The Big Three. ‘Naruto’. ‘Bleach’. ‘One Piece’.
Once upon a time, before anime was the mainstream media juggernaut we know today, these three shows were at the peak. If you were an adolescent anime fan in America before the streaming days, you were probably watching one of these three. Without them, we likely would never have reached the point we’re at now.
But time passed. ‘Naruto’ ended and was replaced by a mediocre sequel. ‘Bleach’ was canceled and would not return for years. What were once the untouchable kings of anime faded into history.
All save for one.
Strange though it may seem in hindsight, ‘One Piece’ was considered the weakest of the Big Three back at the height of their popularity. But since then, it has grown to become one of the most monumental series in anime history! What was once a pretty popular shounen is now one of the greatest selling comics of all time, even beyond manga!
To think. It all started with a boy, a rowboat, and a straw hat.
Gather up all of the crew, it’s time to ship out Binks’ brew! We’re setting sail with anime’s favorite captain: Monkey D. Luffy!
On the surface, Luffy is your standard shounen protagonist. A dumb, clueless glutton with a big dream who bludgeons baddies with his rubber fists. You mess with his friends, he’ll clobber you. Pretty standard stuff. But there is so much more to this lovable pirate than meets the eye.
Luffy is a man of pure determination. When he sets his mind to something, nothing will stand in his way. A fitting trait for a dreamer. He will be the Pirate King, or he will die trying. More than that, he respects those who are willing to stand for their dreams, even if they oppose his own. If you’re willing to fight for what you want, then Luffy is more than willing to stand with you.
While he may seem gullible, Luffy is brilliant at reading people. Being simple as he is, he sees the heart of the people he meets almost straight away. And honest as he is, he isn’t afraid to tell you what he thinks of you. Whether he likes you or not, you’ll know.
One of my favorite examples comes in the Fish-Man Island arc. While wandering about in search for food, Luffy meets the Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi. Due to circumstances tied to one of the arc’s main villains, she has to stay cooped up in her room alone to stay safe. Innocent, curious, and childlike, she is scared of anything new and quick to tears. Being the upstanding gentleman that he is, Luffy devours her dinner, tells her that she’s a coward and he hates her, then laughs in her face.
When it came to manners, Garp wasn’t exactly the greatest teacher.
But then he takes her outside. He protects her from the bad guys and takes her along on his adventure. Luffy doesn’t set her free only from the man antagonizing her, but also from her own fear. All because she gave him a meal.
Freedom is at the heart of this character. His life is his, and he marches to no one’s drum beat but his own. Laugh at him, mock him, he doesn’t care. Luffy will prove you wrong with actions, not words.
Now, laugh at his friends and that’s a different story. A much more painful one. Luffy is fiercely loyal. Should anyone he cares for be threatened, he will always rush to their aide without a second of doubt. It doesn’t matter if it’s one of the most powerful pirates on the seas or the World Government itself. His hands are rated E for everyone.
Unfortunately, this unstoppable determination has also landed in him some hot water. Luffy has picked several fights that he couldn’t win. He’s made some massive mistakes as captain of the Straw Hats. Some with his own crew.
For example, let’s look at the Water Seven Arc. The beginning of this story presents the Straw Hats with a difficult problem: their beloved ship, the Going Merry, is too damaged to be properly repaired. Their home has become a ship wreck waiting to happen. If the crew wants to keep going forward, they need to find a new ship.
Luffy has got his eyes on the prize. He’s not happy about it, but he accepts that it’s time to let the Merry rest. Usopp, however, doesn’t see it that way. He sees the Merry as a member of the crew, and if she can be tossed aside like it’s nothing, who is to say people like him aren’t next? Being the hothead that he is, Luffy only escalates the conflict rather than resolve it. A massive fight erupts between the two, verbally and physically, and Usopp is kicked out of the crew.
Loneliness is the one thing Luffy fears. Having to push his friend away like that broke his heart. But being captain of a pirate’s ship is not an easy task. You’ve got to stand firm and lead your crew, whether you like it or not. No matter what’s going on with the crew, the captain has to be respected. A lesson Luffy learned the hard way.
Throughout ‘One Piece’, bit by bit, you can see Luffy grow as a captain. He has to become wiser and more mature as their journey steadily becomes more dangerous. If he fails as a leader, than all of the Straw Hats will face the consequences. It’s a responsibility he learns to take seriously.
It’s one of the few things he does take seriously. Monkey is a fitting family name, given how much energy thsi dude always has! Even now, Luffy is as goofy and carefree as ever. Even more than ever, in fact! Dude can literally turn himself into a Loony Tune!
On that note, let’s talk about his fighting style. Being made of rubber, Luffy fights completely unlike any other shounen hero. He has to get far more creative than just, “Shoot laser, but bigger.” Stretchy punches and headbutts, inflatable limbs, redirectable attacks, he’s got it all! His transformations aren’t about making himself stronger, but rather increasing his options in combat. The mobile Bounce Man, the inescapable Snake Man, and the godly rubber hose cartoon abilities of Gear 5 increase not his strength, but his freedom.
But being a goofy rubber man isn’t enough to become the Pirate King. Haki is necessary too. In case you don’t know, Haki is willpower weaponized. And Luffy has been steadily mastering it in all its forms. At this point in the series, he can see a few seconds into the future, knock out thousands of weaker goons in an instant, hit dudes without touching them, and make his rubber body as hard as steel. Or he can light his fist on fire and really wreck your day.
RIP, Ace. We still miss you.
Luffy is a phenomenal character. Simple yet complex, childish yet wise, it’s no wonder this carefree goofball has captured the hearts of so many people around the world. I can’t help but smile every time I see him!
Now we get to the part where I make certain fanboys mad: the ranking.
I think Luffy is the greatest shounen protagonist of all time. He’s got everything that makes such characters incredible and more! As much as I love Goku and Naruto, the future Pirate King is simply too charismatic! Short as the list currently is, he and his straw hat will sit atop it for possibly a long, long time.
- Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
- Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
- Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
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