Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of the popular anime and manga series One Piece, is easily recognized by his signature straw hat. This hat originally belonged to Luffy’s idol, the pirate Red-Haired Shanks, who gave it to Luffy when he was a child to symbolize a promise between them.
Over the course of the One Piece story, Luffy’s treasured straw hat has become an iconic part of his appearance as a pirate and future King of the Pirates. However, Luffy is not the only one to have worn this symbolic hat throughout the series. On a few memorable occasions, other characters have temporarily come into possession of Luffy’s hat and donned it themselves.
Nami
One of the first times we see someone else wear Luffy’s hat is when navigator Nami briefly wears it at the end of the Arlong Park Arc. After Luffy defeats Arlong and frees Nami’s village, he places his hat on her head as a comforting gesture while she cries tears of joy. This moment signifies Nami officially joining Luffy’s crew and becoming his friend and nakama after he selflessly fought to free her from Arlong’s tyranny. It’s a brief but heartwarming scene that shows how much Luffy trusts his crewmates.
Usopp
During the Drum Island Arc, there is a notable scene where sniper Usopp wears Luffy’s hat while impersonating him. After Luffy gets lost from the group during a snowstorm, Usopp uses Luffy’s hat and imitates his voice to try to command respect from Dr. Kureha and get her to treat Nami’s illness. Of course, Dr. Kureha sees right through Usopp’s deception, but it shows Usopp’s quick thinking and loyalty to his captain as he tries to take charge in Luffy’s absence.
Sanji
Cook Sanji also wore Luffy’s hat briefly in Movie 2 as part of a disguise to infiltrate a Marine base and rescue Luffy and others who had been captured. Even though this moment was non-canon, it showed that Luffy trusted Sanji enough to lend him his precious hat to aid in the rescue mission. The hat helped conceal Sanji’s identity as he stealthily gathered intel on where the prisoners were being held before the rest of the Straw Hats launched an all-out attack.
Going Merry
One of the most touching examples of another character wearing Luffy’s hat comes from the end of the Enies Lobby Arc. After the Going Merry saves the crew one last time before breaking apart for good, Luffy leaves his hat on the mast of the sinking ship as a way to honor and commemorate their lost nakama. It’s an emotional goodbye to the ship that sailed with them all the way from the East Blue, and leaving the hat shows how much Luffy associated the Merry with being a part of his crew.
Brook
During the Punk Hazard Arc, musician Brook wears Luffy’s hat for comedic effect as part of his gag of asking to see women’s panties. At one point, Brook sneaks away from the group and puts on Luffy’s hat as he asks Nami and Robin to show him their panties. Of course, they harshly refuse, but Brook’s antics show that he feels comfortable enough around Luffy to momentarily borrow such an important item for a joke.
Koby
In a filler scene from Episode of Luffy, Koby is seen accidentally wearing Luffy’s straw hat backwards while aboard a Marine ship. He seems confused about how the hat ended up on his head, possibly suggesting it simply fell onto him by chance. Nonetheless, it illustrates that even an upstanding Marine like Koby can’t help looking up to his friend Luffy in some ways, despite being on opposing sides of piracy.
Momonosuke
During the Dressrosa Arc, young Wano native Momonosuke ends up wearing Luffy’s hat a couple times. Once he wears it while sneakily grabbing food from the Sunny’s kitchen, showing his growing comfort with the Straw Hats. Later on, he proudly wears the hat while cheering for Luffy in the Corrida Colosseum, viewing him as a heroic big brother figure. Despite only recently meeting the crew, Momonosuke clearly respects Luffy a great deal and wants to emulate him.
Ninjin
In a non-canon scene, stir-fry loving pirate captain Ninjin of the Straw Hat’s Eleven is shown wearing Luffy’s signature hat as part of his cosplay of Luffy. Since Ninjin is a big fan who strives to imitate Luffy, he views wearing the iconic straw hat as an essential part of completing his admiring costume.
Why Does Luffy Let Others Wear His Hat?
Luffy’s straw hat is his most treasured possession, so why does he allow other members of his crew and certain characters to wear it, if only temporarily? There are a few possible reasons for this show of trust.
To Comfort Friends
As seen with Nami during the Arlong Park Arc, Luffy is willing to lend his hat when it can comfort his friends who are dealing with strong emotions. By letting them wear the hat even briefly, it’s like he’s extending the promise of friendship and support the hat represents for him. He puts their feelings first in these moments.
To Honor Allies
When Luffy left his hat on the Going Merry, it demonstrated his desire to pay respects to an important crewmate and memorialize their journey together. Letting his hat “represent” the Merry one last time was a meaningful symbol of honouring their nakama bond.
To Show Trust
Luffy clearly doesn’t let just anyone wear his treasured hat on a whim. But when he does lend it to certain crewmates or allies, it signifies how much faith he has in their intentions and loyalty. The fact that he’s willing to temporarily part with something so important shows his trust.
His Carefree Nature
Since Luffy has such a carefree, generous personality, he may lend out his hat in a spontaneous act of friendship or fun without thinking too deeply about it. His willingness to let others borrow it reflects his natural social charm and recklessness rather than overthinking things.
To Inspire Others
Seeing his hat on friends like Momonosuke encourages them and makes them want to emulate him as a future “King of the Pirates.” Luffy may lend it out to motivate that adventurous spirit in fellow dreamers.
The Meaning of Luffy’s Hat
So why exactly does Luffy’s simple straw hat hold so much significance to him? It may seem like an odd choice for pirate to treasure, but the hat represents a few powerful ideals for Luffy:
His Promise to Shanks
The core meaning of the hat is the promise Luffy made to Shanks years ago as a child. He vowed to one day become an even greater pirate than Shanks and return the hat once he had achieved that dream. Wearing the hat reminds Luffy of working towards that ultimate goal.
Following His Dreams
On a related note, Luffy’s hat embodies his ambitious dream of freedom and adventure as a pirate. Like Shanks, he wants to sail the seas freely and have exciting adventures with his crew. The hat ties back to this core dream that drives him.
His Happy Memories
On a more emotional level, Luffy associates the hat with the happy memories of growing up with Shanks and his fun-loving crew. It reminds him of the good times from his childhood that shaped his spirit for adventure and piracy.
His Special Bond with Shanks
The shared history with Shanks is key. The hat represents the faith Shanks showed in Luffy’s potential as well as the deep friendship they forged over time. Luffy treasures that special bond more than anything.
A Symbol of Friendship
Not only does it symbolize his bond with Shanks, but Luffy now connects it to the friendship and trust he shares with his own crewmates as their captain. Letting them wear it shows they’re like family.
Scenes of Others Wearing Luffy’s Hat
Throughout One Piece’s story, there have been some memorable scenes and images of other characters temporarily wearing Luffy’s iconic straw hat:
Nami’s Tears of Joy
A fan-favorite moment is Nami crying happy tears while wearing Luffy’s hat when he defeats Arlong and liberates her village. It’s an emotional celebration of their friendship.
Usopp’s Deception
Usopp comically impersonating Luffy by donning his hat and demanding Dr. Kureha heal Nami shows his quick-thinking nature.
Sanji’s Disguise
Sanji disguising himself with Luffy’s hat in Movie 2 illustrates the trust Luffy has in him to rescue their imprisoned crew.
Merry’s Final Honor
Leaving his treasured hat on the Merry’s mast as it sinks is a sad but meaningful way to honor their lost nakama.
Brook’s Antics
Brook asking to see Nami and Robin’s panties while sneakily wearing Luffy’s hat is an amusing yet telling show of his comfort with the crew.
Momonosuke’s Admiration
Young Momonosuke wearing the hat highlights how he looks up to Luffy’s bold spirit and aspirations.
Koby’s Coincidence
Koby accidentally ending up with Luffy’s hat on shows that even a Marine can’t help admiring his free-spirited friend at times.
The Future of the Straw Hat
While Luffy has occasionally let others wear his straw hat, he always returns to wearing it himself in the end. It remains an iconic part of his image that symbolizes his journey to become King of the Pirates. What does the future hold for this symbolic hat?
Luffy’s Eventual Success
If Luffy achieves his goal of finding One Piece and becoming King of the Pirates, he’ll likely finally return the hat to Shanks as promised. This would be a meaningful way to conclude their original promise.
Passing It On Again
Perhaps once Luffy returns the hat, Shanks will even pass the torch by letting Luffy give the straw hat to another promising young pirate. This would continue the cycle of mentorship the hat represents.
Preserved as a Legendary Symbol
The Straw Hat itself may end up preserved for posterity once Luffy completes his journey, remembered as an iconic part of the mythology surrounding the great Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy.
Lost to Time
Of course, stories don’t always have happy endings. The straw hat could potentially meet a tragic demise at some point near the manga’s conclusion if Luffy suffers defeat.
A New Straw Hat
Even if the original hat is lost, it’s possible Luffy may find a new straw hat that looks identical but continues carrying on the symbolic spirit of the original hat. This would allow its legacy to live on.
Conclusion
Monkey D. Luffy’s iconic straw hat has a meaningful history tracing back to his idol Shanks that explains why Luffy treasures it so much. Letting others wear the hat occasionally demonstrates Luffy’s carefree trust in his friends and crewmates. And while he always takes his hat back, these moments highlight how Luffy values friendship above all else. The straw hat will likely play an important symbolic role in Luffy’s story all the way through accomplishing his dream of becoming King of the Pirates.