 The relationship between Luffy and the Straw Hats is one of the biggest reasons why One Piece was able to sustain such a progressively intriguing way of storytelling. H.U.O.O.D.A is a master at creating characters and building their relationships with each other in a subtle, evolving manner. Relationships that are so interesting that they leave us no choice, but to be invested. Hello my Nakamataichi, this is Joygirl and today I would like to analyze and share with you my thoughts on my favorite part of the series, the Straw Hats Relationships. As per my promise that I would be releasing a special video when I reached out special subscriber count, Gomu Gomu, yours truly, if you don't mind listening, would like to discuss this topic, which I hold very close to my heart. To be precise, we will discuss elements within Luffy's relationships to each of his crewmates and for that we will need a title and this one is called What Luffy Means to the Straw Hats. Luffy as a character can be pretty easily defined. We know him as the fun-loving, reckless and yet reliable young man who is driven by his dearly determination to achieve his dream of becoming Pirate King. As the protagonist of the series, we have come to have faith in this unlikely hero that despite all his seeming childishness, his ambitions affirm and that he will defeat those who seek to hinder his journey to reach his goal and that one day, he will indeed become the Pirate King. This faith in Luffy is one shared by almost everyone Luffy comes into contact with during the story, including even his opponents at times. As Luffy encounters and defeats foes along his journey were due to his own sense of justice, he can't simply leave alone. Many have come to share and have faith in Luffy's dreams. The belief that Luffy will become Pirate King is one that is certainly vehemently held by the Straw Hats. More than just crewmates, Luffy's friendship and infectious personality has resulted in bonds that resemble more of a family and as some of his closest relationships in the series and as characters equally developed as Luffy, it's clear that there is more to each of their relationships with their captain above being close friends on a comma. What makes them follow him in his quest and what he means to each of them individually? And whilst there is more to these relationships than I will explore in this video, upon a close examination of the series and their relationships, I have picked just one quality for each of the Straw Hats, which I think is the most significant characteristic that Luffy represents to each of them. And that is what we will be exploring in this video. Starting with the newest member of the Straw Hats, Jinbei. Jinbei as the newest recruit has had the least amount of time to bond with Luffy and the crew, but this doesn't make his relationship with Luffy any less clear or powerful. In fact, that is exactly what Jinbei recognises in Luffy, his ability to make bonds and meaningful relationships. For Jinbei, Luffy is the symbol of unity. As a fisherman, Jinbei is all too aware of the ugly prejudice and discrimination that exists in the world, but in Luffy, he sees the possibility of peace and harmony, of humans and fishermen living in unity. He experienced Luffy's ability to achieve this firsthand when he witnessed the Straw Hat captain unite a ragtag bunch of unlikely allies to the Marineford War and then realise that unity can come in different forms When contrary to Jinbei's belief that Luffy's intervention in the fight against Hordy Jones would only sow more discord between fishermen and humans, the two were able to work together to save Fishman Island. This concretely established Jinbei's faith in Luffy, so much so that he offered his own blood to be transfused into his gravely wounded friend, an extremely symbolic gesture in the context of their respective races. Having witnessed Luffy's unique ability to befriend almost everyone he encounters, Jinbei bets everything he has on the young captain, deciding to serve as the Straw Hat helmsman, entrusting his future and his life for the chance to see and work alongside Luffy as he brings forth a new, harmonious and unified world. Next up, Brooke. Brooke is a character whom despite his truly sad past, maintains a cheerful and positive outlook towards life. Despite losing his entire crew and drifting alone with not even his own shadow to accompany him, Brooke clung onto the idea that he would retrieve his shadow and one day fulfill his promise to Laboon. Then along came Luffy and the Straw Hats. After many years of isolation, after meeting Luffy and the crew, Brooke finally encountered new friends, those who would ultimately assist him in retrieving his shadow. Ones he could journey with and a way through which he can fulfill the promise that he made. And it is in Luffy that Brooke sees the symbol of hope. Luffy's warm and immediate welcoming of Brooke symbolized that the hope Brooke had been holding on to was worthwhile. For Brooke, Luffy is the hope for a new life, a new world. As someone who was able to cut through 50 years of pain, a seemingly never-ending time of loneliness which would drive anyone to despair, Brooke recognizes the power residing in Luffy, forming much of the faith Brooke has in him, a faith so strong that made the living skeleton fearless in the face of Big Mum. Brooke has evidently laid all his hopes on Luffy, declaring that the Straw Hat Captain was someone who could break through any walls to pursue his dreams. The same way that Luffy was able to overcome all the obstacles initially posed for Brooke when they first met. For the Straw Hat musician, his captain stands as hope for the future and of the new adventures that Brooke will have and the journey which will ultimately lead him to seeing his old friend again. Moving on to Frankie. Frankie is a Straw Hat as strong-willed and free-spirited as Luffy. Like his captain, he has little care for norms or rules, often disregarding them to do what he wants. The two share a bond, one which Frankie would view as the symbol of Brotherhood. In the same way that Luffy is easily able to make friends, Frankie also possesses this charisma, previously leading the Frankie family, a group of former thugs as their big brother. This quality of Brotherhood and camaraderie is actually evident in the initial meeting between Frankie and Luffy. Though the two got off on a rough start due to Frankie's role in Robbing Usopp, resulting in Luffy and the Straw Hat boys destroying the Frankie house to the fury of the cyborg who in turn started hunting Luffy. However, it is clear that both men were responding to threats to their families. After that incident at Enius Lobby, Frankie has come to recognize Luffy's strength and developed a great respect for the young captain after seeing the length Luffy would go to for one of his own. A sentiment Frankie shares when it comes to those close to him. Frankie definitely fits into the Straw Hat family, acting as an older brother to most of the crew. One exemplification of the Brotherhood between Frankie and Luffy was evidently shown back in Dressrosa when Luffy asked Frankie to eat the Meramero No Mi if he manages to win his late brother's devil fruit, showing the extent of his respect and trust in the shipwright. Whilst there's no doubt that Luffy would have surely offered it to any of the Straw Hat's, it's interesting that this exchange occurred between Luffy and Frankie. Symbolically enough, the Meramero No Mi ended up in the possession of Luffy's sworn brother Sabo. Thus, Luffy's offer to Frankie made it clear of the way in which his captain views him. In return, Frankie made the decision long ago to entrust his ship the Thousand Sunny to the youngster, entrusting not just his ship but with it his masterpiece and his life mission. Symbolizing the amount of faith that the Straw Hat shipwright has in his brother Luffy to be the hard-boiled, manly captain needed to lead them all to glory. Now for the next Straw Hat, Robin. Robin's tragic past, marked by the decimation of her entire island, followed by a series of constant betrayals, made her a very jaded and distrustful individual. Even after she came on board the Going Merry, Robin clearly maintained her distance from the crew, as evident through her referring to each member by their positions as opposed to their names. So when trouble came in the form of CP9, Robin chose to accept her bleak fate, rather than relying on her new crew for help, until Luffy convinced her to believe in them. And in this way, Luffy for Robin is the symbol of trust. This is clearly established in the iconic scene when Robin declares her desire to live and journey with Luffy and the crew. In this moment, we witness her decision to finally open up and trust them with her life. After years of only maintaining relationships in the form of associates or acquaintances, Robin learned true friendship with Luffy and the Straw Hats. She began to have a taste for what life could be like, liberating and joyful when in the company of those she can trust. We have seen Robin's evolution since she learned to trust Luffy and the Straw Hats friendship. She entrusted her life to them, and in return, has given herself wholeheartedly. We have seen her blossom with the crew, joining in their joy and sadness, shown often giggling at their antics and concern when one of them is in danger. As the first of the Straw Hats to accept her, with Luffy not even questioning her motives despite her having been a former enemy, Robin witnessed how freeing trust could be, a realisation for which she has been grateful. Her gratitude and subsequent trust evident throughout the rest of the series in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Robin, apart from Zorro, is the only Straw Hat who unconditionally follows Luffy's orders and whims. She has wholeheartedly entrusted her future to him, and doesn't question her captain's decisions. Much like the whole crew, Robin's dedication to Luffy is so strong that she's prepared to die for him, such as in dress Rosa when she agreed with Bartolomeo, declaring that Luffy was worth risking their lives for, symbolising the extent of her faith and trust in him. Now that she has gained true friends, Robin's life has new meaning, being able to work towards her dream whilst in the company of friends as the Straw Hat archaeologist. Through trusting Luffy and the crew, she has realised the significance of Saul's last words to her. The joy that one can have with friends whom she could do life with. Up next, Chopper. Chopper, our youngest Straw Hat, is more than just a mascot. With one of the saddest backstories in the series, Chopper's character revealed his deep inner conflicts and motivations that guide him. A reindeer born with a blue nose and having also consumed the Hitohitonomi, Chopper had been ostracised all his life, deemed an outcast or monster by both his own herd as well as by humans. This experience caused Chopper to develop a distrust for humans, until Luffy became his symbol of humanity. Whilst the two may have gotten off on a humorous rocky start, what with Luffy mistaking the young doctor as food? Through watching Luffy, Chopper soon began to see and experience for himself the extent of Luffy's humanity. Chopper, who was initially wary of humans, refused the offer to join the crew multiple times. However, Luffy was able to wear him down. The Straw Hat captain, who didn't even know that Chopper is a doctor, simply accepted him for the talking, transforming, reindeer monster that he is. This acceptance symbolized Luffy's keen sense of friendship, reinstating Chopper's faith in humanity. Whilst as a doctor, Chopper's caring nature has always been an innate part of his personality. With the Straw Hats and Luffy, Chopper is able to fully shine. We have witnessed how deeply Chopper's own humanity runs, such as his anger and distaste at Caesar Clown's use of human experimentation back in punk hazard. Through Luffy's acceptance and friendship, the Straw Hat doctor was able to mature in his outlook towards the world, grow into his own character, and demonstrate his own humanity, thereby becoming the man he was always inside. Moving on to the next Straw Hat, Sanji. Sanji is perhaps the most complex character within the Straw Hat crew, and arguably the series itself. This is thus reflected in his complex relationships with the other characters within One Piece, including his own crew. However, if there is one thing clear, that is his bond with Luffy, one that is marked by the symbol of dreams. Whilst the dream is something that each of the Straw Hats hold, this theme of dreams is a bond that most strongly ties the connection between Luffy and Sanji. For one, the dreams that these two hold are seemingly unattainable, wildly so. Whilst Luffy strives to become the pirate king, a title that is sought out by many powerful individuals, Sanji is perhaps the only character who harbors a dream even less possible to attain, in that the Straw Hat cook dreams to find the All Blue, a legendary mystical sea which existence has never been confirmed. Though both have experienced the ridicule of others who consider their dreams naive delusions, Sanji and Luffy remain steadfast in their beliefs. No matter how much of a pipe dream it may seem, they share an understanding, a faith and trust that they will never be laughed at by the other. Perhaps the most significant reason for this strong bond is that it is through witnessing Luffy's actions that Sanji decided to follow his own dream. Sanji had all but suppressed his desire to venture out to sea due to a perceived depth to Zeff, the man who saved his life. It wasn't until Luffy showed him that the best way to repay that debt and show gratitude is to live his life to the fullest and follow his dream, thereby making something of his life that was saved. Having had a very similar experience with Shanks, Luffy is able to relate to Sanji and is thus best equipped to help Sanji in following his dreams, a fact that the Straw Hat Captain has displayed on more than one occasion, first leading Sanji to leave Varatea and join his crew and then going through hell and back in Holcake Island to retrieve him back to the sunny. Luffy perfectly understood all of Sanji's conflicting emotions and motivations, knowing that the last thing Sanji wanted to do is leave the crew. Sanji can always rely on Luffy to help him stay true to his dreams, whilst Luffy has admitted for himself that without the Straw Hat Chef, he can't achieve his dream of becoming Pirate King. Next, Usopp. Usopp is a character who despite his relative physical weakness has made it to the New World, afraid every step of the way but somehow keeps on going. One of the biggest reasons he has been able to do so is that he has Luffy by his side, inspiring him to continue and become the brave warrior he strives to be. Luffy for Usopp is the symbol of bravery. Whilst Usopp doesn't necessarily express that he is influenced by Luffy, their relationship is clear. Luffy brings out the brave warrior that lies within Usopp. The Straw Hat Captain as a naturally bold individual encourages Usopp to step into his own, to live up to his potential as a brave warrior. The two may seem like opposites. Usopp is weak whilst Luffy is overwhelmingly strong. Usopp has many fears whilst Luffy has none. Usopp is a compulsive liar, whereas Luffy is unrelentingly honest and straightforward. And yet, the two are best friends. Aside from their similar age and playfulness, they share a love and admiration for brave heroes of the past. And whereas Luffy may already demonstrate this bravery that they so admire, Luffy recognises that the same bravery exists within his friend. Through every adventure and trial they face together, Usopp inches closer and closer to his dream and has displayed his own bravery on a number of occasions. Perhaps the best showcase of this bravery was back in Enneus Lobby when the Straw Hat Sniper took off his mask to reveal his identity in the midst of battle and challenged Luchi whilst encouraging Luffy to get up and fight, resulting in Luffy to miraculously get back on his feet and proceed to defeat the CP9 assassin. Luffy knows that ultimately, Usopp will stand up when necessary and when he's needed the most. And indeed, we have seen Usopp, the Straw Hat Sniper, live up to this multiple times, steadily becoming the brave warrior he is inside. Moving on to Nami. Nami is often characterised for her love of wealth and riches. She was introduced to us as someone obsessed with treasure and though we soon gained insight into her motivations, Nami's desire for wealth has become a trait embedded within her character. However, we know that Nami isn't as superficial as she seems and above all else, much like Luffy, she values and desires to be free and for Nami, Luffy is the symbol of freedom. Due to her brutal childhood, Nami had been seeking freedom all her life and Luffy at his core embodies this trait, the very reason he seeks to become Pirate King. Having had a taste of how sweet freedom could be after spending a short time with Luffy, Nami herself stated this desire to be free and for a chance to sail with the crew again as she betrayed them back in Baratier. Luffy and the crew being the ones who were able to free her and her village, Nami has since had faith in Luffy's will to be the free, adventure loving pirate that he is. Which is why despite her frustrations at Luffy's spontaneous and reckless decisions when choosing the next destination, Nami always acquiesces and aids her captain reaching where he wants to go. Deep down, Nami has faith that Luffy will reach his goals in his own way, believing that his free and adventurous nature will lead him and the crew to their final destination. In this way, Nami and Luffy make the perfect duo in steering the straw hats to where they need to go. Luffy with his innate intuition which though landing the straw hats in trouble a lot of the time, ultimately takes the crew to where they need to go. And Nami, the ever reliable straw hat navigator, allows them to get to their destination safely. Now for the first member to join Luffy's straw hats, Zoro. Zoro and Luffy bond in their fighting capabilities. Being the two main combatants of the straw hats, they have shared the battlefield many times and thus have come to respect and trust each other's abilities. And in this way, Zoro sees Luffy as the symbol of strength. For both of them, their strength is intricately tied to their ambitions. Zoro, whose goal is to become the world's strongest swordsman, requires him to develop his strength and swordsmanship abilities, much like how Luffy must become strong enough to become the pirate king. The swordsman follows Luffy as his captain because he believes in Luffy's strength. Being the fierce character Zoro is, he wouldn't accept just anyone as his leader, something he has made clear on a number of occasions. He follows Luffy because Luffy is someone strong enough to be his leader. As such, Zoro keeps Luffy in check and has been seen showing his frustrations when his captain is not showing what Zoro perceives to be Luffy's real strength. This was displayed back in Pankaza during Luffy's battle with Caesar Clown. However, it is clear that Zoro is just as harsh on himself and that the swordsman cares deeply about Luffy's perception of his own strength. This was evident in Baratie, after Zoro suffered an overwhelming defeat at the hands of Mihawk, after which the greatest swordsman granted him mercy and allowed Zoro to live, Zoro vowed to Luffy that he would never lose again. For this, to be the first words out of Zoro's mouth, it symbolized just how deeply he cares about both his relationship with Luffy and how Luffy perceives his strength, which needless to say, Luffy does indeed recognize. Whilst the two may differ in terms of their personalities and fighting style, they share an overwhelming similarity in their formidable strength and their love for fighting. Something that they developed through their upbringing and lifetime of constant fighting which resulted in both honing their physical abilities from a young age, Zoro in the dojo and Luffy in the wild. As time goes on, it becomes clear that much like their battle skills, the camaraderie between these two continues to grow stronger. It is through their shared language of fighting that the two bond. Both have definitely grown stronger throughout the series, in more ways than just fighting. In fact, the only thing that's weakened since Zoro met Luffy is the straw hat swordsman's sense of direction. And with this, we come to the end of our discussion. There is obviously a lot more to the relationships between Luffy and his crew that I didn't touch on for the sake of the length of this video. However, I would like to discuss all of these relationships in further detail, so please do subscribe to this channel if you haven't already to see more videos like this. This is Joygirl and I'll see you again soon.