I love the inversion that occurs when comparing the two interactions between Borsalino and Zephyr.
At the start of the film Kiz isn't aware of Z's whole "gonna destroy the whole grandline with volcanic eruptions" madman plot, so he maintains his sarcastic, pleasant, "somewhat joyful on the surface" kind of demeanor. In all likelihood he doesn't think atm that he'll have to go as far as to kill his sensei. Zephyr, on the other hand, is at a point in the film where he finds only regret and pain in his past as a marine, as a sensei. He's unmistakably serious, pragmatic and doesn't care much for Kizaru's pleasantries.
In the last moments of his life, however, Zephyr does come to embrace and perhaps even cherish everything that has led up to this point of his story, regaining his pride as a marine. That's why he is enthusiastic about giving the vice-admirals he's previously trained a "final lesson", even if it ends in his demise. That's why he is genuinely happy to finally refer to Kizaru by a "Borsalinoooo!" with a smile almost too big to be contained on his face. He has nothing but respect for his pupil in this moment. Kizaru too is respectful, but it is steeped in a subdued seriousness, underlying sorrow. And yet... He has a duty to fulfil as a marine, and he knows it, and he will fulfil it. Will he do it with some regret? Yes. Does he understand that this is something that Zephyr himself has fully come to terms with? Also yes.
Gosh, film Z is what I'd truly call a good anime tie-in film. Not good in the sense of "something decent floating in a sea of rubbish" either. Genuinely good.
At the start of the film Kiz isn't aware of Z's whole "gonna destroy the whole grandline with volcanic eruptions" madman plot, so he maintains his sarcastic, pleasant, "somewhat joyful on the surface" kind of demeanor. In all likelihood he doesn't think atm that he'll have to go as far as to kill his sensei. Zephyr, on the other hand, is at a point in the film where he finds only regret and pain in his past as a marine, as a sensei. He's unmistakably serious, pragmatic and doesn't care much for Kizaru's pleasantries.
In the last moments of his life, however, Zephyr does come to embrace and perhaps even cherish everything that has led up to this point of his story, regaining his pride as a marine. That's why he is enthusiastic about giving the vice-admirals he's previously trained a "final lesson", even if it ends in his demise. That's why he is genuinely happy to finally refer to Kizaru by a "Borsalinoooo!" with a smile almost too big to be contained on his face. He has nothing but respect for his pupil in this moment. Kizaru too is respectful, but it is steeped in a subdued seriousness, underlying sorrow. And yet... He has a duty to fulfil as a marine, and he knows it, and he will fulfil it. Will he do it with some regret? Yes. Does he understand that this is something that Zephyr himself has fully come to terms with? Also yes.
Gosh, film Z is what I'd truly call a good anime tie-in film. Not good in the sense of "something decent floating in a sea of rubbish" either. Genuinely good.



