Sanji is having a very strong run in Shueisha's latest One Piece World Top 100 2nd character popularity poll update, with the Straw Hat cook currently sitting in first place across four regions worldwide.
The newest weekly regional snapshot covers March 30 to April 5, 2026, and Shueisha says these standings are based on the corrected poll results. Across the board, the familiar Straw Hat heavyweights are still doing most of the damage, but there are a few interesting regional swings too, especially with Uta breaking into the conversation.
Sanji is winning big, but not everywhere
According to the update, Sanji is currently No. 1 in Central and South America, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania. That's a huge showing, and it suggests his popularity is cutting across very different fanbases globally.
Other regions are backing different favourites:
- Asia: Luffy
- Japan: Zoro
- Europe: Nami
- Africa: Uta
That split is part of what makes this poll fun. Even in a franchise as massive as One Piece, fans in different regions clearly still have their own priorities.
Full regional top fives so far
Here are the official top five character rankings for each region in this update:
- Africa: Uta, Sanji, Nami, Luffy, Zoro
- Asia: Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Nami, Trafalgar Law
- Central and South America: Sanji, Zoro, Nami, Uta, Luffy
- Europe: Nami, Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Robin
- Japan: Zoro, Luffy, Sanji, Trafalgar Law, Portgas D. Ace
- Middle East: Sanji, Nami, Luffy, Zoro, Uta
- North America: Sanji, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Robin
- Oceania: Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Robin, Trafalgar Law
Uta's rise is one of the more interesting stories here
Even with Sanji dominating the headlines, Uta's performance stands out. She not only took first place in Africa, but also made the top five in three out of eight regions overall.
For a character who is not one of the long-established main Straw Hats, that's a notable result. It shows that One Piece Film Red and Uta's broader presence in the franchise still have real momentum with fans, even against all-time giants like Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Law.
Why Malaysia and SEA readers should care
For readers in Malaysia and the wider region, the most relevant chart is obviously Asia, where Luffy leads, followed by Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and Trafalgar Law. That ranking feels pretty on-brand for Asian fandom, with the core crew still firmly in control.
It also reflects how strong One Piece remains in this part of the world. The series is still easy to follow through Crunchyroll, Netflix, and the manga's international release through Viz, so there is no shortage of ways for Malaysian and SEA fans to stay locked in.
And this poll matters beyond simple bragging rights. With One Piece Day '26 coming in August, plus more Netflix-related projects on the horizon, fan engagement around the franchise is only going to get louder from here. The first two live-action seasons are already on Netflix, Lego One Piece is set for September 2026, and the new anime remake The One Piece is also headed to Netflix.
Voting for the 2nd Global One Piece Character Popularity Poll World Top 100 remains open until June 11, 2026, with the final results set to be revealed during One Piece Day '26 in August 2026.
If these weekly regional numbers are any indication, Sanji is in great shape globally, but Asia may still have something to say before the final count locks in.
Source: Siliconera