One Piece: Eiichiro Oda Quietly Hints At The Last Straw Hat’s Identity

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After the Wano Country arc ended, One Piece began its final saga, marking the start of the story’s last chapter. Creator Eiichiro Oda is now concentrating on the core characters – the Straw Hat Pirates. However, the crew isn’t complete yet. Hints from Oda and Luffy’s original ambitions suggest one more member will be joining them on their adventure.

Fans are excited to finally see the last member of the Straw Hat crew revealed, and the author, Oda, plans to make that announcement during the Elbaf arc. While many fans currently predict Loki will join, Oda has subtly hinted that a princess from a currently unnamed kingdom will actually be the one to complete Luffy’s crew.

Why There Needs To Be One More Straw Hat

Luffy Wanted At Least 10 Pirates Under Him

First, we need to consider why the story might introduce another member to the Straw Hat crew. While it’s not strictly necessary for the final arc, the author, Oda, often follows a pattern of adding new characters at key points in the story, so it’s a possibility.

The need for another crew member to join the Straw Hats in the final part of One Piece stems from the very beginning of Luffy’s adventure. Right after setting sail, Luffy started thinking about how many people he wanted on his crew, and he decided he needed at least ten more. This suggests that multiple new members could join before the story ends, but at the very least, one more is necessary to fulfill Luffy’s original goal of a ten-person crew.

Oda has created a pattern suggesting the Straw Hat Pirates will gain another member. Both the Blackbeard Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates each have ten commanders serving under their captain. To create a balanced final conflict, the Straw Hats likely need to expand their crew to at least ten members as well, and this new addition is expected to happen during the Elbaf Arc. Therefore, Luffy will almost certainly recruit someone new to join the crew, and there are several potential candidates.

Who Will Join The Straw Hat Pirates As The Last Member?

Princess Shuri Could Be The Last Member Of The Straw Hat Pirates

For years, the creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, has hinted at various characters potentially becoming the final member of the Straw Hat Pirates after the time skip. Characters like Yamato and Bonney were presented as possibilities, but it now seems those ideas won’t come to fruition. Currently, Loki, introduced during the Elbaf arc, is a strong contender, as Luffy himself wants him to join. However, many fans are also hoping for Vivi, a former crew member, to return, as she currently has no established place. While fans would be thrilled to see her rejoin Luffy’s journey to find the One Piece, the current story doesn’t allow for it. Therefore, Oda has indicated that Princess Shuri will be the one to join the crew in Elbaf.

Why Princess Shuri Will Be The Last Straw Hat

The Main Princess Of Elbaf With Nowhere To Go

Princess Shuri used to be royalty in a kingdom, probably somewhere in the West Blue. She first appeared in the Elbaf arc as one of the Celestial Dragons, known as Gunko. It’s clear that Shuri has a strong and long-standing connection to Soul King Brook from the Straw Hat Pirates – a connection that goes back over 50 years, even before Brook formed the Rumbar Pirates.

Brook once told Luffy he used to lead an army for a kingdom whose princess was named Shuri. The king of that kingdom had helped Brook in the past, much like Shanks helped Luffy. However, Princess Shuri eventually killed her own father, earning her the nickname “the father-killing princess.” She then made some kind of agreement with the World Government, involving the Holy Knights, and ultimately traveled to the sacred land of Marijoa.

What really happened remains a mystery, but it’s become clear that Princess Shuri has lost all her memories. Imu has brainwashed her into believing she’s Gunko, a member of the Manmayer family. Importantly, Shuri is currently aiding Brook and the Straw Hat Pirates during the events on Elbaf. Without her help, many of the crew would likely have perished and been unable to continue. She rescued Brook and freed the rest of the Straw Hats, and the author is making it clear that Shuri is a victim of Imu’s control and needs to be saved.

Luffy and the Princesses Of One Piece

A common theme throughout One Piece is Luffy rescuing a royal or important figure. We see this with Princess Vivi in the Arabasta Arc, Rebecca in Dressrosa, and Momonosuke and Hiyori during the Wano Country Arc. Currently, in the Egghead Arc, Bonney is filling that role.

Princess Shuri, a close friend of Brook, is currently located in Elbaf. She’s been under Imu’s control for over 60 years and has nowhere else to turn. Once Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates free her from Imu, the crew will be her only safe haven. It’s likely she’ll join them as their final member and sail with the Straw Hats.

Loki Will Not Join The Crew

Elbaf’s Accursed Prince Needs To Protect His Home

I think the biggest hurdle to Shuri joining the Straw Hats isn’t her, it’s Loki. Honestly, he’s just too large to comfortably fit on the Sunny, and he’d be much more useful as an ally rather than a full-blown crew member. Plus, things have changed for him with Elbaf. They’ve forgiven him, and letting him leave now, without him fulfilling what they owe him, would be a real embarrassment for them. He also has a responsibility to protect his country from Imu and the World Government, especially after everything that’s happened lately. It makes much more sense for Loki to stay and rule alongside Hajrudin, while Shuri takes her place with the Straw Hats.

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2026-02-11 14:37