Zeff lost his leg under dire survival circumstances while stranded on a deserted island with Sanji. In the original manga version of One Piece , Zeff cut off his own leg with a jagged rock and ate it to survive after they were stranded with very limited food supplies. This act of self-cannibalism was to ensure that Sanji could have all the remaining food and live, demonstrating Zeff's deep care and sacrifice for Sanji. This darker and more visceral version is considered the official one by the creator Eiichiro Oda
. In contrast, the anime adaptation softened this event for younger audiences. In the anime, Zeff lost his leg because it got caught in the wreckage of a ship during a storm while he was rescuing Sanji. He wrapped a ship's anchor chain around his leg, which was then torn off by the tides, without the cannibalism aspect being shown
. Oda confirmed that the change was due to censorship concerns, as the manga's depiction of Zeff eating his own leg was considered too shocking for children watching the anime
. In summary:
- Manga: Zeff cut off and ate his own leg to survive and save Sanji.
- Anime: Zeff's leg was torn off by an anchor chain during a shipwreck rescue.
The manga version is the original and canonical explanation of how Zeff lost his leg.
