Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, has been sailing the seas for over 1,000 chapters. He's now closer than ever to achieving his dream of finding the titular One Piece, not to mention becoming the Pirate King. Although Luffy set out on his own, he gradually gathered a talented crew now renowned across the world of One Piece. The story behind each Straw Hat joining the crew is impactful enough on its own. Because Luffy gained their respect, they wholeheartedly believe he will become the Pirate King.
Looking back at those moments, it's clear that the Straw Hats were the first ones to believe in Luffy's dream. Like any Shonen anime team, they must have seen potential in Luffy that was hidden from everyone else. Their desire to remain a part of the crew and to help Luffy stems from the belief that Luffy will become King of the Pirates some day. Luffy fought for his crew mates against a common evil, creating an unbreakable bond. He allowed them to be whoever they wanted, and they joined his crew not just to achieve their own goals but his as well.
Updated on September 11, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: The Netflix live-action adaptation of One Piece compresses around 95 manga chapters worth of material into eight episodes, and the result is some stellar television. That said, it takes a while for Nami, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp to accept Luffy as their captain. On the other hand, all the Straw Hat Pirates in the anime have already acknowledged that Luffy will become King of the Pirates. As such, we've updated this feature with some more information.
Zoro Is One Of Luffy’s Most Faithful Companions
Roronoa Zoro's faith in Luffy has been unshakable from the start of One Piece. He was the first person to acknowledge that Luffy would become King of the Pirates. After his fight with Mihawk, Zoro was ashamed of his defeat. Therefore, to prove his mettle to Luffy, he raised his sword (while lying on the deck from his injuries) and told Luffy about his conviction.
During that same scene, Roronoa Zoro also referred to Luffy as the future King of the Pirates. Another iconic moment was his encounter with Kuma at the Thriller Bark, where Zoro begged the Warlord to take his life instead of Luffy's, because the latter was destined to become the Pirate King.
Sanji Is Just As Confident As Zoro In Luffy’s Future
If Zoro can be considered Luffy's right hand, then Sanji is his left. Sanji's devotion to Luffy throughout One Piece goes beyond the relationship between a captain and crew member. Luffy helps him realize his dream to search for All Blue and openly offers him a place on his ship.
In the "Zou" arc, when Sanji's past is about to be revealed, Captain Bege apprehends Sanji on Big Mom's behalf and offers to take Luffy and the other Straw Hats under an Emperor's banner. However, Sanji vehemently refuses. Instead, he boldly states that his captain is not a man who will settle for being someone's underling and that Luffy will eventually become the Pirate King.
Usopp Shows His Belief In The Future Pirate King
Usopp's proclamation about Luffy's future in One Piece was extremely emotional. In the "Alabasta" arc, the Straw Hats faced an enemy fiercer than they had confronted before. They were against a Warlord who had a massive crew of elite fighters. In the middle of the chaos, Luffy went missing, and Usopp was told he had died.
Refusing to accept the death of his friend, Usopp announced Luffy would become the Pirate King and, therefore, it didn't make any sense for him to die at this point. Despite always getting scared of his enemies and having minimal hand-to-hand combat skills, Usopp boldly stood against a powerful foe just to prove his point.
Nami Believes In Luffy Despite Her Hatred Of Pirates
Because of her past, Nami had always hated pirates, believing them to be evil. However, getting to know Luffy was an eye-opener for her. After Luffy saved Nami from Arlong, she became the Straw Hats' official navigator. Despite always being annoyed with Luffy, she trusts him the most in the crew.
In One Piece's "Whole Cake Island" arc, when Luffy and Nami were up against Big Mom's strongest crew members, Nami proclaimed Luffy's future role. Another instance of her faith in Luffy was shown in the "Wano" arc, when Ulti hit her and threatened her to say that Luffy won't become the Pirate King. A heavily injured Nami reminisced about Luffy helping her without any hesitation. Ignoring the threat to her life, Nami refused to say that Luffy won't become the Pirate King, suggesting that she believed the opposite was true.
Chopper Tells The Kids About The King Of The Pirates
Kicked out of his group by his reindeer family, and later hated by humans, Chopper never had a place to truly belong. He was happy living with his foster father, but the latter also passed away not long after. It wasn't until Chopper joined Luffy's crew that he finally became a pirate and realized his dream.
In the "Punk Hazard" arc, Chopper was eager to save the kids who were being experimented on by Caesar Clown. While trying to reassure one of the kids, Chopper promised that, no matter how terrifying Caesar was, he would never win against Luffy, the future King of the Pirates.
Franky Gives An Iconic Proclamation Of Luffy’s Destiny
Franky proclaiming Luffy to be the future King of the Pirates may be one of his most iconic scenes in all of One Piece. As if going up against a Yonko wasn't enough for the Straw Hats and their allies, another terrifying Yonko, Big Mom, joined the battle.
Nami and Franky encountered Big Mom, an opponent they didn't have a chance at defeating. While Nami suggested running away, Franky said that Big Mom was just an Emperor before proclaiming that Luffy would become King of the Pirates.
Jinbe Leaves Big Mom’s Crew To Join The Straw Hats
The strongest and the most respectable Fish-Man, Jinbe carried a lot on his shoulders. Following Whitebeard's death, he joined Big Mom's banner to protect his people. However, when Luffy arrived at Whole Cake Island, he told Jinbe that he would wait for him in the Land of Wano.
Wishing to join Luffy's crew, Jinbe didn't hesitate to ask to leave Big Mom's crew. She relented, for a price: the loss of years from Jinbe's life span. Interestingly enough, Big Mom's powers only work on those who are afraid of her. Therefore, she couldn't extract Jinbe's life force. Jinbe said he had no fear of a mere Emperor because he would be a crew member of the future King of the Pirates.
Robin’s Bond With Sanji Extends To The Crew
Much like the other Straw Hats, Robin never found a place to call home until she joined Luffy's crew. She holds her crew mates dear to her, especially after they saved her from the World Government. In the "Wano" arc, Sanji was helpless against a female opponent and could only call Robin for help.
Robin was elated that Sanji trusted her so much. Seeing Black Maria insult Sanji didn't sit well with Robin. She said that Sanji isn't only a kind man, but someone who is worthy of being one of the arms of the future Pirate King.
Brook Becomes A Star But Still Backs Luffy For Pirate King
The two-year separation was just as hard on the rest of the Straw Hats as it was on Luffy. They focused on improving themselves so that they could be more helpful to their captain. In the meantime, Soul King Brook somehow became a rising star, and began performing live in the "Sabaody" arc.
After the Marineford War, Luffy was believed to be dead because he had mysteriously disappeared. Shortly after the time skip, Brook announced during a live performance that, not only was Luffy alive, but that he will also become the King of the Pirates.