#opla luffy

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The Gum-Gum Fruit

Here, the Gum-Gum Fruit remains the Gum-Gum Fruit. It is not connected to neither Joyboy nor Nika. It is just a Paramecia Fruit.

Part of the reason is because of the huge retcon (or whatever you wanna call it) behind the lore of the Nika fruit, in regards to the Gorosei and Who’s Who.

Now, as for Gear 5, I still think that most of it can be recycled to the Gum-Gum Fruit’s Awakening. How that can work is the very nature of rubber itself. To me, the Gum-Gum Fruit exhibits properties of both natural and synthetic rubber. Gears Second and Fourth can be referenced to synthetic rubber while Gears Third (maybe) and Fifth can reference natural rubber. In the case of the appearance of Gear 5, it can reference how natural rubber starts as a milky white color, not to mention that natural rubber has more fluidity than synthetic. And given the fact that DF powers can even affect the clothes you wear, look at Buggy and Alvida, Luffy’s clothes turning white would not be far-fetched.

Despite this, people do still see similarities between Luffy and Joyboy and Nika just from attitude alone. Joyboy is just a title and Nika is a folklore symbol.

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Vulcanization

Not sure about other people, but I've heard Tekking101 refer to the blackening of limbs when characters use Armament as 'vulcanization'...

Which I thought was funny because this term is used in the process of hardening rubber to make tires.

Armament Haki is meant to be invisible, but I like to think that the nature of the Gum-Gum fruit makes the Armament visible on Luffy as the color black.

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Gear Weaknesses

One of my...I guess gripes with shounen genre is how they would just...omit the initial weaknesses and limitations to a character’s power system in favor of having them fighting at their fullest at all times and spamming their stronger/strongest attacks even against fodder...which I guess is just the reality of battle shounen (even though One Piece, even as a battle shounen, wasn’t...really like that Pre-TS.)

Trying to remember what happens to Luffy after he uses his Gears: Second, I think he just couldn’t move for a while out of exhaustion. Third, he shrinks into Chibi-Luffy. Fourth, he can’t use Haki for a while. Fifth, he...turns into Old-Man Luffy XD.

What I’m getting at here is, he doesn’t lose any of these. And, I guess in addition to the Old-Man Luffy thing, there’s a 16-hour wait before he could use Fifth effectively again. Same for the other Gears too, I guess. (Second recharges after 2-hours, Third recharges after 4-hours, Fourth recharges after 8-hours). He can use his Gears after the initial exhaustion wears off, but its power output would be halved and the exhaustion comes back quicker.

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Hungry Guy

I have a headcanon that the Gum-Gum Fruit makes Luffy’s metabolism be extraordinarily high. He was already a hungry boy before the fruit (it runs in the family), but the energy he spends to use his DF power burns through the calories.

I have this idea that OPLA Luffy doesn’t steal food from his friend’s plates (he is shown in the show to have more self-restraint, at least after defeating Buggy in S01Ep02, even when he still took a piece of food). He does have larger portions than the rest of his crew and is free to eat the leftovers.

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Luffy Knows (Somewhat)

So, one of the things I’ve liked about OPLA is Inaki’s portrayal of Luffy. For one, he definitely exude Luffy-energy. Another thing I liked, and I think it’s because of the more grounded feel of OPLA, is how OPLA Luffy feels more emotionally intelligent. And more vulnerable.

Especially at the prospect of losing a crewmate, as seen when Zoro was in his coma. Bro was tweaking in that Galley scene while he tried to care for the Wado. While I can pick up Inaki’s performance of Luffy’s quiet desperation for Zoro to wake up, Mayumi Tanaka’s voice over took the cake.

It honestly lead me to speculate how Thriller Bark would turn out, when Zoro makes his sacrifice. I have this idea that Luffy (and honestly the others) would be able to tell that Luffy’s recovery and Zoro’s comatose state are somehow connected. Luffy would have an inkling that something did happen, but unsure what it is.

He never confronts Zoro about it, wanting to respect his space, but does do things for Zoro behind his back to ease his burdens. This did cause a friction by Sabaody.

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The Burden of Choices and Knowing

Hey, I like me some angst, so Luffy isn’t blind to the decisions he makes as captain (I mean, look at how he broke down after his fight with Usopp) and is aware the state of the world after everything that’s happened when he met Ace and Sabo, from being taken by Bluejam, what happened at Gray Terminal, and Sabo’s death. Not to mention how much he loves his crew, to the point of breaking down at the “loss” of them (as seen at the end of Sabaody) and remembering he still has his crew after Ace’s death.

While Luffy is generally a happy-go-lucky and simple-minded individual, he is deeply traumatized (I mean...isn’t everyone in this crew?). These moments are rare, but he would have days where he just...can’t keep up his optimism and just try to stay out of sight of his crew until the moment passes.

He’s their captain. He’s supposed to look unshakable.

Only a selective few of the crew have seen this side of him: Jinbe, Nami, and Zoro.

“oh, sanji!”

sanji stopped short as he entered the gulley. his blood heated slightly, stopping shortly to compose himself. you were always ransacking his kitchen. using ingredients— too many or too little— mixing spices that should never touch, overcooking oil, undercooking rice.

“good morning, love,” sanji exhaled slowly, adjusting his apron as he eyed you suspiciously.

“how do i know when this is done?”

you pointed sheepishly at the pan in front of you. sanji blinked once, fighting over the wave of hysterics washing through him. you were cooking fish. for breakfast… a specific fish that paired best with white wine and something sweet—

“i think it’s almost too done, love…” sanji kept his expression soft, ignoring the twitch in his eye.

“shit.” you frowned, turning back to look down at your culinary creation.

“that’s alright! don’t worry about it—“

even with the horrors you created in his kitchen, sanji could never be upset with you. you would frown and bite your lip and start overthinking your abilities and sanji folded instantly. he held your elbow and sighed softly, “it’s not beyond saving…” sanji lifted the pan and turned off the stove, “no, this is still edible…” he inhaled slowly, fighting away a gag at the smell of the mixed spices combining in ways that should never exist.

“you think it’s still okay?”

oh, godsdamn him… he could never ever hurt your feelings or disappoint you.

“i…”

white fish for breakfast.

“can you pass me the eggs?”

“the— eggs?” sanji nearly tumbled over at this, feeling his fingers twitch at his sides, “eggs? you’re making eggs? with—“ ah.

“yeah, i was thinking over easy!”

runny eggs with white fish. for breakfast…

no, it was fine–

it was alright—

of course someone who cooked for fun couldn’t know basic rules and flavor pallets—

“my muffins!”

sanji jumped as if he saw a spider, “you made muffins? you—“

sanji looked around quickly, noting the four all over the floor that he had missed earlier. flour on your shirt and pants where you had inevitably wiped your hands—

his eye twitched, jaw ticking—

“yes, chocolate and orange!”

that actually sounded good. however, with your culinary skills—

“oh, they smell divine, mon cherie—“

you opened the oven and smoke curled up like one of sanji’s cigarettes. he blinked once, fighting the urge to light one right then and there. you pulled them out, beaming proudly. they were lumpy and mushy in some spots, crispy in others— definitely not muffin shaped and most definitely missing baking powder and enough butter.

“oh—“ sanji breathed out, looking at them over your shoulder. now that you couldn’t see his face, sanji didn’t bother to hide his horrified expression.

“something smells good!” luffy had stormed through the door, bright eyed and nearly drooling. he looked to sanji expectantly before his eyes locked onto you. there was a slight blush and a moment of hesitation before he straightened again, returning to his grin.

“good morning!” luffy crossed the gulley to you, pulling you in for a suffocating hug before you could prepare for him.

“i made breakfast!”

luffy’s wide eyes flashed to sanji, chin resting on the top of your head where you couldn’t see his momentary panic. sanji swallowed slowly, keeping his jaw tight as he lit a cigarette. he shook his head very subtly and luffy breathed slowly.

“it smells very good… i can’t wait to try it.” he rubbed your back, keeping you tight against him, glancing over at the stove with a timid expression.

sanji had stomped on zoro’s foot and luffy had punched usopp beneath the table when their facial expressions gave away their reactions to you having made breakfast. they looked at sanji helplessly, while sanji just smiled proudly and helped you set the table. his jaw was entirely too clenched for his smile to be convincing, though luffy still just stared at you like you hung the stars.

“i hope it’s good! i tried something new…”

at this, nami lowered her fork immediately and gasped, “i forgot to check something!” she went running out as chopper and usopp watched her go longingly. sanji sat across from zoro and kicked him once again, not about to be part of you being offended or having hurt feelings.

luffy had already cleared his plate, hand on his stomach with a wide smile. he was looking at you, as if he couldn’t possibly be prouder. you blinked once, looking to him expectantly. you tilted your head, hopeful.

“amazing. you’re good at everything you do…”

sanji and zoro gagged down the first bite of muffins, washing it down with water and whatever juice they could find with enough flavor to cover your cooking. the fish was burnt and dry, the eggs were rubbery yet somehow undercooked and the muffins had three different textures in one bite.

you had just opened your mouth to try your own when luffy cleared his throat. he was looking at you softly, eyebrows raised in that way that made him look like a begging puppy. “could i have some more?” you blinked slowly, sanji and zoro’s mouths hanging open. luffy had cleared his plate and everyone else’s, still smiling widely. he was still watching you with that adoring expression and soft smile.

“sanji, i think you’ll need to make more breakfast… i accidentally ate it all.”

sanji, relieved and almost too eager, stood up and adjusted his apron. zoro and robin looked so relieved it was almost comical and you just smiled to yourself, sliding your plate towards luffy, “are you sure? you liked it?”

luffy stood and kissed your head, thumb brushing over your forehead as he did. he smiled against your hair, “i liked it…” because he wouldn’t hurt your feelings. he would eat everything you ever made him just to see that smile. that proud, loving smile like you truly loved making food for him— “i love you.”

you glanced up at him with a soft smile, hand squeezing the hand that wasn’t on your head, “i love you too…” you closed your eyes as he stayed close, picking your plate clean as sanji started the real breakfast. “are you sure you don’t need help?”

“no—“

everyone answered too quickly. sanji glanced up with a soft smile, eyeing you like he was in disbelief, “quite alright, love. i’ve got it this time… it takes both of us to feed our captain, after all. it’s my turn, you just stay put…”

you missed the relief in everyone else and the way sanji was extremely good at turning you down politely without letting you feel the slightest bit of hurt. luffy kissed your head again as he finished the last of the muffins, licking his fingers clean as if he hadn’t just finished the entirety of the worst meal he had ever tasted.

because it had made you smile.

The days following your recovery on Drum Island were both a blessing and a curse. While you were grateful to be alive and back among your crewmates, you found yourself in an entirely new predicament—one that had nothing to do with physical wounds but everything to do with the chaotic state of your heart.

Luffy had become your shadow.

It started subtly enough. On your first day back on the Going Merry, you'd woken up to find him sitting cross-legged outside your cabin door, chin in his hands, watching you sleep through the crack in the doorway.

"Luffy?" you'd mumbled, rubbing your eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you're still breathing," he'd replied matter-of-factly, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

You'd laughed it off then, but as the days passed, his vigilance only intensified. He followed you everywhere—to the kitchen for breakfast, to the deck for morning stretches, to the bathroom (until Sanji and Zoro physically restrained him). He insisted on helping you with the simplest tasks, like tying your shoes or climbing the rigging to adjust the sails, his rubber arms wrapping around your waist "just in case you feel dizzy."

The crew found it both amusing and exasperating.

"Captain, she's not made of glass," Nami sighed one afternoon as Luffy tried to spoon-feed you soup. "She's recovered."

"But she almost wasn't!" Luffy protested, his lower lip jutting out in a pout. "Kureha said she almost died. I can't let that happen again."

You appreciated his concern, truly. But his constant hovering was driving you to distraction—and not just because of the lack of personal space. Every time his fingers brushed yours, every time he threw an arm around your shoulders, every time he flashed that brilliant, unguarded grin in your direction, your heart did a complicated little flip that left you breathless and confused.

You were falling for your captain.

Hard.

The realization had hit you like a physical blow two nights ago, as you'd stood on the deck under the moonlight, watching him sleep in his hammock. His face, usually so animated and expressive, was peaceful in repose, his lips slightly parted, his hat resting on his chest rising and falling with each breath. And you'd thought: I almost lost this. I almost never saw this face again. And the sheer terror of that possibility had been followed by an even more terrifying certainty: you were in love with Monkey D. Luffy.

An idiot. A rubber-brained, meat-obsessed, emotionally clueless idiot who, despite all evidence to the contrary, somehow held your entire world in his hands.

"What's wrong with you?" Zoro asked one evening, finding you staring moodily at the horizon. "You've been sighing every five minutes for three days."

"Nothing," you mumbled, turning away so he couldn't see the flush on your cheeks. "Just thinking."

"About Luffy?" he guessed, his one good eye narrowing perceptively. "Because he's been thinking about you. Constantly. It's getting annoying."

You groaned and dropped your head into your hands. "Is it that obvious?"

"To everyone but him," Zoro confirmed with a snort. "Which is, frankly, impressive."

The crew had noticed. Of course they had. You and Luffy had always been close, but this was different. This was... something more. And while you weren't ready to admit it out loud, your behavior had changed. You found yourself seeking him out, your eyes automatically finding him in a crowd, your laughter coming a little easier when he was near.

And Luffy, for his part, seemed completely oblivious to the shift in your feelings. He was just... Luffy. Overprotective, clingy Luffy, who saw you as something precious that had almost broken and now needed constant supervision.

"You're being ridiculous," Nami told you later that night, as you helped her with navigation charts. "Just tell him how you feel."

"And say what?" you gestured wildly with your compass. "Hey, Captain, I know you're mostly interested in adventure and meat, but I've developed this inconvenient romantic attachment to you that's making it hard to breathe when you're near me?"

Nami blinked. "Well, when you put it like that..."

"Besides," you sighed, slumping against the navigation table. "He doesn't see me that way. I'm his crewmate, his friend, his responsibility. Not... not someone he'd want to kiss."

"You don't know that," Nami said gently. "Luffy's not complicated, but he's not simple either. He feels things deeply, even if he can't always put them into words."

You shook your head. "It's better this way. The crew is finally back to normal. I don't want to mess that up."

But as much as you tried to convince yourself, your heart refused to listen. Every time Luffy laughed, every time he reached for your hand "to make sure you don't fall," every time he looked at you with that fierce, protective light in his eyes, you fell a little deeper.

The breaking point came a week later, during a fierce storm that had the Going Merry tossed about like a toy in a bathtub. The waves crashed over the deck, the wind howled through the rigging, and rain fell in blinding sheets. You were helping secure the sails, your fingers numb and clumsy from the cold, when a particularly large wave sent the ship lurching violently to one side.

You lost your footing, sliding across the slick deck toward the railing. Before you could even process what was happening, Luffy was there, his body pressing yours against the mast as the ship righted itself. His arms wrapped around you, his face inches from yours, rain dripping from his hair onto your cheeks.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice tight with concern.

You couldn't speak. All you could do was stare at his lips, at the water droplets clinging to them, at the earnest worry in his eyes. And then, without thinking, without meaning to, you leaned in and kissed him.

It was brief, clumsy, and utterly perfect. His lips were warm and soft, tasting of salt and rain and something uniquely Luffy. For a moment, he kissed back, his arms tightening around you. Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. He pulled back, his eyes wide with shock.

"Wow," he breathed, his expression unreadable.

And then he grinned. That wide, brilliant, Luffy-grin that made your heart do somersaults.

"Wow," he said again, and then he was kissing you back, properly this time, his lips moving against yours with an enthusiasm that was purely Luffy.

When you finally broke apart, both breathless and drenched, you couldn't help but laugh. The storm still raged around you, the crew still shouted orders, but in that moment, it was just the two of you, standing in the circle of each other's arms.

"I've wanted to do that for a while," you admitted.

Luffy's grin widened. "Me too! I just didn't know how. And I was worried you'd get sick again if I distracted you."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Oh, Luffy."

"Does this mean you're not going to die anymore?" he asked, his expression suddenly serious.

"I'll do my best not to," you promised.

"Good," he said, nodding firmly. "Because I have a feeling kissing you is going to be my new favorite adventure."

And as he leaned in to kiss you again, you knew with absolute certainty that you were right where you were meant to be—caught in the storm, wrapped in the arms of your captain, your heart finally at peace.

The crew's reaction, when they finally noticed, was everything you could have expected and more.

"FINALLY!" Usopp shouted from across the deck, pumping his fist in the air. "I was wondering how long it would take you two!"

"Took them long enough," Zoro muttered from his spot by the helm, though he was smiling faintly.

Sanji swooned dramatically, hearts practically exploding from his eyes. "Oh, what a beautiful development! My dear navigator-slash-warrior and our esteemed captain! I must prepare a celebratory feast of love!"

Nami just shook her head, a fond smile playing on her lips. "About time," she said, and you knew she was talking about more than just the kiss.

As the storm began to subside, leaving behind a calm sea and a rainbow stretching across the horizon, Luffy took your hand, his fingers lacing with yours. His hat sat firmly on his head, but for the first time, it felt like you were the one wearing it—a symbol of his trust, his protection, and now, his heart.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft.

"Hey," you replied, squeezing his hand.

"Ready for the next adventure?" he asked, his eyes bright with excitement and something deeper, something that made your heart skip a beat.

"With you?" you smiled. "Always."

And as the Going Merry sailed toward the sunset, you knew that whatever came next, you'd face it together—no secrets, no fears, just love, laughter, and the endless promise of adventure.

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