In recent years, the One Piece anime has frequently stirred controversy among fans over how the character Sanji is portrayed. These debates have become so widespread that many fans have nearly lost hope that the Straw Hat crew’s beloved chef would ever receive the proper spotlight in the anime, especially in the ongoing Egghead Event Arc.
Compared to the Wano Country Saga, numerous scenes in the Egghead Arc have sparked frustration, to the point where the anime production team had to publicly deny any favoritism within the studio. A major issue lies in Toei Animation’s approach of adapting just one manga chapter per episode, which often results in filler scenes that drag the pace and slow down critical battles. Sanji is one of the characters most impacted by this sluggish pacing, despite being one of the most popular figures in the series.
Toei often stretches episodes with unnecessary comedic bits, which inflate the runtime. More frustratingly, action scenes involving Sanji despite being the fastest Straw Hat are animated sluggishly, diminishing his perceived strength. As one of the future Pirate King’s wings, Sanji, along with Zoro, is among the crew’s top fighters. While the manga depicts their strength as relatively equal, the anime tells a different story.
Episode 1147, which focuses on the chaos unfolding on Egghead Island, was expected to highlight Sanji. However, fans were again left disheartened by the animation.
The scene in question comes from episode 1147, where Sanji heroically saves Bonney and Franky from Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, one of the Five Elders who arrives on the island. Spotting his friends in danger, Sanji charges in and lands a flaming kick on the towering opponent, incinerating part of Nusjuro’s massive body.
Though weaker than his foe, Sanji’s perfect timing and fierce drive to protect his friends even while carrying a gravely injured Vegapunk made it one of his most iconic moments in the Egghead Arc manga.
While episode 1147 didn’t offer particularly stunning or revolutionary visuals, its animation quality was considered decent by weekly anime standards. Given One Piece is a long-running series, not every episode can match the exceptional animation seen in landmark episodes like 1112, 1115, or 1136.
Still, the disappointment stemmed mainly from fans’ expectations, as they hoped Toei would prioritize explosive, emotionally charged scenes for central characters like Sanji. This was, after all, Sanji’s first direct clash with a member of the Five Elders—an encounter deserving of top-tier animation.
In April, fan animator @klosekkj gained acclaim after redrawing this very scene with stunning quality that surpassed the community’s expectations. While not every episode can be a visual masterpiece, episode 1141 from a few weeks ago did manage to depict Sanji realistically as he blocked a powerful blow from Admiral Kizaru.
Episode 1147 ends with a shocking revelation about the world’s future, as the long-awaited broadcast by Vegapunk begins hinting at major secrets from the past soon to be unveiled.
Sources: GameK
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