Ever since he joined the crew, Sanji has always ranked below Luffy and Zoro within the Straw Hat Pirates' hierarchy of strength. To make matters worse, once Jinbei joined the crew, Sanji's rank degraded even further. Despite being one of the best characters written in One Piece, Sanji is usually very underrated. The only time he had more importance than Zoro was during the "Whole Cake Island" arc, which finally gave him his long-deserved spotlight, telling his second tragic backstory.
Sanji is the Straw Hat's chef, and as such, he has an important position in the crew. Not only that, but he is also an extremely skilled fighter and part of the Monster Trio. Nonetheless, because Zoro is Luffy's right-hand man, there have been several occasions when Sanji is sidelined because of Zoro. Below are some of the most underrated Sanji moments that deserve more recognition.
Sanji Attacks Big Mom's Ship
Who else would have the guts to single-handedly attack a Yonko's ship other than the Monster Trio? When Luffy and Zoro were fighting in Dressrosa, Sanji had his own troubles. As the only capable fighter left on the ship, Sanji not only had to protect Nami, Chopper, Brook and Momonosuke but also had to stop Ceaser from getting into Doflamingo's or Big Mom's hands. One was a terrifying Warlord while the other was one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. One could only imagine how much of a bind Sanji was in. However, instead of panicking, Sanji was more level-headed than anyone.
As the group proceeded to travel all the way to Zou, Sanji asked Luffy for permission to attack Big Mom's ship. It wasn't that Sanji wanted to show off his powers or create unnecessary trouble. He was simply pissed off at Big Mom's crew for attacking them out of the blue and scaring his friends. Moreover, Big Mom's lackeys almost captured Ceaser. Therefore, when Luffy gave him the green light, Sanji attacked the enemy's ship without hesitation, creating a massive hole in the side. As Big Mom's crew members were distracted by the damage, Sanji managed to save Ceaser, and the group escaped without any loss.
Sanji Is Willing to Sacrifice Himself for Luffy
Although the MVP of this scene in the "Thriller Bark" arc was Zoro, what Sanji did shouldn't be forgotten. The Straw Hat Pirates had just started making their name in the world, so dealing with Warlord was more than enough of a challenge. However, when a second and even more terrifying Warlord Kuma showed up, the crew was in no shape to fight. The fight with Gekko Moria had just ended, and Luffy, as always, had taken the most damage. Zoro and Sanji happened to come across Kuma, who was under World Government orders to kill Luffy.
Knowing that Luffy was in no shape to fight, the other two both offered to give up their lives for their captain. Zoro and Sanji even got into an argument as to who the sacrifice would be. Despite always being at odds with Zoro, Sanji didn't want Zoro to sacrifice himself for Luffy. When Zoro was prepared to take Luffy's place, Sanji butted in. He even told Kuma to ignore Zoro and take his life instead. Sanji started bragging that the World Government may not give him much importance now but that soon enough, he would be the man most feared by the Marines. Though Zoro knocked out Sanji and went ahead anyway, this is definitely one of the most underrated Sanji moments where fans learned that he would do anything for his friends and captain.
Sanji vs. Doflamingo in the Dressrosa Arc
There are always moments when all hope seems lost but someone arrives just in time to save the day, but this goes doubly for someone like Sanji. Whenever the crew has given up hope, he comes through. In the "Dressrosa" arc, Nami and the others were at serious risk when Doflamingo went after them. Though Trafalgar Law tried to save them, he was a step too late. Just at that moment, Sanji appeared out of nowhere and saved them.
Although it was more of a scuffle than a full-on fight, the best thing about this scene was how Doflamingo acknowledged Sanji's strength. His iconic Diable Jambe was able to hold off the Warlord for a while until Law managed to save both him and the rest of the crew on the ship. Though the fight was quite short, it was intense enough to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. It was also because Sanji attacked Doflamingo that the Straw Hats had the chance to escape from Green Bit.
Sanji Saves Everyone From Banana Gators
Though Sanji may appear to be a doofus at first glance, he is the most level-headed person in the Monster Trio. Unlike the reckless captain and his right-hand man, Sanji likes to think things through before going into battle. In the "Alabasta" arc, he planned everything out very carefully. For a long time, Crocodile wasn't even aware that Sanji was one of the Straw Hats. When Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Vivi and Ussop, alongside Smoker, were put in a prison made with seastone, Crocodile chained everyone down and planned to drown them by flooding the room. Though Vivi was spared from drowning, she was tossed over to the ruthless banana gators.
Banana gators are alligator-like animals with giant banana-shaped protrusions on their heads. They are incredibly large creatures and extremely powerful. Just in the nick of time, Sanji's epic entrance floored everyone. With a single kick, he knocked the giant banana gator away. His Mr. Prince bit was probably one of his most ingenious moments, where he managed to distract Crocodile long enough to personally save the crew. The best part about this scene was that it was shown long before Sanji was revealed to be a prince. Therefore, his acting like Mr. Prince may have been for the sake of his plan and some comedic relief, but it can also be considered one of those famous One Piece moments of foreshadowing.