Sanji might never have become the character we know today without a significant change before his debut. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, developed several character designs for the Straw Hat Pirates, all of which underwent multiple revisions before being officially included in the story.
The case of Sanji is a prime example, as the difference between his original design and the current version is striking.
Eiichiro Oda Originally Intended for Sanji to Be a Sniper in One Piece
Eiichiro Oda revealed the original design for Sanji a few years ago, and seeing it can completely change your perspective on him. In the current version of One Piece, Sanji is the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates and fights using martial arts based on kicks. He is also considered one of the strongest members of the crew, often seen as part of the monstrous trio alongside Luffy and Zoro.
Sanji created the Black Leg Style martial arts, which emphasizes coordinated kicking techniques. He does this because he doesn’t want to damage his hands, which he uses solely for cooking.
However, in Oda’s original design for Sanji, he did not possess the impressive Black Leg Style. Instead, the focus was on his pair of pistols, indicating that he was meant to be a marksman. He also wore a black hat with a blue ribbon, a vest over a white shirt, and a blue scarf. Even his hair was black with normal eyebrows, contrasting sharply with the official image of his golden hair and curly eyebrows. Clearly, the personality that Oda initially envisioned for Sanji was very different from the current character.
2 Key Features of Sanji That Differ from the Original Concept in One Piece
Sanji is known for a few things: his perversion, his incredible cooking skills, and his formidable kicks. If we adhere to the original character design of Sanji, he may never have acquired the latter two abilities.
As a marksman, Sanji would have relied heavily on his hands for combat. This means he would not be averse to using his hands in battles, which is in stark contrast to the current Sanji, who protects his hands at all costs because he needs them for cooking.
Of course, Sanji’s famous attacks like Diable Jambe, Irfit Jambe, Hell Memories, Sky Walk, and Blue Walk would not exist. Instead, he would be executing deceptive shots with his pair of pistols.
If Sanji’s original design had remained unchanged, his character would also have overlapped with another Straw Hat member, Usopp. Usopp is a sharpshooter who often wields a sniper rifle. If Sanji had become a marksman, there would be two sharpshooters in the Straw Hat crew. While both Brook and Zoro are swordsmen, their personalities do not overlap.
