The highly anticipated episode 1123 of One Piece premiered on April 6, 2025, marking the long-awaited return of the beloved anime series. Fans of the franchise were treated to an exciting narrative centered around the Straw Hat Pirates as they attempted to flee Egghead Island. Nonetheless, the episode sparked discussions among viewers, particularly concerning a certain character’s portrayal that left some fans feeling dissatisfied.
In this episode, Sanji, known for his charming and playful demeanor, is depicted as being particularly flirtatious with Bonney. Many fans, however, were disappointed to notice that Toei Animation took creative liberties for this portrayal, diverging from the original manga narrative. This led to renewed concerns among Sanji’s supporters, who suspect that the animation studio may have an agenda against the Black Leg of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Note: This article may contain spoilers related to the anime series and reflects the author’s viewpoint.
One Piece Episode 1123: Sanji’s Gag Receives Backlash from Fans
In One Piece episode 1123, the narrative follows the Straw Hat Pirates as they hold Vegapunk York captive on Egghead Island. As the plot intensifies, Monkey D. Luffy devises a plan to leverage York as a decoy while orchestrating the escape of Vegapunk Stella and the other satellites. Meanwhile, the remaining Straw Hats are engaged in various activities, with Sanji notably spending time preparing a meal for the crew, displaying his affection towards the female characters, particularly Bonney.
While some fans may have overlooked this trait as a familiar gag, manga readers quickly noticed deviations from the source material. In the manga chapter corresponding with this episode, Sanji’s role was much more straightforward; he was simply serving food without any flirtatious undertones. This creative choice by the anime adaptation raised eyebrows, as it appeared Toei Animation inserted non-canonical content that emphasized Sanji’s flirtation, an element that did not exist in the original manga.
Additionally, Sanji’s absence from a key scene where the Straw Hats stand beside a bound York further irritated fans. Many believe that Toei Animation’s treatment of Sanji, especially in recent arcs, reflects poorly on the character. Observations regarding similar trends have been made since the beginning of the Egghead Arc, where the studio consistently resorts to Sanji’s flirtatious behavior to fill episode time, raising concerns about the portrayal of this beloved character.
For instance, Sanji’s encounter with Stussy further highlighted this issue, displaying an exaggerated interpretation of his character that many found amusing yet disheartening. Fans argue that while humor is important, such representations unfairly diminish Sanji’s dignity and narrative depth, leading to accusations that the studio is misrepresenting his character to the detriment of the fandom.
Analysis and Conclusion
The ongoing use of the Sanji gag appears increasingly excessive, raising concerns among fans who yearn for a true and faithful adaptation of the character. They seek moments that do justice to Sanji’s qualities as a central figure within the series.
While the reasons behind Toei Animation’s emphasis on Sanji’s flirtatious demeanor remain elusive, it may be leaning towards employing such gags to maintain pacing and entertainment value within episodes rather than adhering strictly to the original storyline. However, labeling the studio’s intentions based solely on the portrayal in a few episodes could oversimplify a more complex issue. As fans continue to express their concerns, the debate about character adaptation in anime persists, inviting a larger conversation on fidelity to source material versus the creative interpretations of animation studios.