Eiichiro Oda’sOne Piecemight be one of the greatest gum anime ever to grace the small cover , but it is not without its flaws . While its swaggering action , treasure - search adventures , and iconic plagiarizer archetype render all the element of the " classic pirate tale " that has capture audiences for ages , there are notable issues that can make it intriguing — especially for newbie — to fully immerse themselves in the story .

There are rough-cut problems that plague long - established gum anime franchises , such as trying to wrap one ’s head around their deep and complex lore or image out how to “ catch up ” on a serial publication with over 1,100 episode . as luck would have it , there are ways to whelm these barrier , like consulting fan sites and anime news hubs to help make for you up to upper . However , the main offspring withOne Pieceruns mystifying than that . It strikes at the very core of the story — its supporter . but put , Luffy is just boring .

The Relentless Pursuit of Becoming the Pirate King Makes One Piece A Tedious Narrative

With One Resounding Goal That Never Changes

To elucidate , I ’m not suggesting that Luffy is a bad primary character — he is n’t . However , he lacks profundity and flunk to stand out as a dynamic or compelling protagonist . In other words , he comes across as one - dimensional and uninteresting , peculiarly when compared to other characters inOne Pieceor to protagonists in the broader gum anime landscape . The issue is worsen by Luffy ’s status as the franchise ’s iconic face for over 25 years , making his limitations more obtrusive .

ab initio , Luffy ’s destination of becoming the Pirate Kingwas captivating and provided a steady narrative yarn amidst the serial ' frequent detours . However , his steadfast fixation on this dream decades later suggests that his face-off , travel and experiences have had small impact on his case . His unassailable decision , while admirable , render him imperviable to transformative growth . While this might be acceptable for a petty grapheme , a independent character ’s unfitness to acquire or undergo meaning growing make them stable - and the history - slow .

Ace ’s death sent shockwaves throughout the community and alter the future tense of the series forever .

Ace Key Art from One Piece Wonder Revolution

Luffy ’s lack of growth precipitously contrasts withhis crewmate Nico Robin ’s ontogeny . As the sole survivor of the World Government ’s genocidal secret plan against Ohara , Robin is initially presented as a cold and calculating somebody , weight by cryptical self - doubt . However , after link up the Straw Hat Pirates , specially following the " Enies Lobby Arc , " she learns to trust others and squeeze her own worth . This transformation solidified her theatrical role as a all-important member of the crew , and arguably , positions her as the case-by-case best equipped to assist Luffy in reach his ambition .

This is not to say that Luffy undergo no growth . He does learn to effective control and heighten his Devil Fruit ability , and he clearly becomes a more effected pirate as the series progresses . However , there is small , if any , significant phylogeny in his goals , personality , or worldview . For example , while Luffy experiences vivid despair whenAce dies at Marineford , he is not consume by ire or a desire for revenge . or else , his grief fuel a renewed determination to become stronger , reduce his vulnerabilities , and protect those closemouthed to him . While this reaction is understandable , given how close Luffy and Ace were , the fact that Ace sacrificed himself to save Luffy — it ultimately feel underwhelming .

Luffy Is Such A Good Guy That It’s Bad For The Story

There Are Few If Any Flaws To His Character

The less piquant aspect of Luffy ’s unmarried - mindedness in becoming the Pirate King might have been mitigated if he possessed a more complex or nuanced personality . alternatively , Luffy is present as one of the most solid , straightforward , simple , and uncontroversial character in all gum anime . He ’s a really nice guy who is rarely judgmental and consistently tolerant of mass ’s differences . It was Luffy , after all , who insist that the crewtake on Brook , the nine - foot - grandiloquent skeleton in the cupboard . Luffy thrives on the chill of escapade and the freedom it work . He is also fiercely loyal to his friends and comrades . doubtless , Luffy typify the definition of " a stand - up guy wire . "

While Luffy ’s carefree and optimistic personality make him a lovable companion , mate , or leader , it does n’t translate well to a compelling main persona in a pirate risky venture story or shōnen Zanzibar copal series . His simplistic " protect my supporter , follow my dreams , and have fun " mantra , though endearing , preclude the depth and nuance expect of a protagonist . Traditional pirate tales feature complex characters with multifaceted personality , ponder the moral ambiguities of being both feared and admire . In contrast , Luffy is rarely prompted – by himself or others – to introspect or present the consequence of his natural process .

One Piece is so long that it is bound of have game holes and inconsistencies , but this plot of ground jam involving Sabo and Ace needs answers .

Sabo preparing to discuss the Levely with Dragon and Ivankov

Conversely , anime is filled with protagonists who deal with complex site , moral dilemmas , and interior conflicts . Take , for good example , Tokyo Ghoul ’s Ken Kaneki , who wrestled — almost daily — with his ghoulish indigence to ware human flesh and his human disgust at the idea of eating other the great unwashed . Then there’sChainsaw Man ’s Denji , whose desire for a unspoilt life systematically clashes with order ’s outlook for the Chainsaw Man to “ do the good thing . ” In both cases , the tension experienced by Ken and Denji create their stories more compelling and engaging . But none of that is there with Luffy .

Luffy Lacks the Finesse Of Other Shōnen Protagonists

Still Missing Major Emotional Development

Another unfortunate aspect of Luffy ’s consistent and unproblematic personality is his predictability . disregardless of the position — whether it ’s the loss of his bunch in the " Sabaody Archipelago Arc " or Nami ’s agony in Arlong Park — fans intuitively have a go at it how Luffy will react . He will express sadness , vow to become strong , promise to do well and fight ferociously for his ally and crewmates . Ultimately , he will continue his seeking to achieve his dream , never compromise his core values .

Luffy ’s function as a static , inspirational figure fit well within the world ofOne Piece , but it also means he does n’t undergo the variety of transformative ontogenesis that adds profoundness and dazzle to a quality .

Of course , these are not regretful values to uphold . However , the predictability of Luffy ’s reactions removes any element of surprise , story tension , or aroused impact . As a result , scenes that should be powerfully moving instead feel dusty , formulaic , and unrelatable , making it harder for the audience to link up emotionally at the second they should . It also put forward an unintended question — why ca n’t Luffy evolve like other characters in the tale ?

One Piece - Luffy looking shocked

While Luffy ’s unwavering decision , loyalty , and charisma make him a compelling and iconic type , his lack of substantial development , inner engagement , and nuanced personality can make him feel less piquant compare to other shōnen protagonists . His persona as a static , inspirational chassis fits well within the world ofOne Piece , but it also means he does n’t undergo the variety of transformative maturation that tot up depth and dazzle to a type . As a witness seeking a more intricate and develop main character , I discover Luffy ’s simplistic personality to be quite disappointing , which ultimately has led toOne Piecebeing a rather " meh " experience for me .

Luffy holding up two fists ready to fight in one piece with two of luffy’s gear second poses in the background on either side

Custom Image by Merlyn De Souza

Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates

Luffy in episode 1015

One Piece franchise poster

Anime

One Piece