Straw Hat

Overview

One Piece Volume 1 JPN (Dec 1997)

The Straw Hat is a special item from the manga/anime series One Piece that was written by Eiichiro Oda. The series first began serialization in in Weekly Shōnen Jump on August 4, 1997. It first appeared in One Piece Volume 1 CH. 1 "Romance Dawn", and the anime appearance was in One Piece - Episode 11 "I’m Luffy! The Man Who’s Gonna Be King of the Pirates!".

The Straw Hat that Monkey D. Luffy protects so strongly was first thought to of been originally the property of Red-Haired Shanks, but later chapters suggested that the hat once belongs to Gold Roger.

Characters

Shanks

Monkey D. Luffy

Luffy's Straw Hat was given to him by Red-Hair Shanks. Not as a gift, but for safe keeping. He promised to return it to Shanks after becoming a great pirate. Luffy has always been extremely protective of his hat and rarely lets anyone else so much as touch it. On a number of occasions Luffy has left his hat with Nami, for safe keeping while he went into battle. She's also the person who repairs any damage. The manga canon events are when Luffy went to fight Arlong, in the Mock Town bar brawl with Bellamy, and the fight with Eneru. After Nami started to join into the fights a strap was added, but is seems to appear and disappear. Nami is seen wearing the Straw Hat during some special cover images to chapters, often in pool or beach side settings (Volume 40 CH.379). This can also be seen in the seventh opening to the anime, "Crazy Rainbowstar" by T&T. Luffy has also left the hat with Vivi when on Little Garden. During the Davy Back Fight, Usopp wore the Straw Hat since Luffy was currently wearing a giant afro, and Usopp was Luffy's second.

Nami

After Luffy's fight with Buggy, the hat was severely damaged. It was Nami that repaired it. Often times Luffy has entrusted his treasure to Nami while he went into battle. This became less frequent after Nami became more involved in the fighting. When Luffy was given a Vivre Card from Ace, Luffy asked Nami to sew it into the brim of his hat so he wouldn't lose it.

Nami has also at times been drawn wearing the Straw Hat in certain special images that decorate Splash Pages of the manga. These often include beach settings. If Luffy is seen not wearing the Straw Hat in these pictures. It can normally be seen with Nami. Nami was seen wearing the straw hat in the opening theme for the anime "Crazy Rainbow Star".

Major Story Arcs