Character Profile: Monkey D. Luffy

Luffy is a young boy who wishes to become a pirate. Luffy greatly admires Shanks, the leader of a gang of pirates staying in his town, but one day he accidentally eats their spoil of battle, a "Devil Fruit". The fruit's effect made it so that Luffy could never swim for the rest of his entire life, but his body also obtained the mysterious power to move like it was rubber! However, immediately after that, he angered Shanks' enemies, the bandits, and was tossed into the water in the middle of the sea. As he was drowning a monster attacked Luffy, but in a split-second Shanks was there to save him! Ten years later, using Shanks' straw hat as his trademark, Luffy set out for sea. His great journey to become a pirate had begun.

Searching for companions, the exultant Luffy has set off towards the "Grand Line" with his first crew mate, "Pirate Hunter Zoro". But, along the way, they became involved in a fight between the Buggy pirate crew and Nami, the Pirate Thief. Luffy, who realizes that Nami has excellent navigation skills and knows that Buggy holds a map to the Grand Line, decides to face off against the Buggy crew! After defeating the Buggy crew's second-in-command and chief of staff, he and Zoro finally face off against Buggy! But Buggy also has Devil Fruit powers, and he seems to have known Shanks....

Luffy is a bit more vulgar in the Japanese version than he is in the English dub. Also, he only lets certain people touch or even wear his straw hat. So far he has allowed Nami to wear it when he helped her in Cocoyashi Village with Arlong.

Luffy was born on Oushi Island, and has an older brother named Portgas D. Ace, who is also a pirate. His father, Monkey D. Dragon, is also a famous pirate, and is supposedly the called the world's worst criminal. Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp is Luffy's grandfather.

Shanks nicknames Luffy "Anchor" when he is a child. He calls him this to tease him about not being able to swim even before he eats the Devils fruit.

Editor’s Note:

I'm told that in volume 10 of the manga, the heights of several characters are listed by Eiichiro Oda in the Question Corner as being Luffy at 5'6", Nami at 5'5", Usopp at 5'7", Sanji at 5'8", and Zolo at 5'9". However, I'm not 100% sure that these heights are direct conversions from Japanese heights. If you have an offical source for the Japanese heights, please contact me.

Monkey D. Luffy wanted to be a pirate, but Shanks wouldn't let him because Luffy can't swim. When mountain bandits came to Luffy's town, he ate a cursed fruit, and got mad at Shanks because he let the mountain bandit make fun of him. Luffy eventually gets captured by the leader of the mountain bandits, and gets thrown overboard off a rowboat. He almost got eaten by the local sea monster, but Shanks saved him. Luffy tells Shanks that he will be king of the pirates.

Ten years later, he starts his journey to find his crew. First he defeated Alvida, and helped Koby to fulfill is dream to join the navy. When Luffy and Koby made it to a navy base, Luffy and Koby finds that the people of the town are afraid of navy captain, "Ax-Hand" Morgan. Also his son, Helmeppo, had Roronoa Zoro tied up, and had his swords taken away. Koby unties Zoro because he and Luffy heard Helmeppo say, "We're going to hold a public execution for him in three days." Luffy finds Zoro's swords, and defeats Captain Morgan.

Luffy, and Zoro leave the town after Luffy's bad acting at a navy officer on a boat. While sailing, Luffy tries to catch a bird, but the bird got him. Zoro, rowing as fast as he can, tells three shipwreck survivors, "I can't stop! Just grab on and climb in." Luffy eventually gets released, and lands in a village, and meats a thief named Nami. While in the town Luffy helps Nami steal Buggy the Clown's treasure. Luffy gets locked in a cage, and Zoro gets hurt by Buggy the Clown who ate the chop chop fruit. Luffy gets out of the cage by a lion named Richie, and later Luffy beats Mohji the lion tamer, and Richie. Luffy could only save a box of dog food for a dog named Chouchou.

When Luffy sees Buggy the Clown again, he knocks out mayor Boodle, and says, "Hey You!!! Big Nose!!!" Also Luffy stop Buggy's hand from interfering with a sword duel. In the end, Luffy defeats Buggy (with a little help from Nami who tied him up), and Nami gets Buggy's treasure and a map to the grand line. Unfortunately, Luffy's treasure (Shanks' hat) had to get fixed. Nami joins the crew as the navigator, and they leave with two ships. Luffy almost get thrown overboard because Nami found out that Luffy left the treasure because the town need the money to rebuild.

The strawhat crew tell Gaimon the truth about the treasure chests on a cliff, and continued their journey to the Grand Line. When they get to a village, Luffy met Usopp, the son of Yasopp. Luffy asks Mistress Kaya for a ship, but her butler, Klahadore (aka Captain Kuro) says, "I can't help you." Luffy gets knocked out twice by Captain Kuro's first mate, Django the hypnotist, and he defeats Captain Kuro.

When the strawhat crew leaves, they get a big boat, and a new crewmate (Usopp). While sailing, Luffy meets Zoro's friends, named Johnny and Yosaku. They found out about a restaurant named the Baratie, and head there. Unfortunately, Luffy made a hole in the roof, and met the owner, Chef "Red Shoes" Zeff. Luffy didn't want to work for a year, but later agrees. Luffy also defeats Don Krieg, and saves the Baratie from being wrecked.

After Sanji joins the crew, Luffy needed to head to Arlong Park to get Nami back. Luffy defeats Arlong, and Captain Nezumi of the Navy base 16 made Luffy a wanted man. Also, when Luffy gets to Loguetown, he almost gets captured by a navy officer who ate the smoke smoke fruit.