This article contains spoilers for One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.
Summary
- Shanks and Luffy’s reunion in One Piece is inevitable.
- Possible locations for reunion: Elbaf or Lodestar Island.
- Waiting to reintroduce Shanks for a stronger impact on the story.
The relationship between Shanks and Luffy has always been one of the most important driving forces behind the entirety of One Piece. Without Shanks giving Luffy his iconic Straw Hat, Luffy may never have started his adventure as a pirate, and if he did, he would lack the same drive that he currently has. All in all, without the relationship between Luffy and Shanks, there is no One Piece.
Due to the importance placed on the dynamic between Shanks and Luffy, One Piece fans have often wondered when and where these characters will meet again. One of the crucial details surrounding the two Emperors of the One Piece world is that when the two meet again, Luffy will be a great pirate and will return his Staw Hat. However, some fans believe that Luffy still has a while to go before reaching this point, meaning that the reunion between Shanks and Luffy in One Piece may be farther away than most expect.
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Shanks And Luffy Are Bound To Meet Again In One Piece
No One Knows When And Where The Duo Will Meet
During Luffy’s childhood, Shanks was a fairly important figure in the young child’s life. Acting as a mentor figure to Luffy, Shanks was one of the main inspirations for Luffy to become a pirate. Additionally, Luffy accidentally took the Sun God Nika Fruit from Shanks, giving the young pirate his iconic powers. Most importantly, however, Shanks, after betting his arm on Luffy’s potential, gave Luffy his iconic Straw Hat, something that Luffy considers to be his greatest treasure.
To see him now would violate our agreement, right Luffy? – Shanks at Marineford
However, one detail that some fans forget is that when Shanks gave Luffy his iconic Straw Hat in One Piece, he implied that Luffy would return it to him once he became a great pirate. This detail has been frequently mentioned in the story and was even brought up in conversation with Scopper Gaban in a new One Piece chapter. Due to this, it seems likely that Luffy and Shanks will only return the Straw Hat later in the series, arguably after Luffy has become the Pirate King.
Luffy Could See Shanks Again On Elbaf Or Lodestar Island
Both of These Locations Are Relevent For The Story
- Elbaf Could Hold The Reunion But Might Be Too Early
- Lodestar May Be A Stronger Place For Their Reunion
With Shanks’s importance to the plot of Elbaf, with the island being Shanks’s territory and with his twin brother, Shamrock, lurking around the island, it seems likely that Shanks may make an appearance during One Piece’s Elbaf Arc. However, as of now, this may be a bit too early for the reintroduction of his idol. If Luffy were to meet Shanks and return the Straw Hat this soon, well before he achieves his goals, the reunion between the two figures may feel a bit cheap.
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Instead, it seems just as, if not more likely, that Luffy and Shanks may have their reunion after the events of Elbaf, potentially meeting on the important One Piece location, Lodestar Island. This island is the penultimate island of the Grand Line and the culmination of where all the paths through the New World finally meet. Due to this, being the island before One Piece’s Laugh Tale, Lodestar feels like a strong meeting point to set up the final battle of the series. Plus, this would give an ample amount of time to get Luffy to the point where he is willing to return the Straw Hat back to Shanks, completing his journey with the character.
Waiting To Reintroduce Shanks May Be A Stronger Choice For One Piece
Holding Onto The Shamrock Conflict Could Give It Time To Develop
At the same time, just because Shanks’s brother was introduced during the Elbaf Arc doesn’t mean the conflict between Shamrock and Shanks needs to happen now. In fact, it may be a better move for the story to have Shamrock leave the island, letting the other God’s Knights in One Piece engage the Straw Hats and the giants. Instead, saving this major plot line between Shamrock and Shanks for Lodestar, and thus not bringing Shanks back during Elbaf, may be a strong choice for the story.
This hat is my gift to you. – Shanks to Luffy
Still, as of now, it seems if Shanks is going to have his reunion with Luffy in One Piece, it will likely be at either Elbaf or Lodestar. However, with so much development left for Luffy’s character, out of the two potential places, Lodestar may be a stronger choice for the story in general. In the end, after waiting over 25 years, fans will have to wait a little longer until Luffy and Shanks see each other again in One Piece.
One Piece
- Release Date
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October 20, 1999
- Network
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Fuji TV
- Directors
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Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
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Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
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Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
