15 Best Luffy Quotes from One Piece (Anime & Manga)

In terms of One Piece characters, Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, certainly gets one of the top spots in every category imaginable. The cheerful and resilient boy who wants to become the best pirate in the world has, since his debut, become one of the most popular and best-known anime and manga characters in history. Since his debut, Monkey D. Luffy has become an integral part of the series and has appeared in all relevant media adaptations. To honor Luffy’s legacy, here is a list of the best Monkey D. Luffy quotes from One Piece, including both the anime and manga.

The list is going to include a total of 15 quotes from both of the relevant sources – the anime series and the manga that inspired it. The quotes are taken from various contexts and situations, and we have decided to simply list them for your enjoyment.

1. “Forgetting is like a wound. The wound may heal but it has already left a scar.”

Monkey D. Luffy is generally not a philosopher and no one would really describe him like that. His worldview is practical, generally optimistic and overall not very deep; not that he’s stupid, but he doesn’t really concern himself with such intricacies. Still, over the years, he has blessed us with a number of deep quotes, one of which is the one we have chosen for the beginning of our list. Monkey D. Luffy has had many scars over the years, both actual and metaphorical ones, so he truly does understand the real meaning behind this quote. And it’s quite true, we never really remove the emotional scars we have; we learn to live with them, but we don’t really eliminate them. It’s just a matter of coping.

2. “Hero? No! We’re pirates! I love heroes, but I don’t wanna be one! Do you know what heroes are? Say there is a chunk of meat. Pirates will have a banquet and eat it, but heroes will share it with other people. I want all the meat!”

This is one of the most famous One Piece quotes ever. It goes to show that we’ve been right about Luffy when we described him as an optimistic character that doesn’t bother with the finer intricacies of life in most cases. Give him meat, a bit of humor, and he’s fine! This quote illustrates that. Not only does it reflect Luffy’s worldview, it also shows how little things can truly make you happy. There is some inherent wisdom in this quote, we cannot deny that, but it’s not as deep as the first one. Plus, it’s quite cute, because we all know that Luffy would give his life for his friends (although, we’re not so sure that he would share his meat).

3. “Then just become stronger. I have my ambition, you have your ambition too. Which means you should just keep walking forward towards that goal.”

Just as Rin Okumura said in Blue Exorcist, everyone has their goals. This is what Luffy said in this case. Different people have different ambitions and goals in life. Sometimes, they complement each other, sometimes they are very different. In each case, one always needs to make an effort – in this case, become stronger – to come closer to achieving one’s goals and ambitions. This is what Luffy said here, as a piece of practical advice to anyone pursuing something in life. This is not something overly enigmatic, but we all know how difficult progress can be and that is why we definitely have to keep trying.

4. “No matter how hard or how impossible it is, never lose sight of your goal.”

This one is somewhat connected to the previous one and it goes on to explain how Luffy’s always consistent with his worldview. Luffy has had one goal from the very beginning of the series – to become the new Pirate King. Over the years, he has been through various perils and ordeals, even disbanding the Straw Hat Pirates at one point. But even after everything, he is still one and the same Monkey D. Luffy, always determined, always focused on one and the same goal, never losing sight of who he is and what he wants to become. This quote is a prime example of why we love Luffy so much.

5. “Power isn’t determined by your size, but the size of your heart and dreams.”

Although this one looks like something out of a fantasy novel, it’s actually also consistent with Luffy and his views on life. Namely, if you know the structure of the antagonists in One Piece, you’ll probably know that most of the opponents that Luffy has fought have been larger than him, more muscular and with, nominally at least, better powers. Yet, somehow, Luffy has been able to defeat all of them; some of them after more than one battle, but now that Kaidou’s fallen, everyone’s a target for Luffy, really. And this is why this quote is so true – Luffy managed to defeat his opponents through sheer willpower, because he had enough heart and a lot of belief in his dreams, which is absolutely great.

6. “I’ve set myself to become the King of Pirates… and if I die trying… then at least I tried.”

If you’ve read through our explanations so far, you’ll probably have deduced that this is also a thing that Luffy would say. Monkey D. Luffy was ambitious, but he was also realistic. He knew what he could do and what he had to do in order to do the things he could not do at some point in time. His goal of becoming the new Pirate King was his whole life, but he was also aware of the dangers he would be facing. Still, he was willing to try, because he – correctly, we might add – thought that it was better to try and fail, than to never have tried at all. And he’ll probably succeed, just give him some more time.

7. “If I get reincarnated… I wanna become a clam.”

Well, as for this one… it’s weird. But it’s also Luffy at the same time. The happy-go-lucky Luffy is a character that made us laugh numerous times, sometimes because he had a really good joke, sometimes because of his naive simplicity. This quote is an example of the latter. There are numerous things a character as powerful as Luffy would want to become, especially since One Piece has creatures aplenty, but he chose – a clam. And that is Luffy. That is why we love him, and that is why he is so special and so popular among fans around the world. Because he’d want to become nothing more than – a clam.

8. “Being alone is more painful than getting hurt.”

And we’re back to being deep once again. As you can see, Luffy’s depth is rare, even in this selection of quotes, in which we actually tried to find the best of the best, but when he digs deep, he hits the spot. One Piece is focused on friendship and camaraderie more than a lot of other similar franchises, because the protagonists actually do work as a group. They have become friends after years of traveling together, and this quote illustrates both the truth of solitude, and Luffy’s feelings for his friends. Luffy would rather be hurt by his friends than lose them, and that is completely true, as he has demonstrated on more than one occasion during the series.

9. “The world’s greatest swordsman, that’s great! And it’s fitting since your new boss is going to be King of the Pirates! Anything else would make me look bad!”

Ah, Luffy and Zoro – one of the best bromances in the world of anime and manga. Luffy and Zoro are two very similar characters, but with different goals – Luffy wants to surpass all the pirates, while Zoro wants to surpass Mihawk, and with him, all the swordsmen. And while Luffy is the better fighter among the two, Zoro is the better swordsman, and that is why their duels never had a clear winner. They are close friends and they have enormous respect for each other, which is why this quote is funny as hell. Especially if you consider the fact that this is what Luffy said to Zoro at the very beginning of their joint journey.

10. “We are NOT asking him where the treasure is hidden! We’re not even asking him whether there IS any treasure or not!! I’m not sure, but… …everybody set out to sea, risking their lives to search for it! If you ask this old man anything about it here and now, then I’ll quit being a pirate! I don’t want to go on a boring adventure like that!”

And – Luffy being Luffy again. Luffy set out to find the One Piece treasure not knowing what it is, where it is, and whether it even exists. Okay, we know from Oda’s comments that the treasure exists and that it is a physical object, but the characters in the story don’t know that. They only know of Roger’s legend and nothing more. But Luffy does not care about that. He is in for the adventure and he has consistently proven that he prefers the adventure over the supposed treasure. He likes the stories he has had with his friends and he wants them to continue, and we’re quite sure that if he was offered the treasure in exchange for the memories with his friends, he would choose the latter.

11. “I don’t wanna conquer anything. It’s just that the person with the most freedom on the sea is the Pirate King.”

Freedom is letting other people enjoy their respective freedoms as well. This is what Luffy, a guy who wants to become the King of Pirates, understood quite early on his journey. A true pirate doesn’t want to become a tyrant; his goal is not to oppress others, but rather to be free. He wants to be free from the oppression of others and to roam the seas in search of new adventures, stories, and memories. Luffy would help everyone, he would never oppress, and that is why he is going to be the best pirate out there, just give him more time to fulfill his goals.

12. “Are we friends? Or are we foes? That kind of thing you decide yourselves!”

This is, actually, true. Sure, friendship involves two people but each of them decides what they want on their own. You cannot force a friendship with someone. If you want to be a friend, then the other person also needs to want it. The same goes for being foes. Luffy’s adventures have consistently shown that Luffy sticks to his own words and that he is authentic in that way. Unless you’re a monster, Luffy will respect you and be your friend and ally, if you want that too. He is a good guy and he has consistently proven that over the years.

13. “I don’t have to be a boss or a great pirate, do I? Whenever you guys are in trouble, call us! We’ll come help you no matter what.”

The Straw Hat Pirates are probably the best pirate gang in the whole series. Not only are they awesome per se, they also sail around the globe, helping people and peoples out when they need it. This is why Luffy said that they would be there if anyone needed them. And they will be. Just as they have been on numerous occasions before. Luffy’s views on helping others are deeply embedded in the core of the Straw Hat Pirates and all of his friends share the same worldview.

14. “I can’t use a sword ! I don’t know how to navigate! I can’t cook! I don’t know how to tell a fib! I am confident that I couldn’t get by on my own.”

And this one is also true. Luffy wouldn’t know how to use any weapon even if his life depended on it. He also sucks when it comes to cooking and sailing. But, that is why he has his pirate gang. And not only are all these colorful characters members of his gang, they are also his friends and all of them share a very close bond with each other, a bond that has made the whole series very, very special. They complement each other in every was and as a group of friends, they function as a perfect unit, which makes them so awesome.

15. “Because we won’t let each other die, that’s why we’re friends” 

And, finally, we decided to close this one with a friendship quote. Why? Because it is perfect for this list. Luffy is one of the best and most loyal friends a person could have. He would sacrifice himself for his friends and is always there for them. This is why this quote is a final reflection of Luffy’s views on friendship – if you’re friends with someone on such a dangerous adventure, you won’t let them die. That is why friends are there for each other. To help each other. To save each other. And Luffy knew that all too well.