Monkey D. Luffy: King of the Latinx

 Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hats, is not only going to become the King of the Pirates but he is the King of the Latinx in Japanese media. While the world of One Piece is set in a fictional place, Oda Eiichiro has stated in a trivia section for the one of the volumes of One Piece that Luffy would be from Brazil in real life. Calling Luffy Latino might be a stretch to some, but it's enough for the community to claim him. We gotta take what we can get as Japanese media does not seem to feature many Latinx characters. Regardless, I decided to make this ode to Luffy because what better time to gas him than during Hispanic Heritage Month when I also get to be special.

There are many things to really like about Luffy throughout the series as his simpleness allows him to be extremely genuine to others. A person like Luffy can walk up to Trafalgar Law who is very stern and serious in demeanor and be like, "Sup Traffy." A thing like this will ultimately annoy Law, yet Luffy doesn't care. He treats everyone in a friendly manner that is deserving of it. One of my favorite moments of this payoff is when Fujitora, a Navy Admiral, wishes that he could have seen Luffy's face, as he is fully blind, because of the selflessness he possessed during the liberation of Dressrosa. This moment showcasing Luffy's impact on enemies that are supposed to be either arresting or killing him really emphasizes that his treatment and actions really make people not only see him as this tour de force but one that changes things in a positive manner for the most part. Through these raging storms of change comes one of my favorite aspects connected to Luffy. 

This aspect is not always in an arc of One Piece, however for many of the large climactic fights involving Luffy we get to see the spectacle. That is the announcement of the winner, STRAW HAT LUFFY! As this might not be as noticeable in the manga. The anime puts these moments on full blast to be appreciated by the viewer as if the winner of the world title in a boxing or wrestling match is announced. The fanfare of it all gives me goosebumps everytime I go back and watch clips of Luffy taking down his foes. It makes me feel like I am there with Luffy, getting to see his exhausted body with no gas left in the tank yet still cheesing from ear to ear. I just remember how great it felt during Enies Lobby to hear random marine declare that, "Straw Hat Luffy has defeated Rob Lucci of CP9!" The looks on the Straw Hats and Robin especially made it feel so real and the spectacle was just amazing. This happening in Dressrosa with Gatz announcing, "LUUUUUUCCCCCYYY!" Or Brulee screaming about how the undefeated Katakuri had finally lost. Those moments are always special and they are what make watching Luffy feel that much more refreshing.

One Piece's fascist punching main character has a lot going on about him that makes him so likeable. Even though I only covered a small amount of what showcases Luffy as the King of the Latinx. These are the things that bring me genuine happiness when Luffy is not making a fool of himself or disrupting corrupt government systems. To celebrate a character like this in a widely mainstream series is special. Who knows, maybe another series will come around with a prominent Latinx main character that can reach similar heights. I'm not going to hold my breath, but I can hope. If you haven't checked out One Piece or if Luffy don't jive with you, please give this goofy rubber boy a chance. Luffy has earned his spot at the top and I just want him to go even higher than before.