One Piece and Pokémon fandoms agree that Luffy x Infernape fanart “looks official”

Fans of One Piece and Pokémon are uniting over an impressive crossover fan art featuring Luffy and Infernape as they pose in a battle-ready stance together. Both characters are side by side, surrounded by fire, with their fists primed and ready to punch. The impressive composition and familiar linework style bring the well-paired duo to life.

The artwork, which has been making its rounds on X, has shocked fans with how “official” it looks, with some fans even hoping it gets acknowledged as canon. It might be fair to see why considering the artist, who goes by "Walk", has perfected crafting crossover illustrations of nostalgic characters from anime and manga.

---

One Piece and Pokémon crossover fanart takes over X

The discussion began when the artist, @DWalkn, posted a stunning illustration of Luffy alongside Infernape on X, formerly known as Twitter on March 11. The piece captured both characters’ fiery fighting spirit (quite literally), seeming ready to throw hands at whoever decides to face them.

The post quickly gained traction, with fans from both communities flocking over and agreeing that the pairing makes a lot of sense. Many X users were so impressed by the almost indistinguishable art style and colors that they couldn’t help but marvel at how “official” the illustration looked.

---

Why Luffy and Infernape are a pretty good match?

Luffy and Infernape both share quite a few traits in common. (Image via Toei Animation & OLM Studios)

The inspiration for this illustration is fairly evident, considering the similarities between the characters. Infernape’s Blaze ability, which allows it to unleash its full power when pushed to the limit, mirrors Luffy’s Gears, which enhance his speed and power when put in a challenging spot.

Luffy’s Red Hawk attack, which he seems to be using in the fanart, resembles Fire Punch, a move Infernape can use. Their fighting styles are fast and high-risk, with Luffy facing stamina depletion and Infernape suffering from recoil damage.

Apart from their similar fighting styles, fans have drawn further comparisons between the two in their shared inspiration from Sun Wukong, the mythical Monkey King.

They overcome personal hardships, coming out on top through sheer grit and determination. This is made clear with Infernape breaking free from Paul’s shackles as a Chimchar in the Pokémon anime and Luffy resolving himself to become Pirate King after almost being killed by a Sea King as a child in One Piece.

---

Fandom reactions: “This just feels natural”

The crossover artwork by @DWalkn, as well as its flawless execution, have sparked a wave of enthusiasm and support. Fans are praising the seamless blending of the One Piece and Pokémon universes. Many have expressed that this pairing and art style works so well that it might as well be considered official.

“Need this on a trading card STAT,” says X user @krystalshanelle.

“My 2 goats, I always call my chimchar Luffy in any playthrough where he’s available,” @BirBoiEagle comments.

“this is so peak imagine it being a sticker,” tweeted @gabe0wo.

“This just feels natural, Y’know?,” writes @TBon456.

---

Final thoughts

Luffy in his Gear 4 'Snakeman' form and Infernape controlling his Blaze ability (Image via Toei Animation & OLM Studios)

With One Piece and Pokémon being two of the biggest franchises in anime history, it’s no wonder fanart like this brings both communities together. Whether an official collaboration that features Luffy and Infernape is to come out in the future remains uncertain. However, they do seem like the perfect duo in the eyes of fans, especially when incredibly well-drawn fan art like this helps envision the idea into reality.

---