One Piece Episode 1141 finally delivered for Sanji fans upset with how their favorite Straw Hat chef has been portrayed so far in the “Egghead Island” arc. The online uproar over Toei Animation’s controversial treatment of Sanji was so great that it even prompted various responses from the anime’s creative team.

Episode 1141 of One Piece premiered on Crunchyroll on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. As the Straw Hat Pirates continue their escape from Egghead Island, Monkey D. Luffy takes on Jaygarcia Saturn, one of the legendary Five Elders, while Sanji confronts Borsalino, or as longtime fans know him, Admiral Kizaru. While Gear 5 Luffy’s fight against Saturn was another visually spectacular battle, it was the showdown between Sanji and Kizaru that stole the show. Given past heated discussions over the controversial handling of Sanji’s pivotal moments by Toei Animation, the reaction from the One Piece fandom was unanimous: the studio did their boy right (this time).

Toei Animation Finally Does Sanji Justice in One Piece Episode 1141

Sanji’s big win in the latest One Piece episode was a scene where the former line cook deflected Kizaru’s deadly energy attack aimed at Jewelry Bonney with a simple kick. The incredible moment wasn’t just beautifully animated, but it also succeeded in showcasing Sanji’s astonishing speed, as well as his serious demeanor in battle — two areas where Toei Animation has been criticized for, whenever Sanji had an opportunity to shine in One Piece in the past.

“Finally!!! A massive Sanji animation W From Toei!!!” a One Piece fan said on X (formerly Twitter). “Toei finally gave Sanji the animation he deserves,” another Sanji fan said. However, some fans kept their praises in check. “I mean it’s F–k Toei regardless, don’t get it twisted, but I’m glad Sanji got a GOATed moment, finally.” Another Sanji fan chimed in: “Right, like nothing’s changed. We’re expected to forget years of nonsense just because they did their job for once?”

While the “Egghead” story arc in One Piece is far from the only time fans have criticized Toei Animation for its depiction of Sanji, it featured two critical and most recent moments of the character that have been a lightning rod of controversy ever since. In One Piece Episode 1105, a scene where Sanji was supposed to save Edison before S-Shark’s attacks landed was downplayed in the anime by having Sanji only capable of rescuing Edison afterward. Sanji’s agility was further downplayed in the same episode, as a scene where Sanji startles Roronoa Zoro after rescuing Edison was omitted from the anime — a controversial decision, as Toei Animation has often been accused of giving Zoro preferential treatment. Zoro, being startled by Sanji’s sudden arrival, would have suggested a slight inferiority in the swordsman’s skills when compared to the cook.

However, the biggest Sanji controversy in the “Egghead” arc happened when the anime resumed its new episode releases in early April. One Piece Episode 1124 omitted Sanji from a group shot where Vegapunk York lay defeated on the ground. The scene was based on a beloved two-page spread from the One Piece manga, featuring Sanji in plain sight. Arguably, the episode’s greatest offense was recontextualizing Sanji’s standoff against S-Shark in a flashback that made him appear weak and in desperate need of saving by Nami, which didn’t happen in the manga.

Unfortunately, some One Piece fans have reacted to these terrible depictions of Sanji by lashing out at those associated with Toei Animation, such as One Piece Fan Letter director Megumi Ishitani, who was not involved with any of the controversial episodes. Henry Thurlow, a former One Piece animator who made history by becoming the first American to direct a One Piece episode, fought back against accusations of bias against Sanji in favor of Zoro by Toei Animation. “Sanji had some of the best additions during Onigashima [Wano Country],” Thurlow said. “Leading up to the final battle episodes, Sanji’s scenes were again and again AMAZING. Zoro vs King (until the finale) didn’t get the same amount of love whatsoever. So spare me this nonsense argument about sabotage.”