Each of the Straw Hat pirates would be in a completely different place if Luffy had never recruited them, making his role in the legendary One Piece franchise much larger than fans realize, but not for the reasons they may think. Since its serialization in July 1997, One Piece has stolen the hearts of anime fans, both new and old. The story follows the adventures of Captain Monkey D. Luffy and his loyal crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, who each pursue their own dreams while simultaneously searching for Gol D. Roger’s hidden treasure: the elusive One Piece.

Sitting at over 1,100 episodes and manga chapters, Oda continues to stun audiences with enticing world-building, characterizations, and an engaging government conspiracy. However, One Piece has become not just an anime legend, but a global icon, recognized by anime and non-anime watchers alike. Back in June, for the series’ 25th anniversary, One Piece officially became the first anime to take over the world’s largest screen: the Las Vegas Sphere, to commemorate the joy that it has brought to a multi-generational audience.

Furthermore, the Straw Hat’s captain made history during the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. At 50 feet tall, 43 feet long, and 39 feet wide, Luffy was the widest balloon in the Parade’s lineup. Luffy has truly earned his place among anime’s biggest protagonists alongside heroes like Goku, Pikachu, and Sailor Moon. However, Luffy’s impact on One Piece is not only an undeniable rise in popularity, but one within the series’ universe as well. Without their captain, each member of the Straw Hats would be in very different places should Luffy never have stepped in so unexpectedly.

10 “Soul King” Brook

Forever Floating in the Florian Triangle

After successfully rescuing Robin from Enies Lobby, Luffy and his crew accidentally find themselves sailing into the Florian Triangle. During One Piece’s 18th story arc, Thriller Bark, the Straw Hats meet Brook, a mysterious talking skeleton. While it seems that the crew has met Brook simply by happenstance, he miraculously turns out to be the previous owner of Laboon, an Island Whale whom they encountered after first entering the Grand Line.

Previously, Brooke sailed with the Rumbar Pirates, who were determined to conquer the Grand Line. However, after fending off an enemy crew, they soon learned that they were all poisoned during the battle. Thanks to the power of the Yomi Yomi no Mi fruit, Brook was resurrected from the dead (albeit his body was reduced to a skeleton). However, he was left in the Florian Triangle for 50 years, until the Straw Hats came upon his lonely ship at last. Without Luffy’s incessant curiosity, Brook would have remained in the Florian Triangle, floating endlessly among the dark waves for eternity.

9 Tony Tony Chopper

A Complacent Caretaker on Drum Island

Nami’s sickness on Drum Island may have scared the Straw Hat crew for the time being, but thanks to Luffy’s efforts to find her a doctor, Chopper’s life changed for the better. In One Piece’s 10th story arc, Drum Island, the Straw Hats embark on a mission in search of a doctor after Nami falls severely ill with an unknown disease. Along the way, they meet Tony Tony Chopper, a bizarre reindeer doctor. When he was younger, Chopper ate the Hito Hito no Mi fruit, which turned him into a reindeer human hybrid.

As a result, he no longer fits in with his herd but is also too strange to fit in with the humans. An outcast for much of his life, Chopper was finally taken in by Dr. Hiriluk, the quirky doctor of Drum Island, and then later, Dr. Kureha, where he learned everything he knows about medicine. However, while his life on Drum Island was good, on the inside, he yearned for adventure. Not only did Luffy give Chopper his dream, but he potentially saved him from an unspeakable death as Wapol, the island’s former king, returns to reclaim his throne, stepping on anyone in his way.

8 “God” Usopp

The Loveable Liar Left to the Black Cat Pirates

More recently adapted in One Piece’s live-action series, the Syrup Village arc is the third story arc of the East Blue Saga. As the beginnings of the Straw Hat crew, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami search for a new ship, they arrive in Syrup Village, where they meet Usopp. Known as the local village liar, Usopp regularly visits Kaya, a terminally ill young woman living in the largest mansion on the island and studying to become a doctor. However, the Straw Hats encounter a dark conspiracy involving their newfound friends during their time in the Syrup Village.

Luffy and the Straw Hats soon learn that Kaya’s butler, Kuro, was previously known as the captain of the Black Cat Pirates. After faking his own execution, Kuro assumed the identity of Kaya’s personal servant and acted as her caretaker for three full years with the intent of inheriting her family fortune by slowly poisoning her over time. Luffy’s relentless need to help those around him, no matter his previous involvement with them, has saved thousands of people. If Luffy and his crew had not wandered into Usopp’s life, Captain Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates would likely have killed him and Kaya.

7 “Iron-Man” Franky

A Cyborg at the Mercy of 9

The Straw Hat crew arrives at the oceanic metropolis of Water 7 in order to find a shipwright who can repair the Going Merry. However, they are soon targeted by the Franky Family, the city’s underground gang. After the disappearance of Robin and a power-struggle between Luffy and Usopp, the Straw Hat crew experiences their first temporary breakup. However, in the end, the team gains a new member, but not before encountering a conspiracy between 9 and the city of Water 7.

9’s ultimate goal was to uncover the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton, which they believe Franky (previously known as Cutty Flam) knows about. Franky, along with Robin, is taken into custody and forcibly brought to Enies Lobby, where he will be judged for his crimes against the World Government. Eventually, Robin and Franky are saved from Enies Lobby, thanks to Luffy’s fearlessness in challenging the world government. However, should Luffy never have come to rescue Robin, or been ready to take on the full force of a Buster Call, Franky surely would have been tortured and/or killed by 9.

6 “Knight of the Sea” Jinbe

Jinbe's Solitary Jail-Time

One of One Piece’s best arcs, Impel Down, takes place just before the Avengers: Endgame of the series: Marineford. In the anime’s 21st story arc, Luffy puts aside his mission to relocate his crew in order to track down his older brother, Ace, who has been taken captive in the underwater prison: Impel Down. With the help of Boa Hancock, Luffy somehow manages to infiltrate the facility, but soon learns that breaking in may be easier than finding his way back out again.

At last, Luffy reaches the 6th level of Impel Down: Eternal Hell. The lowest level was once believed to be a rumor, but some of the biggest names in the One Piece universe reside there, including Jinbe, Ace, and Crocodile. However, Ace is nowhere to be found. Sitting in his cell, alone, is Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and a future Straw Hat. In an attempt to escape Impel Down, Luffy allows Crocodile and Jinbe to assist him, setting them free from their cells. Should Luffy have forfeited the idea of looking for Ace, Jinbe would still be locked in Impel Down.

5 Nico Robin

Robin’s Peril with the Poneglyph

Alabasta is known as one of One Piece’s most beloved arcs. Not only does the arc introduce fan-favorite characters such as Crocodile, Nico Robin, and Princess Vivi, but the plotline remains one of the best in the anime so far. In One Piece’s 11th story arc, the Straw Hats finally reach the desert kingdom of Alabasta, where they plan to stop a massive war from breaking out between the kingdom’s royal guards and a rogue gang of rebels.

Along the way, they encounter a new enemy, Crocodile, who wishes to use Miss All-Sunday (later revealed as Nico Robin) to read the Poneglyph, which will surely guide him to an ancient weapon of mass destruction. However, after Robin and Crocodile enter the hidden Grave of the Kings together, she can only read a small part of the stone’s writings, which depict the history of Alabasta and nothing more. With no further use for her, Crocodile impaled Robin with his hook, leaving her for dead. That is, until Luffy stubbornly insists that she not give up, thus saving her from an untimely death.

4 Vinsmoke “Black Leg” Sanji

A Chef’s Cherished Dream Left Up to Chance

One of the most well-loved yet controversial Straw Hats ed the crew during the series’ fourth story arc. After meeting a few old friends of Zoro’s, the small pirate crew is directed to the Baratie, a restaurant ship known as the “floating oasis” in the middle of the open ocean. While dining at the restaurant, the crew meets Sanji, whom Luffy attempts to recruit as the Going-Merry’s cook. However, not only does Sanji reject his offer, but a new foe, Don Krieg, sets his sights on the Baratie to replace his devastated fleet, and the restaurant soon comes under siege.

Sanji is quite combative, especially during his time on the Baratie. He turns down Luffy’s offer multiple times. Sanji is also unafraid of Don Krieg’s threats. However, hiding underneath his hostility, Sanji dreams of finding the All-Blue. Finally, Sanji agrees to the Straw Hat crew, thanks to a push from his mentor/lead chef, Zeff. Without Luffy, Sanji not only would never have pursued his dream of seeing the All-Blue, but he most likely would have been killed by Don Kreig and his siege.

3 Nami “Cat Burglar” Bellemere

The Cat Burglar of Conomi Island: A Slave to Saving Her Village

Perhaps the best arc in One Piece history, Arlong Park, is where the crew’s cat-burglar, Nami, makes her way into the story. Also referred to as the Conomi Island arc, Arlong Park follows the story of Nami as she struggles to pay off her debt to Captain Arlong in trade for her village. After discovering that Nami, too, is a part of the Arlong Pirates, Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji assume that she is not who they thought she was. However, they soon realize that her deal with Arlong is much more precarious than they once thought.

Luffy takes no interest in hearing Nami’s backstory, but that doesn’t stop him from understanding that her long-lasting slavery under Arlong needs to come to an end. In one of the most iconic scenes of the anime, the Straw Hats make their way to Arlong’s lair, where they challenge him in Nami’s place. Soon, Luffy and his crew defeat the pirates and help save her village from total collapse. Without Luffy, Nami would have remained a slave forever, or worse, died to Arlong after he took possession of the money she had been saving her entire life.

2 Roronoa Zoro: The Pirate Hunter

Hunger, Helmeppo, and the Hunter

It’s only fitting that Luffy’s second-in-command would his crew so early on in the series. The Romance Dawn arc, the first storyline in One Piece, introduces Monkey D. Luffy, a scruffy teenager determined to become King of the Pirates. During one of his first adventures, Luffy encounters Roronoa Zoro, a masterful swordsman and dangerous criminal known as “the Pirate Hunter.” However, Zoro’s reputation doesn’t scare Luffy in the slightest.

Zoro is taken captive by Captain Morgan’s son, Helmeppo. Luffy watches as a young girl, Rika, tries to offer him food. However, he refuses, stating that if he agrees to not eat for a month, Helmeppo will set him free. Still, Luffy never takes no for an answer and soon helps the pirate hunter escape his fate. While Zoro’s stubbornness and grit may have helped him survive a month without food, it is more likely that Zoro would have died, either from starvation or the betrayal of Helmeppo, should Luffy not have been so persistent.

1 Monkey D. Luffy: The Future King of the Pirates

Luffy’s Legend Would Be Short-Lived Without His Loved Ones

While each of the Straw Hats would be in much different positions without their captain, it is undeniable that Luffy needs his crew just as much as they need him. Luffy is one of, if not the most, powerful beings in the One Piece universe. Thus far, his Devil-Fruit power, the Gomu Gomu Fruit, previously known as the Hito Hito no Mi, has been ed from Nika to Joyboy and, finally, to the captain of the Straw Hat pirates: Monkey D. Luffy.

Luffy’s influence in the One Piece universe is unlike any other protagonist. Starting as a rag-tag teenage pirate wannabe, to a hero with god-like powers, his character arc has shocked fans worldwide, and it isn’t over yet. However, without friends like Zoro, Usopp, Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Jinbe, or Brook, it is hard to imagine where Luffy may have ended up. Fans have humorously speculated that the mystical “One Piece” could be the “friends Luffy made along the way.” While it would be quite disappointing to learn that the One Piece was nothing more than the journey, it offers an interesting perspective on the “side characters” impact on the story.

One Piece has become an icon in Japanese and worldwide entertainment, and, in 2023, became one of Netflix’s most popular shows in a live-action adaptation. The anime series first aired on October 20, 1999, and on June 10, 2024, and it is now celebrating over two decades of popularity in 2024. One Piece is hilarious, engaging, uplifting, and tells meaningful stories unlike any other anime. However, these qualities are not what truly makes the story so beloved by anime fans worldwide. It is the care and attention to detail that Oda has given to his characters that make his masterpiece stand high above the rest. Some protagonists seem to be nothing more than a name, but One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy proves to be so much more as viewers ponder where each Straw Hat might have ended up should he not have come along.