Toei hates Sanji controversy: Why One Piece studio is under fire

The One Piece anime has finally returned with new episodes from the Egghead Island arc. But instead of a celebration, the return has brought along major fan outrage — especially around the character Sanji. The Sanji controversy is now trending online, with many fans calling out Toei Animation for changing scenes from the manga in ways that portray Sanji negatively.
From leaving him out of key scenes to adding strange reactions that never appeared in the manga, fans believe the anime is making Sanji look like a joke. For a character who’s loved for both his strength and depth, these changes feel disrespectful to many viewers. The backlash has been building for a while, and with episodes 1123 and 1124, it has now exploded across social media.

The Sanji Controversy has been brewing online because of several changes Toei made in the latest episodes of the anime. In episode 1123, fans noticed that Sanji was missing from a group scene that originally appeared in the manga. This scene was a double spread where the entire Straw Hat crew was shown together. In the anime, Sanji was strangely left out, even though other less important characters were present.
Things got worse when Sanji was shown with heart eyes for Jewelry Bonney. While this kind of reaction is common for his character, fans were quick to point out that in the manga, this moment never happened. What makes this scene worse is that Bonney is later revealed to be just 12 years old!
But the moment that got everyone up in arms on X was when Toei changed the fight between Sanji and S-Shark. In the manga, Sanji confidently handled the situation and even saved Nami. But in the anime, the roles were reversed. Nami ends up saving Sanji using a bubble gun. While Sanji ended up looking weak and tired. Fans saw this as a major downgrade and questioned why the studio would change such a key moment.
This Sanji Controversy has led to discussions and debates all over the internet. Fans took to X to express their anger. One user, who we can tell is a Sanji fan from their handle, @Sanjipiecee, said, “WTH???? Free Sanji from this fucking disgusting studio.” Another, @writingpanini, created a thread showing how Toei is doing Sanji dirty. Many others shared clips comparing the anime and manga, showing just how much was changed.
Episodes 1123 and 1124 were awesome in the animation and action department, but the Sanji controversy has overshadowed everything else. Fans are now urging Toei Animation to stay true to Eiichiro Oda’s manga and give Sanji the respect he deserves.