When the Straw Hat Pirates reunited at the Sabaody Archipelago after two long years, each member returned with impressive new abilities. Roronoa Zoro trained under the world’s greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk. Monkey D. Luffy mastered his Haki on Rusukaina island under Silvers Rayleigh’s guidance. But Sanji’s training destination often gets dismissed by fans, even though his instructor played one of the most crucial roles in shaping the cook’s post-timeskip power.
The Kamabakka Kingdom, ruled by Emporio Ivankov, became Sanji’s home for 730 days. While many fans joke about Sanji simply running away from okamas for two years, the reality shows a much deeper and more significant training regimen that directly contributed to his mastery of Haki, his Sky Walk technique, and his famous Attack Cuisine.
The Revolutionary Army Commander Who Trained Sanji
Emporio Ivankov is not just some quirky side character with a massive head and exaggerated expressions. As the Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom and one of the founding members of the Revolutionary Army, Ivankov stands among the most powerful figures in the One Piece world .
Ivankov holds the rank of Grand Line Commander within the Revolutionary Army, putting them at the same level as other heavy hitters like Karasu, Morley, and Sabo. Their influence extends far beyond Momoiro Island, with direct connections to Monkey D. Dragon himself .
When Bartholomew Kuma sent the Straw Hats flying across the globe during the Sabaody Archipelago incident, he deliberately placed each crew member in locations that would help them grow stronger. Sanji landing on Momoiro Island was no accident—Kuma knew exactly what he was doing.
“Ivankov trained Sanji through experience. You can have all the tools necessary but without the knowledge to use them, they are useless. Ivankov gave Sanji tools and a goal in order to improve.”
How Sanji Actually Learned Haki During His Time Skip
One of the biggest misconceptions among One Piece fans involves how Sanji learned Haki. Many assume that because Ivankov never demonstrated flashy Haki techniques on screen, they couldn’t have taught Sanji anything about the power system.
The truth tells a different story. During his two years in the Kamabakka Kingdom, Sanji developed both Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki) and Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki) under Ivankov’s training methods .
Sanji’s Observation Haki became particularly refined after his time on Momoiro Island. He demonstrated this clearly during the Whole Cake Island arc when he dodged a jelly bean bullet from Charlotte Katakuri, one of the most skilled Observation Haki users in the entire series .
His Armament Haki also grew substantially. While Sanji doesn’t show off black hardening as frequently as Luffy or Zoro, he has consistently used it against powerful opponents from Punk Hazard through Wano.
A fan on social media pointed out why many overlook Ivankov’s contribution: “Because people refuse to take any character without badass design and personality seriously. It is a real issue in our community” . Another fan added, “People think Ivankov isn’t as strong because of their appearance and joking side. While they might be on bar with people like Kuma and Sabo if not stronger than Kuma” .
The Creation of Sky Walk and Combat Evolution
Perhaps Sanji’s most practical combat innovation came directly from his time running from Ivankov’s okama followers. The constant pursuit forced Sanji to develop Sky Walk, a technique that allows him to propel himself through the air by kicking off the atmosphere itself .
Sky Walk functions similarly to the CP9’s Moon Walk (Geppo) but appears significantly faster . Sanji created this technique out of pure necessity—he needed to escape the island’s inhabitants who chased him relentlessly. What started as survival instinct transformed into one of his most valuable combat assets.
This ability lets Sanji fight in mid-air, chase opponents who can fly, and rescue falling crew members. During the Fishman Island arc, he also demonstrated Blue Walk, a underwater variation that lets him move at incredible speeds beneath the surface .
The constant fighting on Momoiro Island pushed Sanji’s physical limits far beyond where they stood before the time skip. He faced wave after wave of New Kama Kenpo masters, each battle forcing him to become faster, stronger, and more efficient with his kicks.
Attack Cuisine: The Hidden Power of Momoiro Island
Beyond combat techniques, Ivankov shared something far more valuable with Sanji—the secrets of Attack Cuisine. These special dishes, when consumed, temporarily boost the eater’s physical strength and abilities .
Ivankov promised to teach Sanji the Attack Cuisine recipes if he could defeat the 99 New Kama Kenpo masters on the island. Sanji accepted the challenge and spent his two years fighting his way through these opponents, learning one recipe after another .
The Attack Cuisine represents the hidden source of strength for Momoiro Island’s inhabitants. Sanji has only used two of the 99 dishes in the series so far, meaning fans have barely scratched the surface of what he learned during those two years .
This culinary combat integration fits Sanji perfectly. Unlike Zoro’s pure swordsmanship or Luffy’s Devil Fruit mastery, Sanji combines his identity as a cook with his role as a fighter. The Attack Cuisine lets him support his crew in ways no other Straw Hat can match.
Why Fans Dismiss Ivankov’s Training
Despite Ivankov’s clear contributions to Sanji’s growth, many fans continue to downplay or outright ignore this part of his backstory. Social media discussions reveal several reasons for this oversight.
Some fans believe that training doesn’t count unless it involves direct Haki instruction like Rayleigh provided to Luffy. “They probably think training equals haki training, as both Rayleigh and Mihawk focused on haki training. We didn’t really see a panel of Iva teaching him haki, but they need to understand whatever Iva did led Sanji to learn haki” .
Others dismiss Ivankov because they don’t look the part of a traditional martial arts master. “Because people think Ivankov isn’t as strong because of their appearance and joking side” . The Revolutionary Army Commander’s flamboyant personality and comedic moments apparently make it harder for some viewers to take their combat credentials seriously.
There is also the lingering perception that Ivankov simply isn’t cool enough compared to Rayleigh’s relaxed sophistication or Mihawk’s intimidating presence. “It’s considered embarrassing because Ivankov isn’t cool like Rayleigh or Mihawk” .
The Revolutionary Army Connection Sanji Never Used
One interesting aspect of Sanji’s time on Momoiro Island involves his proximity to the Revolutionary Army’s operations. Since Ivankov serves as a Grand Line Commander and Momoiro Island functions as a Revolutionary Army base, Sanji spent two years surrounded by revolutionaries .
This proximity led to fan theories about possible connections or training with other Revolutionary members. Some speculated that Sanji might have met Sabo or even learned techniques from Monkey D. Dragon himself .
However, the evidence suggests Sanji’s focus remained entirely on surviving the okama and mastering Attack Cuisine. Forum discussions from dedicated fans note that Sanji’s post-timeskip activities centered exclusively around running from okamas and fighting his way to the special recipes .
“Everything we’ve seen and heard of in terms of Sanji’s post-timeskip activities have centered around running from the okamas (even to the point of assimilating Geppou to flee into the sky) and fighting his way to the special recipes Ivankov told him about” .
The Duval Connection and Sanji’s Wanted Poster
While Ivankov trained Sanji in Haki and combat, another character from this era highlights just how much Sanji’s reputation changed during the time skip. Duval, the leader of the Flying Fish Riders, spent years suffering because of Sanji’s pre-timeskip wanted poster .
The wanted poster featured a badly drawn photo that made Sanji look completely different—and unfortunately for Duval, he happened to share that exact appearance. Marines and bounty hunters constantly chased Duval, mistaking him for the 77 million berry criminal .
When the Straw Hats finally reached Sabaody, Duval confronted Sanji seeking revenge for years of misery. Sanji’s response? A flying kick that completely rearranged Duval’s face, giving him a handsome new appearance .
Duval’s story took a surprising turn after this encounter. Grateful for his unexpected facial reconstruction, he became one of the Straw Hats’ most loyal allies. He renamed his crew the Rosy Life Riders and guarded the Thousand Sunny while the crew trained during the time skip .
This subplot, while comedic, shows how Sanji’s fighting style evolved even before the time skip. His precise kicks can do more than cause damage—they can literally reshape someone’s face with surgical accuracy .
Sanji’s Growth Beyond Ivankov’s Training
Since returning from Momoiro Island, Sanji has continued growing far beyond what even Ivankov might have expected. His genetic modifications, dormant since childhood due to his mother Sora’s intervention, awakened during the Wano Country arc .
Vinsmoke Judge subjected all his children to genetic engineering before birth, hoping to create perfect soldiers. Sanji appeared to be the only failure among the siblings, lacking the enhanced durability and strength that Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, and Reiju possessed .
However, using the Germa 66 Raid Suit during the Wano arc triggered Sanji’s dormant modifications. His body gained the Vinsmoke exoskeleton, enhanced healing factor, and increased physical strength . Queen even commented on this awakening, noting that Sanji’s body had finally developed as originally designed .
Sanji’s new powers let him combine his Ivankov-trained Haki, his Diable Jambe techniques, and his awakened genetic modifications into something entirely new. Ifrit Jambe, his most powerful form, creates blue-white flames that burned even Queen, one of Kaido’s All-Stars .
Despite gaining these abilities, Sanji destroyed the Raid Suit to cut his final ties to the Vinsmoke family. He chose to keep the awakened powers—they were part of his body now—but rejected the suit that triggered them .
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The Lasting Impact of Momoiro Island
Two years on Momoiro Island shaped Sanji into the fighter fans see today. Ivankov’s training methods, while unconventional, produced results that rival what any other Straw Hat achieved during their time away.
Sanji returned with Observation Haki sharp enough to sense threats before they arrive, Armament Haki strong enough to damage powerful enemies, and Sky Walk fast enough to escape almost any danger. He brought back Attack Cuisine recipes that can boost his crew’s strength in battle. And he developed the physical conditioning needed to become one of Luffy’s strongest fighters.
The Kamabakka Kingdom experience also reinforced Sanji’s chivalry in unexpected ways. Spending two years surrounded by people he found uncomfortable taught him patience and tolerance. He never wavered in his rule about never hitting women, a principle that caused problems during the Enies Lobby arc against Kalifa but remains central to his character .
When the Whole Cake Island arc forced Sanji to confront his biological family, he carried lessons from both his mentors. Zeff taught him that cooks must never waste food and always feed the hungry. Ivankov taught him that strength comes from within and that running can sometimes lead to flying.
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