Regardless of portraying Sanji within the ONE PIECE anime for over a quarter-century, Hiroaki Hirata acknowledged frankly that he couldn’t relate to any single facet of his character.
Hirata, who appeared alongside fellow ONE PIECE voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi (Usopp), courtesy of Crunchyroll, at Mumbai Comedian Con 2025, was requested by Animehunch Crew whether or not there was a side of Sanji—his chivalry and flirtatiousness, his love for cooking, or his combating spirit—he associated to most after such an extended tenure.
His direct response was that he didn’t assume he was like Sanji.
Whereas admitting that performing Sanji’s moments of fawning over ladies (‘meromero’) comes comparatively simply to him with out considering, Hirata clarified this was in regards to the ease of execution somewhat than private identification.
The veteran defined that he considered Sanji not as distinct, relatable elements, however as a whole entity outlined by all his traits mixed. In response to him, Sanji received’t be Sanji with out all these elements.
“The half the place he’s absorbed in cooking is Sanji; when an unforgivable enemy seems and he will get fired up and his leg begins burning, that’s additionally Sanji; and regardless of how severely he’s fascinated by issues, if a gorgeous lady passes by, going ‘Waaah!’ can also be Sanji,” Hirata mentioned.
So, whereas dubbing the character there was by no means a second when Hirata thought “this time it includes this facet [of his character], so it’s troublesome,” or “immediately has a number of this facet, so I prefer it.”
Hirata, nevertheless, admitted that there have been sure challenges when it got here to voicing Sanji’s function. He revealed that the high-intensity scenes of Sanji have been demanding, significantly as a result of vocal pressure.
“Nonetheless, to inform the reality, the facets of Sanji that use a number of vitality, like shouting and elevating my voice… I do discover these robust after I get the script. Seeing traces like ‘Uwahh, Sanji’s shouting immediately’ is one thing I type of want I might keep away from,” he mentioned.
When he was requested by different journalist on the roundtable meet as to what message Sanji would possibly convey to males worldwide watching him, Hirata advised the core message was about prioritizing giving over receiving in relationships with ladies.
“Wanting ladies to do one thing for you, wanting them to do that, wanting them to try this, is to not take into consideration that in any respect,” Hirata defined. “Sanji is somebody who desires to do issues for girls.“
“All you males, you want ladies, proper? In that case, for that particular person, ‘What are you able to do for them?’ Setting apart your individual self utterly, sacrificing, for that particular person’s sake, ‘What are you able to do for them?’ If you consider that, absolutely, like Sanji, you would possibly grow to be beloved, maybe,” he added.
Hirata characterised Sanji as somebody who views ladies as treasures, keen to go to extremes (Sanji thinks it’s okay even to die for girls, although Hirata referred to as that particular half silly). He concluded that adopting this perspective of selflessness would possibly result in being fashionable, earlier than including that he hasn’t managed to try this himself although.
Hirata and Yamaguchi attended the Mumbai Comedian Con 2025 and interacted with the media earlier than collaborating in a dwell voice appearing demonstration on the occasion.
