One Piece has been to so many islands it’s hard to remember where it all started for Luffy. So, what went into making this rubber boy? How did he become a carefree, lovable buffoon he is today? More importantly, who raised Luffy to make him this chaotic?
This will be just a brief history of Monkey D Luffy’s childhood, but check out this comprehensive guide to Luffy’s younger days, including his family history, brothers, and heroes.
When Garp Raised Luffy
Luffy doesn’t know his father, and it’s still a mystery as to where his mother is. Dragon obviously isn’t a great father, but Garp was there to pick up where he couldn’t. Which, if Garp raised Dragon anything like he raised Luffy, it’s understandable why he thought leaving was better. Garp beat the lessons he wanted Luffy to learn into him. Violently. It’s good to note that Garp also stepped out for long periods thanks to Navy work. Luffy raised himself then, and when Luffy is left alone, trouble usually happens.
That’s when Luffy ended up friends with Shanks’ crew and subsequently ate the Gum-Gum Fruit they recently stole from the World Government. Of course, Garp was angry when he found out, and decided that if he couldn’t beat the lessons into Luffy, then Luffy would get beat somewhere else. He dropped the poor kid off with Dadan, a bandit Garp had let free with a warning sometime before.
Life with Dadan
Dadan and her little crew were rough-and-tumble bandits that made their money the honest way- selling stolen goods. Luffy works as a chore boy alongside Ace, and they end up more as servants to Dadan. Ace, coincidentally, was already stashed at Dadan’s to hide by Garp thanks to his father. Eventually, Luffy would end up on chore duty by himself as Ace disappeared every day through the woods.
Luffy would always try to follow but never quite keep up, and frequently barely survive rough situations. It’s no wonder where his resilience came from because eventually, he followed Ace all the way into the Scrap Heap. He formed a brothers bond with Ace and Sabo after some time
King of the Pirates
The most influential part of Luffy’s life was his time with Shanks and the crew. It didn’t just give him his infamous Straw Hat, Gum-Gum Fruit abilities, and promise to find Shanks. It also showed him what a pirate truly is. Shanks was the first to show him that pirates aren’t just there to loot and pillage whoever they find. They’re there to bring freedom and help those that need it.
Not that Luffy knows it, but the same Straw Hat he wears from Shanks was a gift to him in kind by Gold Roger. Shanks was an apprentice to Roger and passes on that same will with the hat. This is the same spirit that kept him going as a child and will bring him further into the New World.
That’s the basics of Monkey D Luffy’s childhood in One Piece, but there’s plenty more to learn about the Captain. He’s more than just a rubber man, and there are in-depth explanations about the various aspects of the childhood of Monkey D Luffy. So, check out the links, and learn more about what goes into the journey to Pirate King!
