Characters Who Gained Luffy’s Respect

Summary

• Luffy pushes characters to grow and prove themselves, earning his respect.
• Luffy respects those who show courage, determination, and fight for their beliefs.
• Even enemies like Katakuri or Whitebeard can gain Luffy’s respect through their actions.

If there’s one thing Monkey D. Luffy hates, aside from Blackbeard and the World Government, it’s people who don’t believe in themselves. At numerous points throughout the story of One Piece, Luffy has encountered quite a number of characters who he seems less than fond of, but who eventually come to earn his respect after they show him what they’re capable of.

Considering how positive and happy-go-lucky Luffy is though, it means he will usually be the one to give these characters the push they need to become the best version of themselves, which, in turn, makes them a pretty reliable and respectable ally in Luffy’s book. Though Luffy may have been a little dismissive and even rude to these characters to begin with, his opinion on them begins to change once they put themselves out there and fight past their worries and fears, or if they manage to put up a worthy fight.

8

Shirahoshi

Shirahoshi Went From Crybaby To Brave Princess After Encountering Luffy

• First Appearance: Episode 531

It’s not long after Luffy lands on Fishman Island that he runs into Shirahoshi, a mermaid princess who has a bad habit of crying her eyes out any time she gets even a little startled. As someone who was once a crybaby himself, but eventually grew out of it, Luffy is initially pretty rude to Shirahoshi, and even calls her a coward a few times, which highlights just how little of a filter Luffy truly has when speaking his mind.

However, after Luffy and the gang save Fishman Island from the malicious Hody Jones, Shirahoshi begins to come out of her shell, which causes Luffy to see her in a much different light. The fact Shirahoshi even managed to pluck up the courage to attend the Reverie is a respectable act considering the state the princess was in when Luffy first met het.

7

Katakuri

One Of The Rare Times Luffy Shows Respect For His Enemy

• First Appearance: Episode 825

For much of the series, Luffy’s main enemy for each arc will be a morally corrupt individual who has committed more than enough heinous acts to deserve a beatdown, but Katakuri is a little different. All this Mochi-based fighter wants to do is protect his family, while also hiding his obsession with eating in the process, which is why, when he and Luffy collide, there’s more respect shared between the two than there is in most of Luffy’s fights.

By the very end of the battle, Luffy shows his newfound respect for the fan-favorite villain by placing a hat over Katakuri’s mouth, ensuring his secret isn’t exposed to the entire family. Katakuri may have been viewed as nothing more than a roadblock at first, but throughout the fight, Luffy learns to acknowledge Katakuri’s reason for fighting, which is very similar to his own.

6

Koby

Koby Would Eventually Earn Luffy’s Good Graces After Rising Up The Marine Ranks

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Despite Koby joining the Marines, making him a sworn enemy of all pirates, this leads to Luffy being proud of him, rather than seeing him as some kind of villain. This is because, when the two first met all the way back at the beginning of the story, Koby was a timid and shy young man who possessed barely any confidence in his own abilities.

Needless to say, Luffy would mock him quite a bit for being so down on himself, so when the Straw Hat captain heard that Koby had been rising steadily up the Marine ranks, he began to respect the amount of effort his old friend had been dedicating to his new profession. Despite the two knowing they will probably end up fighting one day, Luffy still holds a lot of admiration and respect for his longtime pal.

5

Bellamy

Bellamy’s Dedication To Turning His Life Around Earns Him A Lot Of Admiration

• First Appearance: Episode 146

Bellamy goes through a pretty hellish ordeal throughout the One Piece story. After being humiliated in front of his entire crew upon being taken out with a single punch from Luffy, he then decides to join up with Doflamingo’s gang. Despite being adamantly loyal to the dangerous Shichibukai, Doflamingo cares little for Bellamy and even tries to have him killed on numerous occasions.

While Bellamy is forced to fight against Luffy, even though he doesn’t want to, once the battle in Dressosa is finally over, he does earn a little bit of respect from the captain. Bellamy decides to quit piracy altogether, and considering all that he has been through, it causes Luffy to view him as more of a friend who at least tried all he could to make his dream of becoming a worthy pirate a reality.

4

Pekoms

Big Mom’s Right-Hand Man Sacrifices Himself For The Sake Of Luffy And The Straw Hats

• First Appearance: Episode 570

The first time Pekoms appears in the series is right at the end of Fishman Island, where he mocks Luffy for stealing Big Mom’s sweets, and warns him of the consequences of hogging a Yonko’s precious food for himself. As a result, Pekoms actually appears as a villain initially, who Luffy, understandably so, isn’t a big fan of.

After learning of how Luffy and the Straw Hats helped out Zou, Pekoms’ home, the Mink begins warming up to the pirates, before eventually putting his own life on the line to save Sanji near the end of the Whole Cake Island arc. Choosing to betray his master to help those who should be his enemies resulted in Luffy coming to form a friendship with Pekoms, though whether he will show up again in the future is unclear.

3

Whitebeard

Whitebeard Would Be Held In High Regard By Luffy After His Attempts To Save Ace From Being Executed

• First Appearance: Episode 485

During the chaotic Marineford War, the only thing on Luffy’s mind was reaching his brother, Ace, who had been put up for public execution by the World Government. As a result, he’s pretty dismissive towards Whitebeard and tells him that he is going to be the one to save Ace, no matter who tries to get in his way. Clearly, Luffy had no idea who this guy was, or even that he was there to rescue Ace, but this is something he soon comes to realize as the war progresses.

Whitebeard, and many of his crew members, lay down their own lives to try and save Ace, but it’s only after the bloodshed that Luffy acknowledges this. It’s made clear after the war that Luffy wishes he could have told Whitebeard how much admiration he held for him due to his actions at Marineford, so it’s heartbreaking that he will never get the chance to do so.

2

Momonosuke

Luffy Convinces Momo To Stand Up For What He Believes In Like A True Shogun

• First Appearance: Episode 611

The future shogun of Wano, Momonosuke, is treated fairly harshly by Luffy when the two first meet in Punk Hazard. When Momo finally reveals that he is expected to be Wano Kuni’s future leader, Luffy berates him numerous times for acting weak, especially when he decides to hide his true feelings due to his fear of Kaido and Orochi.

Over the course of a few arcs, though, Momonosuke not only stands up for his beliefs but also becomes an invaluable ally during the Raid on Onigashima. As a result, the snot-nosed brat would grow up to become a fearsome warrior, which is something Luffy clearly noticed as he commends Momo at the end of Wano, even referring to him as a little brother.

1

Vivi

Vivi Steps Up As The Leader Of Her People During The Mission To Liberate Alabasta

• First Appearance: Episode 62

Though Luffy and the Straw Hats agree to help Vivi save her kingdom from the clutches of Crocodile, it takes a little while before Luffy comes to see Vivi as a true leader. During the group’s mission into the sandy dunes of Alabasta, Vivi lashes out at Luffy, stating that she doesn’t want to see anyone die during the conflict. Luffy, in a shocking moment, punches Vivi in the face and tells her that, in war, death is simply inevitable, and that she needs to accept that fact if she wants any hope of reclaiming her country.

Over the course of the arc, Vivi begins stepping up and assuming the responsibility of being the leader of her country, which leaves a lasting impression on Luffy. Luffy’s confidence in her may have been questionable to begin with, but he finds a newfound respect for Vivi once she realizes what needs to be done.