One Piece: Zoro vs S-Hawk scene has fans calling out Toei’s “bias”

One Piece Episode 1109 has fans praising the incredible animation and fighting choreography. However, the Zoro vs S-Hawk scene also makes them believe Toei has some real bias going on.

One Piece anime is currently featuring the Egghead Island Arc, and we witnessed the Zoro vs S-Hawk scene in Episode 1109. Directed by Nanami Michibata, the highly anticipated fight has some of the industry’s big names, such as Shoutarou Ban and Vincent Chansard, participating in it.

This is the first scene of Vincent Chansard after making a one-year contract with Toei Animation. The episode also features the scene where the Kid Pirates challenge the Red-Hair Pirates. However, while the episode earned nothing but praise from the fandom, it also brought Toei’s bias to light yet again.

Sanji fans have often expressed their disappointment toward the animation studio over unfair treatment. This becomes more relevant in the Egghead Island Arc when the studio misinterprets one of Sanji’s speed feats in Episode 1105.

While the pacing has always been an issue, it’s not difficult to realize that Sanji suffers the most from it while Zoro often gets cool moments. The extended version of Zoro vs S-Hawk is an anime canon scene where both characters shine thanks to the fighting choreography.

However, compared to Episode 1095, when S-Shark throws Sanji a few meters away with a simple attack, the bias is all too clear. Both scenes are anime canon, and yet Toei downplays Sanji in one while hypes Zoro in another.

His gags are also multiplied a lot just to have more scenes for the anime. However, in the long run, this is all making Sanji’s running joke worse than it already is. That’s not to mention he seems weaker in the anime when the manga often shows Zoro and Sanji relative in strength with the former a little bit stronger.

One fan shares, “And then they say they don’t have bias they literally modified two manga panels. One was negative, and the other was positive.”

“That’s pretty clear that Toei has a huge bias in favor of Zoro > Sanji. I mean, Zoro is definitely stronger, but they make Sanji like a joke,” shares another.

For more Straw Hats shenanigans, check out our One Piece filler guide, look at how the manga revealed the first pirate in history, and our ranking of the Straw Hat Pirates.