Sanji gets a string of standout moments in One Piece season 2. Whether it be revealing a smidgen of his heartbreaking backstory to Nami or kicking a small animal to death, Taz Skylar’s Sanji is never far from the action. One of the chef’s most noteworthy scenes in Netflix’s second season of live-action One Piece comes when he infiltrates Mr. 3’s wax house on Little Garden and makes direct contact with the leader of Baroque Works, Mr. 0.
At this point in One Piece‘s timeline, Sanji is the only Straw Hat to interact directly with the mysterious villain. Sanji isn’t exactly polite to Mr. 0 either, adding even more spice to the coming battle between the Straw Hats and Baroque Works in One Piece season 3’s Alabasta arc.
At least Sanji has the good sense to avoid using his real name, giving the alias “Mr. Prince” instead. He later explains to Nami that “Little Prince” was what his mother used to call him as a child, and while this might appear to explain his choice of code name, the truth goes much deeper.
Sanji Really Is A Prince In One Piece
The Ultimate · Straw Hat Challenge Set Sail for Trivia “I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
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01 Monkey D. Luffy accidentally ate a Devil Fruit as a child, giving him rubber-like abilities. What is the name of that fruit?
✓ Correct! The Gum-Gum Fruit (Gomu Gomu no Mi) turned Luffy’s body into rubber. He ate it from Shanks’ treasure chest as a kid, gaining stretchy powers but losing the ability to swim forever.
✗ Overboard! The answer is the Gum-Gum Fruit. The Chop-Chop Fruit belongs to Buggy, the Flame-Flame Fruit to Ace, and the Smoke-Smoke Fruit to Captain Smoker — but Luffy’s rubber powers come from the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
02 Luffy’s iconic straw hat was given to him as a child by a famous pirate who inspired his dream. Who gave Luffy the hat?
✓ Correct! Red-Haired Shanks entrusted his straw hat to young Luffy in Foosha Village, telling him to return it when he becomes a great pirate. That promise drives Luffy’s entire journey.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Red-Haired Shanks. While Gold Roger originally wore the hat, it was Shanks who passed it down to Luffy after saving his life from a Sea King — a defining moment in the series.
03 Before joining the Straw Hats, Sanji works as a sous chef at a floating restaurant on the ocean. What is the name of this restaurant?
✓ Correct! The Baratie is the ocean-going restaurant run by Chef Zeff, Sanji’s mentor. In the live-action series, it’s one of the most stunning sets — a fully realized ship-restaurant on the open sea.
✗ Overboard! The answer is The Baratie. Run by the legendary pirate-turned-chef “Red Leg” Zeff, this floating restaurant is where Luffy recruits Sanji as the Straw Hats’ cook.
04 Roronoa Zoro is famous for his unique sword-fighting technique. How many swords does he wield in his signature style?
✓ Correct! Zoro uses Three-Sword Style (Santoryu), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk.
✗ Overboard! The answer is three. Zoro’s iconic Three-Sword Style places one blade in each hand and a third clenched between his teeth — a fighting technique unique to him in the One Piece world.
05 Each Straw Hat crew member has a personal dream. What is Nami’s ultimate goal that drives her journey?
✓ Correct! Nami’s dream is to draw a map of the entire world. Her cartography skills and navigation talent make her indispensable to the crew, and her passion for mapmaking was nurtured by her adoptive mother Bell-mère.
✗ Overboard! The answer is to draw a complete map of the world. Nami is a gifted cartographer whose dream goes beyond just sailing — she wants to chart every sea and island so no one is ever lost again.
06 A powerful Marine Vice Admiral is revealed to have a surprising family connection to Luffy. Who is this high-ranking Marine?
✓ Correct! Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather. Known as “Garp the Fist,” he’s a Marine hero who wanted Luffy to become a Marine — not a pirate. Their family dynamic is a major subplot in the live-action series.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Vice Admiral Garp. Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather and one of the most legendary Marines alive. Despite being on opposite sides of the law, their bond runs deep.
07 Usopp is recruited into the Straw Hat crew after the pirates help defend his home village from Captain Kuro’s Black Cat Pirates. What is the name of Usopp’s village?
✓ Correct! Syrup Village is Usopp’s peaceful hometown where he was known for telling tall tales. It’s also where Kaya lives, and where the crew acquires the Going Merry from her estate.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Syrup Village. Foosha Village is Luffy’s hometown, Shells Town is where Zoro was held captive, and Coco Village (Cocoyasi) is Nami’s home — but Usopp hails from Syrup Village.
08 The Netflix live-action adaptation was praised for its casting. Which actor plays Monkey D. Luffy?
✓ Correct! Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy won fans over with his infectious energy and earnest portrayal of Luffy. Mackenyu plays Zoro, Taz Skylar is Sanji, and Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Iñaki Godoy. The young Mexican actor perfectly captured Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm. The other actors all play Straw Hat crew members — but Luffy is all Iñaki.
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Sanji’s mother calling him “Prince” may sound like a generic term of endearment any parent might use, but in this specific case, she meant it very literally.
Sanji came from the North Blue’s mobile kingdom, Germa 66. Led by the dastardly scientist Judge Vinsmoke, the Germa are elite mercenaries, invading other nations, conquering armies, and bringing misery to innocent civilians all across One Piece‘s world. Judge also happens to be Sanji’s father, making the Straw Hats’ Sanji Vinsmoke a prince of the Germa 66 kingdom.
As seen in One Piece season 1 flashbacks, Sanji was aboard a cruise ship when it was attacked by the Red Leg Pirates, after which he was taken as an apprentice by Captain Zeff. Those aren’t especially royal surroundings, but flashback scenes from later in the One Piece manga show Sanji escaping from Germa in hatred of his family. Fleeing alone after his mother dies, Sanji winds up on the cruise ship seen back in One Piece‘s first season.
One Piece Season 2 Subtly Teases Sanji’s Royal Origin
Sanji looking through a magnifying glass in One Piece
Sanji opening up about his mother in One Piece season 2 doesn’t happen so early in the original manga and anime, with fans having to wait much longer before hearing about how the little prince learned to cook because of his ailing mother.
Reading between the lines of Sanji’s talk with Nami, however, live-action viewers can at least infer that the chef comes from wealth and privilege. He mentions his mother’s nurse as if they were ever-present in the room – the kind of medical care only the rich can afford. Sanji recalls making terrible meals from leftovers, but doesn’t acknowledge who did the actual cooking, alluding to having chefs in the house. His memories of running down hallways suggest a large home with hallways long enough to run down.
And, finally, Sanji’s mother was clearly bed-bound. Most children in this position would struggle to keep a household together, but Sanji speaks of no such problems, implying that he comes from wealth.
If Netflix’s live-action One Piece follows the source material, it’ll be a long time before Sanji’s royal heritage comes to light. But since some elements are being included early – the mention of Sanji’s mother, Bartolomeo, Sabo, etc. – it’s possible that the truth will surface as soon as One Piece season 3, especially since the Straw Hats are currently forging an alliance with another royal family.
Release Date
August 31, 2023
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Matt Owens, Steven Maeda, Joe Tracz
Directors
Tim Southam, Marc Jobst, Josef Kubota Wladyka
Writers
Tiffany Greshler, Diego Gutierrez, Allison Weintraub, Lindsay Gelfand
Iñaki Godoy
