Player: Arisa
Age: 21+
Invited by: Mods
Contact: hepburns
Current Characters: n/a

Character: Sanji
Canon: One Piece (post Wano)
Age: 21

Background Information: link

Personality:

How anyone comes to interpret Sanji upon meeting him depends entirely on who that person is. If it's a man, they might be met with a scowling blond, a distinct pair of curly brows with one always hidden by fallen bangs, and a mysterious aura hidden in a silence accompanied by a smoky exhale stemming from a cigarette always sitting between those lips. But if it's a woman — well, any veil of mystery dissolves away with eyes reforming into ogling heart-shaped eyes, tongue rolling out of mouth, and a sparkle of loud attraction accompanied by some absurd vocal comment of worship.

All in all, initial impressions can make Sanji either appear standoffish and rude or a pathetic, skirt-chasing pervert. Of course, these things aren't mutually exclusive, and both can be completely true, even if neither paint the entire picture. After all, meeting Sanji in the story comes from the perspective of Luffy, who comes to make an immediate impression about him just as the rest of us do, and despite his extreme attributes, it doesn't ultimately take that long for anyone to take note of Sanji's strongest impression of all — his kindness.

Sanji is the cook of the Straw Hat Pirates, a role he took on because of the kind cook that he is, which is one that feeds every single person he finds that's hungry, whether they're friend or foe, whether they're rich or poor. Whatever rough (or perverted) exterior he might immediately exude, Sanji will make sure that a person isn't starving regardless of any other motivations they might have or any consequences he might face for feeding them, such as when the pirate Gin had showed up distressed, wounded, and hungry at the Baratie doors and Sanji had wasted no time in cooking him a meal. Ultimately, this resulted in Gin giving some of that food to his also-starving captain, Don Krieg, who then showed up at the Baratie to try to overtake it. But despite the chain of events that Sanji had set in course with his act of kindness, it doesn't steer him away from continuing to make that choice whenever he meets someone in need of food.

His intents with food come from a terrifying experience of starvation. Originally, as a child, Sanji would toss away leftovers, once disgusted in watching other cooks eating off the scraps from diners' plates, but when the cruise ship he works on is raided by the Cook Pirates, led by the captain Zeff, both he and Zeff are left stranded on an island for well over two months with Sanji given a small bag of food to survive on during that time. Eventually, Sanji comes to realize that Zeff had no food for himself, instead cutting off his own leg to eat and survive on, an act that not only teaches Sanji the value of food and the inhumane suffering with starvation, but what it means to be treated with selfless kindness, something he'd never really experienced prior, and a lesson he takes in how he chooses to treat others going forward.

In that moment, on that island, Sanji also comes to learn that Zeff shares in the same dream he does — to find the All Blue, a fabled ocean where all the fish from all the oceans come together in one place. It's this very dream that had aided Sanji when he was even younger, when he'd been treated harshly by his militaristic father, along with his equally antagonizing brothers, for being an outcast because he had too much compassion for those that should be considered beneath him, such as feeding and caring for animals like turtles and rats. Not meeting his father's expectations in being a strong, merciless soldier, Sanji was locked away in a cell with an iron helmet on his head, as to more easily deny his existence. It's here that Sanji reads the books that teach him of the All Blue.

Surrounded by nothing but cruelness devoid of love, Sanji shows perseverance by being the very thing his father would look down upon — a dreamer. He carries on this dream when he's eventually recruited by Luffy and encouraged by Zeff to chase it, and while the rest of the Straw Hats have dreams of their own, most would be deemed realistic and achievable, whereas Sanji's relates to something mythical that might not even exist.

Sanji's dream in finding the All Blue carries a romanticism that tends to be a recurring theme within him, especially when he talks to women, often comparing himself to being a prince rescuing a maiden, these fantasies depicted in his mind like fairy tales with him riding a steed, women in royal dresses, and sparkling flowers surrounding the imagery. Because, while Sanji really had been a prince, his life had lacked all the color and warmth of those fantasies, growing up in a place cold and empty of familial love, save for the kind he received from his mother before her death. Locked away in that cell, Sanji could only survive by imagining the world differently from how he lived it. He could chase an endless ocean contrary to the trapped cell he was in, he could be a prince who saved women from trouble as if it could make up for not being able to help his mother, and it's in dreaming those fantasies, that Sanji could fill in the gaps of all that he lacked.

Sanji's kindness, however, has its downsides, often at the detriment of his dreams and, even more strongly, himself. In owing his life to Zeff for saving him, he lets himself feel trapped at the Baratie for years, sacrificing his chances of adventure in feeling as if he needs to pay a debt. Though he does ultimately join Luffy and the rest of the crew, Sanji still spends his time with them feeling little value to his own life compared to theirs. When faced with crisis, he bears a protective nature that aims to take care of his friends, the same way any one of them would do for each other, but with Sanji, he does so with a strong willingness of self-sacrifice, often nearly dying at the cost to keep the rest of them alive.

When his original family ends up back in his life, Sanji leaves the crew to handle the situation with his father on his own, rather than telling his friends about his past and the trouble he's in. This is because Sanji doesn't feel the need to burden them when his life shouldn't take priority over theirs, and when he realizes that not only are the Straw Hats still in danger but that his father and siblings may be killed too, he ultimately continues to blame himself in not being able to do enough or be enough. It isn't until pushed to the extreme by Luffy that Sanji is able to admit that he wants nothing more than to return to his crew, to voice his wants in a way that he's never felt deserving of.

Abilities:

Cooking: Sanji's most well known talent is in being able to cook nearly any meal he sets his mind too. Originally self-taught at a young age, he continued to expand his abilities under the guidance of the Captain of the Cook Pirates, Zeff, Sanji is capable of using any ingredients at his disposal to put together a meal that is as equally delicious as it is edible. He's even able to simply sample a taste of a dish and be able to guess the ingredients used and even put the full recipe together in his mind.

Physical Capabilities: When was he born, Sanji was put through genetic experimentation which was meant to enhance his body, but due to inference from his mother, these enhancements have remained dormant (and currently remain so, as of his canon point). However, despite the lack of access to these enhancements, Sanji has undergone heavy training from the pirate Zeff since he was a child, which has granted him much greater strength than average, incredible endurance against severe beatings, and impressive speed capable of dodging bullets. His vast strength is often utilized in his use of kicks through martial arts, managing attacks with his legs that have knocked away someone weighing at least 600 pounds, as well as buildings and giant sea monsters.

Diable Jambe: This is a leg-based attack in which Sanji is capable of raising the heat in his legs to high temperatures to the point that they light on fire, which in turn allows him great tolerance against heat. Though it is assumed that this ability is credited to the genetic modification he experienced, Sanji claims it's only because he has so much "passion".

Sky Walk: Sanji experienced such great training through running that he taught himself the ability to walk on air. Though not quite flying, he's still capable of leaping to great heights and traveling far speeds through this trick.

Haki: In canon, Haki refers to a power in which the user is capable of using their spiritual energy to accomplish various abilities. Sanji is shown to use two types: Kenbunshoku Haki, which is a sixth sense that allows him to sense the presence, strength, and emotions of others (this tends to be more of a vague awareness rather than any direct detailed mind reading), and Busoshoku Haki, which can allow him to use his own spiritual energy to create a protective armor through his body.

Inventory:

— a golden lighter
— a pack of cigarettes
— whatever fresh suit he's wearing

It's fairly straightforward to say that due to being a pirate, Sanji fits naturally into being with the Corsairs, but the reasoning goes beyond just the surface title. Sanji's entire life is based around seeking freedom and avoiding any sense of structure, considering that his father once tried to raise him into being an emotionless soldier. Failing to meet the standards of becoming a strong militaristic figure, Sanji found solace in an open world, diving into books and fantasy, becoming a cook that fed all people regardless of loyalty. For Sanji, the Paladins would represent more of the ideals that his father would value, something he's worked hard all of his life to escape, whereas the Corsairs represent the freedom and adventure he can thrive properly in.

Test Drive Sample: TDM Top Level + extra non-game sample (1) + extra non-game sample (2)

Questions: n/a