One Piece: Why is Reiju so nice to Sanji? Their relationship as brother and sister, explained

One Piece has a lot of different plot points and dynamics that have made the series extremely compelling, with the character of Sanji having perhaps one of the most interesting backstories of the Straw Hats crew. It was revealed during the events of the Whole Cake arc that he is a prince in the North Blue and that he had gone through a lot of awful things in his childhood, being abused by his siblings and his father, Vinsmoke Judge.

While it is fair to say that Sanji had a very negative childhood, one of the few people who treated him well was his sister, Reiju. She and the rest of her brothers were introduced in the Whole Cake arc during the New World portion of One Piece. During that arc, she became an ally for the Straw Hats, which is why many people have wondered why she was so good to Sanji when they were kids.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

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Explaining why Reiju and Sanji got along so well in the One Piece series

Reiju grew up with Sanji in the Vinsmoke family, and she was witness to how the rest of their siblings were tormenting and bullying the latter. However, Reiju never involved herself in these situations and usually sided with Sanji. He sees her as his confidant, which is why he always gives women special treatment throughout the series.

Although Reiju laughed from time to time at Sanji's disgrace during their childhood, she later revealed that it was because she was scared of being punished for siding with her brother. Later, when Sanji is locked in the dungeon, she gives him food and helps him escape the Germa Kingdom, helping her brother begin a new life that eventually leads him to the Straw Hats.

As they grow older and meet again during the events of the Whole Cake arc, Reiju is the only one to be grateful to the Straw Hats for taking care of Sanji and eventually sides with them throughout the storyline. Once Sanji reveals to her that Big Mom is planning to assassinate the entire Vinsmoke family, she instantly believes him, which shows how much she trusts him, and she remains an ally of his until the end of the arc.

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The reasons behind Reiju's kindness

Reiju in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Reiju was so kind to Sanji when they were kids because of her sibling's love for him and empathy, which was an essential element in the construction of the Straw Hats cook's backstory. It adds more layers to his family dynamic if not every single sibling of his was abusive, thus making Reiju a significant character in this arc.

Furthermore, it explains why Sanji is respectful and caring toward women while highlighting Reiju's character as distinct from the rest of the Vinsmoke family. That is another reason why her presence in this arc is regarded as one of its best elements and makes the conflict within this family all the more compelling.

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Final thoughts

Reiju is kind to Sanji throughout the entirety of the One Piece series because of the love and affection that she has for her brother. That has been a running theme throughout the character's run in the series and added a bit more variety to the way the Vinsmoke family viewed Sanji.

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