Monkey D. Luffy

Monkey D. Luffy (/ˈluːfi/ LOO-fee) (Japanese: モンキー・D・ルフィ, Hepburn: Monkī Dī Rufi; [ɾɯꜜɸiː]), also known as "Straw Hat" Luffy, is a fictional character and the protagonist in the Japanese manga series One Piece created by Eiichiro Oda. Luffy made his debut as a young boy who acquires the properties of rubber after accidentally eating one of the Devil Fruits.

Monkey D. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and dreamt of being a pirate since childhood from the influence of his idol and mentor Red-Haired Shanks. At the age of 17, Luffy sets sail from the East Blue Sea to the Grand Line in search of the legendary treasure One Piece, to succeed Gol D. Roger as "King of the Pirates". He fights multiple antagonists, and aids and befriends the inhabitants of several islands on his journey. Usually cheerful, he becomes serious and even aggressive when he fights. Luffy uses his rubber body to concentrate his power, executing a range of attacks. In his signature attack, the Gum-Gum Pistol, he slingshots punches at opponents from a distance. Luffy also grows stronger over the course of the story by transforming his body through different "Gears"; this is reflected in his bounty, which is used to measure the threat he poses to the World Government, which forbids piracy. Luffy clashes with the three kinds of great powers in One Piece: the World Government's Marines and its allied privateers known as the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the most influential pirate captains known as the Four Emperors.

Luffy is the grandson of vice-admiral Monkey D. Garp of the Marines, the son of Revolutionary Army leader Monkey D. Dragon, and sworn brother to Portgas D. Ace and Sabo. During the course of Luffy's journey, he makes many friends and recruits to his crew the swordsman Roronoa Zoro, navigator Nami, sniper Usopp, chef Sanji, doctor Tony Tony Chopper, archaeologist Nico Robin, shipwright Franky, musician Brook, and helmsman Jimbei, who was once one of the Seven Warlords. Luffy's rise alters the balance of power between great powers on the Blue Planet. After two years, Luffy gains a grand fleet of over 5,600 pirates, becomes an Emperor of the Sea, then puts Fish-Man Island and the Wano Country under his protection. Luffy is currently one of the three most powerful pirate captains alongside his mentor Shanks and his rival Blackbeard.

Luffy appears in most episodes, films, television specials, and OVAs of the manga's anime adaptations, as well as in several of the franchise's video games. Due to the series' international popularity, Luffy is one of the world's most recognizable manga and anime characters. Beyond the One Piece franchise, the character also appears in various manga, anime series, and collaborative video games. His critical reception has been largely positive, with him placing first in every popularity poll.