One Piece fans underestimate Nami and Luffy's bond, and the franchise's first canon film proves it

One Piece fans have always known that Luffy has a strong bond with his crew but his connection with Nami might be one of the most unique in the entire series. There have been a lot of people shipping these two characters for years. Even though the series has never truly gone in that direction, there are elements that prove their connection is special and the film, Strong World, addresses that.

While the story in that film has a bit of a cliché trope by having Nami kidnapped, One Piece subverts that trope by having her free herself on her own, although it does show how much Luffy cares for her. It also serves as a way to highlight how much Nami is concerned about Luffy, which is something that goes back to the early days of the Arlong Park arc of the series and connects them to this very day.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

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Explaining the connection between Luffy and Nami through the first canon One Piece film, Strong World

The bulk of the film focuses on how Nami has been kidnapped and Luffy trying to rescue her, with the former often thinking of him when wanting to be saved. Moreover, this film also shows how much Luffy knows that Nami relies on him and is willing to cast everything aside to be there for her. This is depicted through a moment near the end of the story when they are flying together.

There is a sequence when Nami finds out that the East Blue is in great danger and the first person she thinks of is Luffy, which makes a lot of sense because he made a huge difference in her life. He was the one who helped her break free from Arlong's oppression and have a life of her own, which is shown through her loyalty to him in the majority of the series.

There is another moment at the end of the movie where Sanji says that Nami's message to the crew could be interpreted as "romantic", much to her embarrassment. And while this is left for interpretation to the audience, it is worth pointing out that this film was written by author Eiichiro Oda, so it seems the mangaka wants to have that room for romance between the two of them.

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The relationship between Luffy and Nami

Nami and Luffy have a very strong connection (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Regardless of the possibility of a romance between Luffy and Nami, there is no denying that they have one of the strongest bonds in the series. The duo met each other from the very beginning, and while Zoro was the first one to join Luffy's crew officially, Nami appeared in the series since the first chapter and has been a consistent presence in the story.

Moreover, once Luffy destroys Arlong's empire in Nami's hometown, the latter's loyalty to the protagonist has been absolute. She has also been the voice of reason and another source of leadership when things have gotten difficult for the Straw Hats, even if she doesn't have the physical strength of Luffy, Zoro, or Sanji.

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Final thoughts

The One Piece film, Strong World, serves as a very strong possibility that something romantic could happen between Nami and Luffy. But above everything, it shows how much trust and care they have for each other, making it one of the most enduring connections in the entire series.

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