We are running circles.
Yes some people have Zoro as their favs and even other have Chopper as their favs. Lots of people lots of different tastes.
You likely prefer Zoro to Sanji and it’s not a problem at all.
And I like BB too.
But we are killing Sanji for a lot of reasons that you can disagree with but they are there :
- best fighting style
- his overall style with suit, tie, outfits, way of moving, his badass lines etc
- his connections and interactions with other crew members : he is one of the character who interacts the more with others.
- a lot of his pre skip jokes : the women thing can be fun when it’s not overdone (like post skip), his fun interaction with Luffy and the kitchen, wanting to eat Chopper, bickering with Zoro, his banter and when Oda troll him like with the bounty poster or Duval plot etc.
- his smart side : the guy had great thinking and plot moments : EL gates, Alabasta etc
- the moments where he takes care of the crew either leading them or pretexting them : Sanji is often there to protect the crew last moment, and sometimes leads small parts of it.
- His flashback and cooking side is great and original, and the whole philosophy behind it is nice.
And as
@Doggo pointed out, often I feel that Sanji is the most human of the bunch. With flaws, with problems, with conflicts, in his reactions etc.
I can feel something out of Sanji moments.
Zoro had great moments pré skip and I could feel him too sometimes, in his smiles, reactions, actions etc. But this whole post skip bushido badass swordsman shit is beyond me.
Same with Luffy who is now full « epic face » « epic lines » « epic resolve » etc.
Those character were a lot more casual and normal pre skip and it was way way better.
When you have the SH as protagonist and future best crew ever who succeed everything we know that the full « real life and ruthless pirate » is not the kind of story Oda wants to tell.