Known and feared as Black Leg, Sanji was never supposed to become as strong as he is, but against all odds, he became a pillar of the crew and an important piece in Luffy’s way towards becoming King of the Pirates. Sanji might be quick to violence when he has to protect a woman, but his main goal is nothing as grand as that of Zoro and Luffy.

Sanji wishes to go to the All Blue, a sea where fish from all other seas come together. His instincts as a chef tell him to go there to see what exotic fish he can find. In a sea where a great ambition (the literal translation of Haki) is needed to become strong, Sanji manages with a simple, peaceful dream, and can give any powerful pirate and marine a run for their money.

Sanji Heavily Limits His Own Strength

Sanji is considered a serial womanizer, which causes him to not fight women no matter what. This sometimes causes problems for him, as the Grand Line is filled with powerful women like Boa Hancock and Captain Hina. Furthermore, Sanji does not use his hands to fight. This is because he believes a chef should only use his hands to cook for others and not harm them. His morals and philosophies significantly disadvantage him, although it’s admirable that he is unwavering in his beliefs.

The time skip was a crucial point for the Straw Hats, as they saw how utterly weak they were against Kuma and Kizaru. They spent two years honing their techniques and specialties, and each member came back stronger and more proficient. Sanji was sent to the Kamabakka Kingdom, where he had to (in his words) “survive” the okamas chasing him, and challenge the masters of the Newkama kempo. While Sanji did receive some training from the powerful Ivankov, this pales in comparison to the masters that Luffy and Zoro had during the time skip: Gol D. Roger’s right-hand man, Silver Rayleigh, and the strongest swordsman, Mihawk.

Sanji’s “Ambition” Is Very Different From Luffy and Zoro’s

Despite that, Sanji managed to reach a level of strength similar to Zoro’s (and fans will never stop debating who is stronger between Zoro and Sanji). However, the differences between the two are more philosophical than anything. Sanji limits his strength in many ways, including destroying his Germa suit. Even when his Germa genetic enhancements awanekend in his body, he struggled to accept and make use of them. This is because, fundamentally, Sanji is not a fighter like Zoro and Luffy.

However, this doesn’t mean that Sanji is weak. In fact, his path to strength is even more compelling and interesting than those of his two powerful companions, who follow pretty established stereotypes. Sanji mostly pursues strength to defend his friends and support Luffy’s ambition, while his own personal dream remains one that is more suited to a cook than to an ambitious fighter. From the lack of ambition to limiting his options, Sanji became one of the strongest characters in One Piece against all expectations.