Vincent Chansard Responds to Controversy Over Sanji’s Portrayal in the Anime: “Obviously There Is No Agenda In the Anime”

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A persistent argument among enthusiasts of One Piece has ignited a passionate discussion once more. Lately, social media platforms have been abuzz with arguments centering around the idea that Toei Animation may be partial towards Sanji, one of the primary characters. Certain fans believe that Sanji is often overlooked and given inferior animation in comparison to other characters like Zoro, suggesting potential bias.

The attention-grabbing controversy has sparked introspection within the One Piece creative team. During a recent YouTube interview, Vincent Chansard, an animator at Toei Animation, addressed the issue openly. He expressed doubts, asking, “Should we perhaps approach things differently in the future?

Chansard didn’t flatly deny the possibility of bias; rather, he expressed his belief that Sanji hasn’t been intentionally undermined. However, he conceded that certain recurring tendencies can be seen in the distribution of major animation sequences among animators.

As per his explanation, it’s common for more prominent animators to work on episodes with Zoro compared to Sanji. He suggested that this could be a result of the storyline’s structure and timing, not necessarily favoritism, although there is a noticeable distinction between the two.

He expressed that among our team, there’s been a question: “Is there perhaps something we should approach differently?” When it comes to those in leading roles within One Piece or those who make critical decisions, when they ask for scenes or storyboards, he said, the dialogue goes like this: “You will do this scene, you will do that scene, you will create the storyboard for this scene.

“Obviously there is no agenda, in the anime.”

Additionally, he noted that whenever Sanji has a significant moment, such as his battle against Queen, Toei employs some of their best animators. This particular fight was worked on by renowned animators like Akihiro Ota and Tu Yong-Ce.

On the other hand, it might be because Zoro’s impressive moments occur more frequently that fans sometimes perceive Sanji as being underappreciated.

The scene grew particularly heated when renowned anime director, Megumi Ishitani, encountered criticism following the broadcast of Episode 1123.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I’ve found myself in the midst of a heated discussion recently. Some viewers have accused me of undervaluing Sanji’s role in the series, despite the fact that I wasn’t involved in the production of the particular episode under scrutiny. Criticism escalated into harassment, causing the controversy to snowball. However, this turbulence has also sparked a wave of backing from fellow fans and industry creators for Ishitani, who remains steadfast amidst it all.

Ishitani addressed the critical feedback, emphasizing that animation production is a joint effort. She encouraged viewers to refrain from singling out individuals for criticism when dissatisfied with a character’s representation in the series, instead focusing their concerns on the collective team behind it.

fans reacting emotionally without fully grasping the production process. Despite having access to episode credits and staff lists, many continue to single out specific creators without taking into account the broader context. Although it’s understandable to be passionate about favorite characters, launching personal attacks against animators and directors can actually hurt the very individuals who make One Piece unique.

This continuous argument underscores the fact that anime producers frequently receive criticism for decisions that may not have been entirely within their control. As the creators of One Piece deliberate on maintaining a balance in character depictions, it’s more constructive for fans to express their backing instead of negativity.

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2025-05-14 11:27