Hiroki Hirata, the voice actor for Sanji in One Piece, shares why he enjoys portraying the character in an interview featured in the One Piece magazine.
Hiroki Hiarta, who has been the voice actor for Sanji since the start of the One Piece anime, has been a consistent member of the main cast. On April 25, it was revealed in Volume 18 of the One Piece magazine that there would be new information about Zoro and Sanji. Both are known as the ‘Wings of the Future Pirate King’ and are equally valued members of Luffy’s crew.
During the interview, the actor who plays Sanji reminisces about his favorite memory with Eiichiro Oda. Due to the magazine being in Japanese, various translations were shared by different sources. One popular One Piece translator, Sandman, shared the interview, causing some fans to view Sanji and Hirata in a negative manner.
Hiroaki Hirata (voice actor of Sanji): There is nothing about Sanji that I admire. Because he is an idiot. Maybe not bad in the sense that he is a *refreshingly* stupid character to watch.🤣 [source: OP Magazine] pic.twitter.com/TuZtHZXMnW
— sandman (@sandman_AP) June 8, 2024
The translator states, “I do not find any admirable qualities in Sanji. He may be an idiot, but in a refreshing way that makes him an entertaining character to watch.”
One fan expressed their misunderstanding of Sanji’s voice actor. They stated, “I used to like Sanji’s voice, but I suppose it’s time for a VA change.”
A different fan adds, “In my opinion, it’s clear that his intention was to make a lighthearted comment, and it should be taken with humor. We should remember that Hirata-san often speaks with a specific sense of humor, and I don’t believe his response was meant to receive any negative backlash towards him or Sanji’s character.”
Although the translation may not be completely incorrect, another commonly held belief is that the chosen words are misleading. According to the source, their version states, “There is nothing about Sanji that I find admirable. He is an idiot. However, this does not necessarily make the show unenjoyable for me.”
In addition, they state, “Hirata-san has been a devoted follower of Sanji for 25 years. Throughout 25 Q&A sessions, he has shared numerous thoughts and emotions about Sanji, showing no sign of negativity towards him. Despite his humorous responses, it is evident that Hirata holds a deep admiration for all aspects of Sanji, including his foolishness.”
To delve deeper into the world of Straw Hats antics, explore the concept of opposing ideals as the core of the story. In addition, discover the reasons behind the Roger Pirates’ inaction after uncovering the truth, and peruse our compilation of the top 10 most formidable One Piece characters.
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