The ever-expanding story of One Piece is credited to the genius mangaka behind it all, Eiichiro Oda. Decades passed, but Monkey D. Luffy’s journey to find the elusive One Piece treasure and become King of Pirates is not yet over. However, fans don’t seem to mind because of the intense fights, humor, and relatable characters in One Piece.
It will probably take more years before fans can witness the end of One Piece, with Oda delivering a carefully crafted finale that might answer every question fans have right now. One of which is about the potential romantic relationship among the Straw Hat Pirates, especially whether Oda would make Nami and Luffy canon as a couple or keep their bond strictly as comrades sailing toward the same dream.
Luffy x Nami Is a Popular Ship in One Piece
Fans Call Their Ship LuNami or LuNa
one piece nami looking at luffy
The Luffy x Nami ship has a massive following.
Luffy and Nami have a strong bond.
To this day, fans can’t help but rally behind the Luffy and Nami ship, hoping they will one day hit it off and live happily ever after like most anime and manga couples do in the romance genre. LuNami, or LuNa, as fans love to call their pairing, is one of the most popular ships in the series, standing alongside Luffy and Hancock, Robin and Franky, and even Zoro and Sanji.
The Luffy and Nami ship is often fueled by their countless shared moments of loyalty, trust, and care for one another, especially in times of crisis. Luffy deeply cares for Nami, and vice versa. They have a realistic connection that feels natural to many fans, so it’s no surprise that they have a lot of supporters. That authenticity is what makes their relationship so compelling, making it easy for fans to consider them the most believable pairing.
one piece nami supporting luffy
However, the romance department in One Piece is deliberately downplayed, leaving fans to hype romantic ships like Nami and Luffy through speculation and interpretation every time they get a special moment. Most recently, an official spin-off anime titled One Piece in Love even depicted two students, who share the same names as Luffy and Nami, clearly having feelings for one another, which many fans took as a playful nod to the potential romance between the captain and navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Eiichiro Oda Shuts Down Nami and Luffy Romance
Oda Rejects Romance Among the Straw Hats
one piece nami luffy looking above
Romance has little to no room in One Piece.
Nami sees Luffy’s good qualities, but that’s it.
As much as fans would love to see Nami falling in love with Luffy for real, One Piece has always placed greater focus on their sibling-like bond and dreams rather than their potential romance. The same is true for the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates, with Oda deliberately steering away from romance to ensure that One Piece stays true to its roots as a shounen manga for boys.
In an interview with Shounen Jump, Eiichiro Oda was asked about who among the characters in One Piece Nami likes, and his answer was simple and straightforward. According to Oda, Nami probably sees all the good qualities or aspects of the male characters, including Luffy, but at the end of the day, One Piece is not a romance manga. He even mentioned that there would not be any romance among the Straw Hat Pirates, further reminding fans of his no-romance rule.
Of course, I’m coming with you! I feel responsible.—Nami to Luffy
This isn’t the first time that Oda voiced his lack of interest in the potential of a romantic relationship among the Straw Hat Pirates. In fact, Oda was very firm when he shut down fan expectations of seeing romantic subplots in the One Piece live-action series on Netflix. The second season of the live-action series is on the horizon, but Oda’s stance makes it clear that the focus will most likely remain on the journey of the Straw Hat Pirates and stay faithful to the original themes.
Nami’s True Feelings Toward Luffy
Nami Is Very Comfortable With Luffy
one piece nami and luffy in panic mode
As mentioned above, Oda confirms that Nami sees the good qualities of Luffy and the rest of the male crew members, but her feelings are purely platonic and sibling-like. She doesn’t see any of them in a romantic light right now, but there’s always a chance that Oda will change his mind in the future, especially if he wants to treat fans to an unexpected romantic development near the end of the series.
However, fans should not expect much, considering Oda has always been vocal in his refusal to weave romantic subplots among the members of the Straw Hat Pirates. Whether Nami ends up with Luffy or not, their relationship will always stand as one of the strongest and most genuine connections in One Piece.
