely nailed the desperation in this special. It’s not canon to the manga, but it IS canon to my heart. 🩹

One piece movie Z is an extremely well-made movie despite that it doesn't contribute to the original story. We follow Zito the ex- One Piece 3D2Y: Is It Canon & What Does It Mean? - Yahoo

Because 3D2Y is a TV special rather than a standard episode, Toei Animation allocated a higher budget for the animation. The result is fluid combat and dynamic lighting that holds up well against the actual theatrical movies ( Film Z or Strong World ).