One Piece Characters Who Refused To Join The Straw Hat Pirates

Just a heads-up: this list includes information from the source material that hasn’t appeared in the anime yet, so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers!

Watching One Piece unfold, I’ve noticed the Straw Hat Pirates gradually grow, with each new member usually having a specific job on the ship. Compared to other pirate crews we’ve seen, they’re actually pretty small – currently around ten people, not counting all their allies. But with the story heading towards its conclusion, I wouldn’t be surprised if creator Eiichiro Oda adds a few more characters to the crew before it’s all said and done. They’re such an iconic group, it feels like there’s still room for a little more expansion!

I’ve always loved how Luffy aims for a crew of around ten people, but he only asks those he genuinely thinks will be a blast to hang out with! He’s super enthusiastic when he wants someone to join, and honestly, most people do end up becoming Straw Hats. But it’s cool because there are those who turn him down, and each of them has a really good reason for doing so.

7. Gaimon

The Island Guardian

Gaimon is a former pirate who accidentally got trapped in a treasure chest and ended up stranded on an island inhabited by unusual animals. He grew to love the animals and became their protector. He’d spent a long time trying to reach some treasure chests on a cliff, but was very disappointed to find they were all empty when Luffy brought them down.

Luffy invited the retired pirate Gaimon to join his crew, but Gaimon declined, choosing to stay and protect the island. Luffy seemed more interested in Gaimon’s unusual condition – being mostly trapped inside a treasure chest – than in his ability to use a pistol.

Each member of the Straw Hat crew has a specific role, but it’s interesting to consider what those who weren’t accepted might have contributed. Gaimon, for example, could have potentially been a sharpshooter. His small stature and ability to hide within his body might have been useful for stealth, though his weakened chest muscles would likely have limited his overall strength and capabilities.

6. Kureha

Doctor On Drum Island

Kureha is a doctor who’s lived for over 140 years. She trained Tony Tony Chopper, who later joined Luffy’s crew, sharing all her medical knowledge with him. She did this as a promise to her deceased friend, Hiriluk, a somewhat unconventional doctor who raised Chopper like a father. Even though she’s very old, Kureha is still physically fit and doesn’t appreciate being called ‘old’.

Kuneha was likely as skilled a doctor as her student, and possibly even better. She was also much older than Brook, being over 50 years his senior, and demonstrated impressive physical strength, even attacking Luffy and Sanji when provoked. However, it’s debatable whether these abilities would have been enough against the stronger enemies they faced later on. This wasn’t the first time Luffy tried to recruit a future crewmate’s teacher; he previously asked “Red Leg” Zeff to join his crew before Sanji ended up joining, though Sanji’s recruitment was more of a necessity than a choice.

5. Portgas D. Ace

Luffy’s Sworn Brother

I remember watching Portgas D. Ace grow up with Luffy – they were like brothers, always talking about becoming pirates. They even had another close friend, Sabo, who shared the same dream. Everyone thought Sabo had died, but Luffy and Ace kept pursuing their goals. Ace eventually formed his own pirate crew, the Spade Pirates, but they weren’t strong enough to compete with Whitebeard’s crew. For a while, Ace resisted the idea of working under anyone, but he came to really respect Whitebeard, seeing him as a father figure, just like many of the other crew members did.

Ace rose in the ranks to become a commander, leading a group of pirates under his control. However, after being betrayed by one of his officers, Marshall D. Teach, he set out to find him. During his search, he encountered Luffy and helped him, even asking Luffy to join the Whitebeard Pirates, but Luffy declined. The Straw Hat Pirates mistakenly celebrated what they thought was Ace joining their crew, but Ace clarified he was still focused on his original mission.

Honestly, one of the things I love most about Luffy is just how unbelievably bold he is! Asking Ace, his older brother, to join his crew? That takes guts! While Ace’s Devil Fruit powers would’ve been amazing for the Straw Hats, I always wondered what exactly Luffy would have had him do. It’s cool to remember that Ace didn’t just say yes to anyone, even after joining Whitebeard’s crew – he was selective about who he sailed with, and that says a lot about his character.

The World Government noticed him and offered him a position as a Warlord. Later, Teach received the same offer after capturing Ace and imprisoning him. Whitebeard earned Ace’s loyalty—and the respect of many other powerful pirates—through a combination of incredible strength and genuine kindness. When Luffy learned Sabo was still alive, he immediately asked him to join his crew, but Sabo’s commitment to the Revolutionary Army prevented him from accepting.

4. Kin’emon

Specifically, His Legs

Kin’emon served his late lord, Kozuki Oden, even years after Oden’s death. As part of this dedication, he journeyed twenty years into the future with Oden’s son, Momonosuke. He’s a skilled fighter and planner, but it wasn’t his abilities that caught Luffy’s attention. Instead, Luffy was strangely fascinated by Kin’emon’s legs – not in a creepy way, but because they were so… unusual, highlighting Luffy’s habit of collecting the most eccentric crew members.

This happened because Trafalgar Law used his Devil Fruit ability to divide Kin’emon’s body into two pieces, but kept both halves connected. Kin’emon was later able to put himself back together. Interestingly, Kin’emon actually traveled with Law’s crew for a period of time, even though he was never made a formal member.

Kin’emon joined the Straw Hat crew to help them fight the Beasts Pirates, specifically targeting Caesar Clown and Doflamingo, who were allies of the pirates. He ended up staying in Wano alongside the Straw Hats after their time in Dressrosa (though Luffy wasn’t with them then). After Kaido was defeated, Kin’emon stayed to help rebuild Wano, and Luffy told him he was welcome to join them on their adventures if he ever changed his mind.

If Kin’emon were to join the crew, he’d be their third swordsman, and the second with a rather questionable personality. While he could act as their strategist, the Straw Hats generally handle planning things on their own.

3. Yamato

Son Of Kaido

Yamato, like Kin’emon, greatly admired Kozuki Oden, but in a unique way. While Oden was considered an enemy by Yamato’s father, Kaido, Yamato grew up idolizing him and wanting to be like him. This led to Yamato imitating Oden’s behavior, which resulted in punishment from Kaido. Similar to Oden, Yamato also dreamed of exploring the world, a desire Oden fulfilled by sailing with both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates.

Luffy initially offered Yamato a spot on the Straw Hat crew, but Yamato decided to stay in Wano for now. This was largely due to Aramaki, a powerful marine admiral who attacked after Kaido was defeated and proved too strong for many of Wano’s best fighters. Since then, Yamato has been shown embarking on a journey similar to the one Oden once took, as detailed in side stories.

What happens if Yamato succeeds in his goals is still unknown, but it’s possible he could join the Straw Hat Pirates. He’s expressed a desire to travel the world like Oden. If he does join, he’d be the third member with a Zoan Devil Fruit and the second confirmed to have a Mythical Zoan, just like Luffy.

2. Loki

Prince of Elbaph

Loki was the latest person to turn down Luffy’s invitation to join the Straw Hat Pirates, making his decision in June 2025 after much debate about whether he’d be the crew’s final member. Sanji and Zoro pointed out that Loki’s enormous size wouldn’t allow him to fit on the Thousand Sunny, and his appetite would be a problem for the crew’s supplies. Luffy, however, wasn’t concerned with those practical issues – he simply wanted to see Loki fight.

Loki has been an outcast for much of his life, unfairly labeled with a bad reputation. This has made him distrustful and sometimes manipulative, even violent. However, he’s also shown moments of compassion, suggesting he isn’t truly evil. When Luffy invited him to join the crew, Loki refused, claiming he wouldn’t be someone’s tool. While the Straw Hats aren’t the type to have henchmen, Loki likely used this as a simple reason to decline.

1. Nefertari Vivi

Princess of Arabasta

Vivi is the most well-known character to turn down joining the Straw Hat Pirates, but she’s unique because she was actually a crew member for a time. During the Arabasta saga, she sailed with Luffy and the others, and many fans thought she’d become a permanent member. However, Vivi’s main goal was always to defeat Crocodile and save her kingdom, and that’s why she initially joined them. Despite this, she quickly became close friends with the crew, particularly Nami, and they all got along really well.

After the Straw Hats defeated Crocodile, Vivi took on the responsibility of leading Arabasta and decided she needed to stay with her people. Luffy invited her to join them on their adventures, and she wanted to, but understood she couldn’t abandon her kingdom. While there’s a small possibility she might join the crew someday, it doesn’t seem likely now that her duties no longer involve assisting the Straw Hats.

Vivi initially seemed like she would join Luffy’s crew, but when she declined his invitation, it quickly became clear that Robin would be joining instead. This ultimately gave the Straw Hats – and viewers – a new member.

2026-01-28 00:07