SUMMARY

One Piece is one of the rare shows that focuses on all its characters.
Eiichiro Oda acknowledges how Roronoa Zoro and Vinsmoke Sanji were based on his earlier unpublished work.
Fans react to Eiichiro Oda’s confession on social media.

Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece might be the most popular anime and manga series that the world has seen. The immaculate popularity of the Shonen series has cemented its legacy, and it was previously part of The Big Three, featuring Naruto and Bleach as the other two names that once reigned alongside each other.

The Straw Hats Pirate Crew. Credits: Toei Animation

Although Oda-Sensei showcases the story of Monkey D. Luffy’s thrilling journey to become the King of the Pirates, he also focuses on other characters in the series. While any series’ protagonist is extremely popular, there are very few names that feature side characters who have an equal, if not greater, fan base than the main character.

Roronoa Zoro and Vinsmoke Sanji are two characters who have already achieved legendary status in the show, forming an unrivaled duo. Recently, the mangaka confessed that the duo’s character sketch was from an old work that he never published.

Eiichiro Oda Spills The Bean on Zoro and Sanji’s Character

Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has been running for 25 years, and it has become the most popular anime series that has sold over 500 million mangas worldwide. While the series is known for its intricate world-building and complex storyline, the characters of the series are what make the shows so special.

Sanji and Zoro. Credits: Toei Animation

Aside from Monkey D. Luffy, fans adore the swordsman and Sanji because they form a strong team while balancing each other’s personalities.

Their personalities often lead to conflict as fierce rivalry sparks between them, often pushing each other to surpass their limits. However, in the heat of battle, they will set aside this intense rivalry and become the most dominant duo that can’t be beaten.

Zoro Using His Asura Form. Credits: Toei Animation

Recently, Pew (@pewpiece) shared on X that Eiichiro Oda confessed that the character sketch for the two was based on the prototype of his unpublished work titled Samurai & Knights. He said,

Ryuma the samurai has appeared along with the dragon in my prototype works, MONSTERS. I always want to draw the combination of samurai & knight in MONSTERS, but in the end they’ve become the prototype version of Zoro & Sanji

The mangaka created the unpublished work thirty years ago, modeling Sanji’s character after Romeo, a knight, and Zoro after Ryuma, a samurai.

While their facial structures looked extremely similar, Romeo wielded a longsword, a change that was made in the anime and manga.

Fans React To Eiichiro Oda’s Genius on Social Media

Fans of the Shonen series love the duo, as their interactions are full of insults and banter that make them laugh, and they would do everything in their power to ensure that they are the reliable crewmates that the Future King of the Pirates can count on whenever he needs them.

Zoro vs S-Hawk in One Piece. Credits: Toei Animation

The fans enjoyed the trivia because it taught them something about their favorite characters, and they left positive comments on the post.

It looks like Oda-Sensei planned the rivalry between the Pirate Hunter and the Chef of the Straw Hat Pirates 30 years ago. Fans loved it, and they called it the greatest rivalry of all time.