Well, if there's one thing we know for sure about Oda, it's that eventually he'll get around to spotlighting every member of the crew. It's just that as the crew gets larger, it takes more time to get around to everyone. It may seem like some characters receive more attention than others, but when you look at the series as a whole, it works out to be about even. Especially considering the length of some of the flashbacks of those characters. Luffy may get the biggest fight and be the star of every arc, but he also has a bad habit of going "missing" for several chapters, and during that time, someone else on the crew gets the spotlight. Zoro's had a lot of action lately, but he had a lot less in Enies Lobby/Water Seven, and almost nothing in Drum – the two arcs in which Sanji had a lot of action.
Someone said that Sanji didnt do much in Drum -- I disagree. He was Luffy and Nami's "bodyguard" on the way up the mountain, and saw a lot of action before being knocked out by the Lapin avalanche. He also had the long running "emergency rations" joke with Chopper, and interaction with Wapol's crew as well as the Doctorine.
So don't panic, Sanji fans -- or fans of any other character for that matter -- your time is gonna come ...
Basically, … Sanji's ADVANTAGE is NOT being recognized. I think Oda might keep using that method ... I feel Sanji's unrecognition is what makes him so helpful and cool.
I agree! And as humiliating as that bounty drawing is, it's as small price to pay for being able to slink about anywhere without recognition. He'd be a fool to want it any other way, even if it is a drain to his self-esteem.
@raj:
But seriously, do we really need Sanji to prove himself by means of sacrifice?
Sanji doesn't need to prove himself by means of sacrifice anymore because he already has – yes, Zoro may have only been the only Mugiwara who witnessed it, but that's fine, because Zoro's the only one Sanji is seriously competing with (that's why I jokingly call them "Alphas"). So now that they both know they're willing to die for the crew, they're equal again. If Zoro didn't think that Sanji was serious about dying for the crew, he probably wouldn't have gone to the trouble of knocking Sanji out.
Sure, it'd be nice if Sanji became tolerable, but given Thriller Bark's depiction of him I kind of doubt for me at least he'll become any more enjoyable.
Sanji's behavior and actions in Thriller Bark were very uneven. It was almost as if Oda was parodying him by playing out all of his quirks to nonsensical extremes. The Absalom fight in the church was the low point of that. Sanji didn't seem like his usual self (to me at least…) until these past few chapters, where we got to see some strength and depth again. Now I feel like we're on solid ground with him, and that's damn good timing, because I expect him to play a more important role in Fishman Island.
@Kitsune::
Sanji finds the All Blue at Fishman Island and says, "Well…I fulfuilled my dream ^^ I'm leaving the crew now, bye :D"
That's actually what I think will become his toughest challenge. If they find All-Blue before they find One Piece – and I'm hoping that they do -- will he choose to stay in his paradise, or will he continue on with the crew. Is it enough just to know that paradise exists, or is it necessary to live there forever?
@Kuroneko:
I saw the Invisible Fruit more like a forced joke.
"LOL SANJI WANTED TO BE A DF USER! ISN'T THAT RANDOMLY HILARIOUS?!! LOL LOL LOL!!"
Me too. As I said before, it felt as if Oda had pushed the humor too far with Sanji, so that he was reduced to a parody of himself. But I think he realized his mistake and made up for it by giving back Sanji some depth and strength in the past few chapters.
Arrghh! got to get back to work. …
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