Btw what do you think of the last chapter and the Nami CoC gag (is it really a gag?) I see a lot of people saying something like Nami should have it because drawing the maps of all the world is like conquering it. Jesus I never saw such a double standard, thinking Nami should have it but the same people (at least a great majority I think) is convinced Sanji could never have it, but at the same time now Nami can? It's so stupid.
It's a gag.
Nah jokes aside, I think Oda is like the ultimate cook though, not Sanji. You know those slow cooker pots(above pic) that are used for the benefits of slow cooking, such as letting the meat tenderize and bring out its true flavour over many hours. I sometimes think this is what Oda's been doing with Sanji ever since the time skip. Occasionally he'll remove the lid and let us fans catch a whiff of the content inside, making us salivate and yearn for the day when we're called to the dining table to take part in the ultimate feast. Before then mind you, he'll never let us eat, not even taste, no, all we're allowed is the smell before he puts the lid back on. Sometimes he'll throw us a lil sumthing, a small side-dish appetizer to help quell the wide-spread hunger, and oftentimes the taste is questionable with some fans reluctantly approving and some outright rejecting it. And if we dare show the slightest dissatisfaction all we'd get is the swift and decisive rath of Oda in the form of a big fat troll for Sanji(eg latest chapter).
This is how it feels lol. But I'm here for that ultimate feast, even if I starve before then.
The thing is....Oda loves to joke around with his characters. It's his style.
You can be sure he loves to draw Sanji and its gags. Not because he "hates the character", but because he has fun with it.
Back in EL he decided Sanji would have this dynamic of caring too much about his bounty. It never changed.
I swear some people are losing their minds over this last round of bounties reveals and it is just silly. We are in an infinitely better spot than we were up until WCI.
Take powerscale away and try to analyze what just happened. The Shichibukais are being brought back in the fold as powerful worldwide renowned pirates. Both Zoro and Sanji got that recognition by getting bounties close to Jinbe's. Sanji broke the 1B mark. The only reason it was 1.032, was for a pun with his birthday.
Oda created ties for Sanji with one of the most anticipated characters in the story (Vegapunk), he not only reaffirmed the Monster Trio, but elevated Zoro and Sanji (inside the SH's dynamics, not related to bounties) with the Wings of the Pirate King declaration AND the "The Stars take the stage" chapters.
They were the 2 SH's alongside Luffy in the volume 100 cover.
I might have my problems with how Wano executed the plots, but the way Oda built the hype for Sanji as a future top tier fighter in this arc was one of the few great things he did this arc.
Also, Sanji's "rivalry" with Zoro should be seen from another perspective. Instead of seeing it as a pure gag, see it as a sibling energy of constantly trying to improve and outperform each other. This should put the "sanji has no ambition whatsoever" argument in the grave.
Remember, Sanji is not a "Vegeta". His character is much more light-hearted. Embrace the jokes, enjoy some of them. There's nothing wrong with it. Don't fall for the "this character used to be much better pre-TS" argument, because it is something that can literally be said about ALL the SH's.
Don't fall for those who try to diminish Sanji's opponents. The amount of people who downplayed Queen, a character that literally managed to capture Big Mom during one of her Hunger Rampages (during WCI, no one could stop her, remember that. She was a freaking Behemoth).
Enjoy the character for what he is, not just what he used to be or what you hope he would become.
Buckle up, folks, for this is the Final Saga, and the Sanji "supremacy" event is just beginning.