One Piece: Oda Reveals Why Luffy and Nami Will Never Be a Couple

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This article contains spoilers for the One Piece Manga.

One Piece is the most popular manga series of all time, and the expansive world created by its author, Oda, offers something for everyone. Though Oda has been telling this story for nearly 30 years, romance hasn’t been a major focus, particularly for the main characters, the Straw Hat Pirates.

I’ve noticed fans love to imagine different relationships between characters, and Luffy and Nami are a particularly popular pairing. While a lot of people would be thrilled to see them become a couple in the final part of the story, it seems pretty unlikely. Back in 2009, the author, Oda, made it clear that there wouldn’t be any romantic relationships within the Straw Hat crew. And just recently, he reinforced that idea by specifically requesting that the live-action adaptation not include any romance between the Straw Hats either.

Luffy And Nami Will Never Be A Couple As Oda Is Against Straw Hat Romance

Image by Toei Animation

Even though romance isn’t a big focus for the crew in One Piece, fans still have a lot of favorite couples they’d like to see together. When it comes to Luffy, the two most popular ‘ships’ are Luffy with Nami and Luffy with Boa Hancock. However, a relationship between Luffy and Nami seems very unlikely to ever happen in the story.

During a fan Q&A at Jump Festa in 2009, Eiichiro Oda addressed Nami’s potential love interests. He stated firmly that there would be no romantic relationships developing among the Straw Hat crew. Oda views One Piece as a shonen manga—aimed at young boys—and therefore doesn’t prioritize romance, especially not between his main characters.

Q: Who does Nami like?

When it comes to romance, I don’t think you’ll see any developing within the Straw Hat crew. Nami might appreciate their good qualities, but One Piece isn’t really focused on romance. I suspect a lot of female fans ask about this, but the guys just aren’t interested. It’s a shonen manga—aimed at a male audience—so romance isn’t a major part of the story.

Oda Doubled Down On His No Romance Rule With The One Piece Live Action

Image by Toei Animation

Although Eiichiro Oda said in 2009 that he doesn’t want to focus on romantic relationships within the Straw Hat crew, some fans believe his views may have evolved over the past 16 years. They suggest that Oda could have changed his mind since then.

I was so thrilled with how faithfully the One Piece Live Action adapted the manga, and it really highlighted something Eiichiro Oda has been firm about for years! He absolutely insisted to Netflix that there be no romantic relationships developing within the Straw Hat crew. It’s amazing – even after over a decade of talking about it, he hasn’t budged at all! It’s clear he’s incredibly passionate about keeping the focus of the Straw Hats on their adventures and their bond as found family, and I totally respect that vision.

Don’t you dare make my navigator cry! — Luffy in Arlong Park

One Piece Has Some Good Romance Stories

Although romance isn’t a central focus in Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, and he avoids it among the core characters, it’s still present in the story. Throughout the series’ long run, we’ve seen several couples develop, even as recently as the Elbaf flashback arc.

God Valley highlights several romantic relationships from the past. We see Rayleigh, a member of Roger’s crew, saving Shakky, who would later become his partner. The story also features the popular couple Eris and Rocks D. Xebec, and the sweet connection between King Harald and Ida.

Eiichiro Oda has introduced several potential romantic relationships for the Straw Hat Pirates, beyond just Luffy and Hancock. We can expect significant development between Sanji and Pudding in the upcoming Final Saga, and there’s a possibility that Usopp and Kaya could become a couple as the story concludes.

The newest chapter of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, Chapter 1167, will be available in this week’s Weekly Shonen Jump. It officially releases on December 1, 2025. In Japan, it will be released at midnight on Monday, which translates to 11:00 AM Eastern Time and 8:00 AM Pacific Time. Fans can read the chapter online for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump app.

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2025-11-27 15:34