One Piece has been on a streak of giving the Straw Hats new power upgrades ever since Wano, especially the crew’s main trio. However, with the start of the Elbaph arc and the emergence of new villains, it became clear that the Straw Hats would need another upgrade. This time, it was specifically related to Haki, the strongest form of which is essential to defeating the God’s Knights. The Straw Hats’ captain, Luffy, has always possessed this power, and his mastery of it will continue to grow. The Wano arc also hinted that Zoro possessed it and would need to learn how to control it.
The past few chapters of the series have focused on Zoro’s upgrade in this regard, and he was able to master it in the coolest way possible, as expected from Zoro. Now, all eyes have turned to the crew’s third-strongest member, Sanji. The Straw Hat cook was never hinted to possess the traits of Conqueror’s Haki, but the Elbaph arc has been adamant about giving Sanji a power upgrade. As most shonen series do, it begins by delving into the character’s past. While Sanji’s past has been explored extensively before, the latest dive reveals that he has been lacking in one particular way that he is now going to overcome. This upgrade could be even better than Zoro’s latest one, as it introduces a sense of realism that readers may find comforting and even relate to.
One Piece Chapter 1195 began delving into Sanji’s past, specifically hinting at what he had learned during the time skip and what he had discovered about himself but suppressed. The latest chapter, 1196, sees Killingham manifest Sanji’s fears, bringing Ivankov into the picture. In the previous chapter, Ivankov emphasized that Sanji had a weakness that he had already recognized. The latest chapter reveals that Sanji lacks self-love. Sanji has stated that he doesn’t care about himself and is ready to sacrifice himself for others. However, Ivankov reveals that this lack of self-care and willingness to let himself get hurt are exactly what Sanji must overcome to become even stronger.
Accepting that he indeed lacks self-love and self-care, Sanji swears that he will take care of his body, refusing to let even a single hit land on him as he begins prioritizing himself. It was evident that Sanji would receive an upgrade because he is a prominent member of the Straw Hats, and it is refreshing to see something different from a simple Haki upgrade. His upgrade is fundamentally human, which fits his character, as he has always seemed more human than the others. Looking deeper, his past is also rooted in realistic struggles, which is why he feels so different from the rest.
With Sanji’s upgrade being so deeply human, One Piece has reintroduced a realistic element that it can sometimes overlook. Compared to Zoro, whose Haki upgrade, while not bad, aligns with his character, the same approach would not have worked for Sanji. Seeing his upgrade rooted in realistic struggles makes much more sense for his character. Ever since One Piece introduced more fantastical elements with the start of the Final Saga, it has needed realistic elements like Sanji’s upgrade. Honestly, it is even better than Zoro’s upgrade, further reinforcing Sanji’s profound and unique position among the Straw Hats.
