One Piece is known for its ability to give its characters a memorable debut, especially the Straw Hat Pirates. However, Sanji didn’t enjoy such treatment.
One Piece is a story about the story of a group of pirates known as the Straw Hat Pirates. Every member has a goal big enough to be mocked by ordinary people, while the captain, Luffy, is trying to be the Pirate King — and the group is gradually but surely recognizing this scenario. But it wasn’t always this way. When they set the sails, Logia Devil Fruit users were their only opponents. They were unable to defeat them without a loophole. However, the Straw Hats back then were incredible. They’re all featured in extremely cool manners through One Piece except Sanji.
The tales of the Straw Hats began with just Luffy who left his hometown in the absence of a boat. He managed to reach each island, almost entirely relying on luck. The first person he met was not a part of the Straw Hat Pirates. Instead, Luffy was determined to become a Marine. But thanks to Koby’s help, Luffy got to meet Zoro. Nami was soon a part of their crew, which was followed by Usopp and Sanji. They were drawn to Grand Line, where they were able to recruit additional members.
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The East Blue Saga members were pretty sexy
One Piece began with a flashback showing Luffy’s humble beginnings. Luffy was a brat who had a snot nose, asking Shanks and his crew for permission to go sailing with him. Luffy was only 13 years old and had a lot of courage. He attempted to cut his eye to prove his courage but also took on a band of mountain bandits after the criminals badmouthed his pirate friends. He ultimately got saved by Shanks however, Luffy did not give up after his turning. He began sailing on his own however, he also gave Shanks an enormous dose of his pistol punch.
Amazing introductions are also given to the following three Straw Hats. Zoro was captured by a Marine base for the first time. Koby introduced Zoro as a notorious person and this was affirmed afterward. Zoro endured not eating for several days, but Zoro was still able to help Luffy take down the Marine base the moment the base was liberated. Nami might not be the strongest of the group, but her debut was packed with action. She stole the evil Buggy the Clown and even was able to help Luffy to defeat the murderous pirate. However, the highlight was when she used her naked hands to prevent a gun from going off and also saved the protagonist’s life.
Usopp, the weaker member in the Straw Hats, also had an interesting entry into One Piece. Despite his timid nature, he decided to fight Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates as they tried to take over his hometown. Luffy defeated Kuro but Usopp delivered the ultimate punch to Jango.
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Sanji has a Sob Story, Much like the Other Straw Hats
It’s not uncommon to find One Piece characters have tragic stories behind them. Sanji Of course isn’t an exception. As with the Straw Hats, his sob story was made public the moment when he was first introduced. Sanji was cooking since his childhood years and his life changed an unexpected turn when Red Leg Zeff’s pirate team arrived at their restaurant. The storm that hit the restaurant was very severe and all the staff, except Zeff and Sanji who were both killed, went down. They were castaways for the next few months.
They might have escaped the harsh weather however they were not out of danger. They had a limited supply of food, so they were further divided. It was later discovered that Zeff had provided the younger Sanji with all the food, and the latter was then forced to remove and cut off his leg to alleviate his hungry. Sanji was shocked by the situation and promised to assist Zeff to create a beachside restaurant.
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The Story of the Baratie Battles Sanji
Sanji disappears into the background except for his flashback. His supposed arc, called the “Baratie” arc is primarily about the altercation between the Krieg Pirates and the titular restaurant. It was reasonable to assume Sanji was at the forefront of the fight to defend his beloved workplace, but that isn’t what happened. Zoro was the first to take the limelight. In a sad turn of events, Dracule Mihawk chased down the Krieg Pirates along the Grand Line to East Blue. Zoro was aware that the Warlord was regarded as the most powerful swordsman in the world and fought Mihawk to a duel. While the Straw Hat lost a lot but he gained the Warlord’s respect.
Don Krieg and his band of scallywags took over as the antagonists of the arc after Mihawk left the restaurant. In defiance of Gin’s and Sanji’s pleas, Don Krieg decided to assume control of Baratie and make it his main vessel. Even so, Don Krieg’s opponent isn’t Sanji. It’s Luffy. While it seems like an opportunity missed to showcase Luffy’s combat skills, however, it’s not unsurprising. Luffy is always the first to take on the bosses who are the ultimate challengers when they recruit his crewmates. Sanji was not able to have the chance to show off the kicks that he is so proud of.
Sanji was facing Pearl who was proud of his incomprehensible defense. However, it wasn’t a fight. It’s more like a one-sided beating down with Sanji as the one who suffered. There are no unexpected twists or power-ups, as Sanji just took Pearl’s punches and it was the villain’s fellow crew member, Gin, who defeated him. If Sanji was not considered one of the Straw Hats’ most powerful members and had a similar performance, it would have been acceptable. Nami and Usopp, who were the weakest members, were better fighting skills than the other members. While the “Baratie arc” was the introduction of Sanji to One Piece but he was overshadowed most often by Zoro or Luffy.
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