One Piece’s Best Written Character Isn’t Luffy, It’s This Straw Hat

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This post contains spoilers for One Piece.

Monkey D. Luffy, the central character in One Piece, consistently receives the most attention. This makes him the series’ most well-known character – even those unfamiliar with One Piece have likely heard of him. His widespread popularity is largely thanks to the creative vision of Eiichiro Oda, the author of the series.

Eiichiro Oda, like any manga creator, dedicated significant effort to developing the character of Luffy. He carefully crafted Luffy’s appearance, personality, and abilities, all of which contribute to the pirate’s popularity. While many consider Luffy the best-written character in One Piece, and Oda’s creativity is undeniable, the reality is a bit more nuanced.

Sanji Is The Best Written Character In One Piece

Image via Toei Animation.

Luffy is a fantastic character, but many fans actually connect with Sanji even more. Both are incredibly popular, as shown by fan polls, but Sanji stands out as the most well-rounded character in One Piece, which explains his strong appeal.

I know some folks might think I’m going overboard, but honestly, when you look at everything, Sanji is just on another level! It really hits home when you think about his past. Remember when the Straw Hats were at Baratie? That’s where we learned how Sanji and Zeff first met – it was totally unexpected! Zeff and his crew were actually trying to rob the ship Sanji was on. When everyone was gathered up, Sanji bravely shared his dream of finding the All Blue, and everyone laughed. But Zeff? He saw a bit of himself in that young kid. That’s why, when a huge tidal wave swept Sanji overboard, Zeff didn’t hesitate – he jumped right in to save him!

After finding Sanji, they swam to a small, secluded rock. Zeff shared a bag of food with Sanji, keeping one for himself. Days went by with no rescue in sight. Being a child, Sanji wasn’t very disciplined, and when they ran out of food, he tried to attack Zeff. He was horrified to discover Zeff had actually eaten his own leg – the bag only contained stolen goods. Zeff had selflessly given all the food to Sanji to ensure his survival. Overwhelmed by his error, Sanji cried and gained a deep respect for Zeff. After being rescued, Sanji remained with Zeff, and together they built Baratie, a famous restaurant at sea.

Because My Father Would Be Sad. —Sanji

Sanji’s time with Zeff proved his strong will to live and his ability to learn from his errors. Zeff’s selfless actions towards a stranger deeply impacted Sanji, particularly given his difficult upbringing with the Vinsmokes. Sanji viewed Zeff as a father figure, which explains why he willingly went with Capone Bege when Zeff’s life was threatened.

Sanji’s Past As A Vinsmoke Was Beautifully Executed By Oda

  • Sanji was tormented by his family
  • He remained true to his ideals

The Whole Cake Island arc delved into Sanji’s family history, revealing a difficult childhood. A flashback showed how Sanji was mistreated by most of his siblings and his father. His mother, Sora, and sister, Reiju, were exceptions, with Sora being especially kind because she recognized Sanji’s gentle and loving nature. She was relieved that at least one of her children hadn’t been consumed by their father Judge’s ambition for power. Sanji spent much of his childhood with Sora, enjoying cooking for her, and he also showed kindness to animals – traits that angered his father and brothers, who constantly bullied him. Judge went so far as to mask and imprison Sanji to hide his connection to the Vinsmoke family. Eventually, Sanji escaped the abuse and, with Reiju’s assistance, left his former life behind.

Sanji’s difficult childhood with the Vinsmoke Family deeply affected him emotionally. As a young boy, he struggled to understand why his family rejected him, leading him to constantly doubt himself and avoid relying on others. This is why he initially joined forces with Capone – he wanted to handle everything on his own. Even during the Whole Cake Island arc, when he fought Luffy, Sanji pretended to abandon the Straw Hats because he didn’t want to need anyone’s help.

Sanji Never Changed Even After Years Of Torture

Later in the story, Sanji had a chance to get revenge on his family, the Vinsmokes. He could have allowed the Big Mom Pirates to defeat them, but that would have meant losing his own kindness – something he refused to do, as it went against the values Zeff taught him. By rescuing the Vinsmokes, Sanji showed he wasn’t cold and heartless like they were, and he proved his father, who always thought Sanji was weak, wrong.

The Robin Moment In Onigashima Changed Everything

Sanji Proved That He Wasn’t The Same As Before

Sanji was already a remarkably well-developed character after the Whole Cake Island arc. However, the author, Oda, decided to add one final key scene to highlight Sanji’s personal growth. During the raid on Onigashima, Sanji was ambushed and captured by Black Maria. While he could have easily broken free, his strong sense of chivalry stopped him from harming a woman, even to save himself.

Black Maria cornered Sanji, demanding he either call Nico Robin for help or face the consequences. Surprisingly, Sanji did call Robin, asking for her assistance. While some fans saw this as a sign of weakness, it actually showed Sanji was willing to rely on his crewmates. He trusted Robin to handle the situation, and she delivered.

Image via Toei Animation.

Eiichiro Oda put an incredible amount of thought and care into crafting Sanji’s history and how his character grows, arguably making it his best character writing to date. While Sanji isn’t flawless – and no one is – some fans dislike his often-exaggerated perverted behavior. It’s important to remember that this is amplified in the anime; in the manga, it’s a much more restrained and infrequent part of his personality, making him far more dignified.

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2026-02-04 22:08