Monkey D. Luffy is the main protagonist of the popular manga and anime series One Piece, who has captured many hearts with his adventurous spirit and never-give-up attitude. However, when it comes to romantic relations, Luffy's status has always been a matter of debate and speculation among fans.
Official Status: No Girlfriend
According to official sources and the current storyline of One Piece, there does not exist an official girlfriend for Monkey D. Luffy. Creator Eiichiro Oda has not established any romantic relationship for Luffy in the manga or anime.
Focus on Luffy's Adventure
The character of Luffy is mainly fueled by his dream of becoming the Pirate King and his adventures with his crew. Given these strong drives toward both goals, very little space is left, if any, for romance in the classical sense.
Potential Love Interests
Though there is no official girlfriend of Luffy's, there have been some characters in this series who seem to show interest in him romantically:
Boa Hancock is arguably the most prominent character to show romantic feelings for Luffy. Their relationship was nurtured from a first encounter of bewilderment to strong affection when he saved her life. Hancock's love for Luffy becomes one of the series' running gags, though it remains one-way.
Some fans even speculate what kind of romantic relationship Luffy could have with his female comrades, mainly Nami and Robin. However, these relationships have been mainly interpreted as really close friendship and relationship of comrades, rather than romance.
Fan Theories and Speculations
Due to the fact that Luffy does not have an official girlfriend, there are many fan theories and speculations:
Some fans feel that Nefertari Vivi, Alabasta's princess, could eventually be Luffy's lover due to the age difference between them and all the experiences shared.
Some, once Uta was introduced in the One Piece Film: Red, have started to theorize romance. However, like other characters, it wasn't hinted that her relationship with Luffy was romantic in the main series.
Luffy's View of Relationships
Luffy has been portrayed to be uninterested in romantic affairs throughout the series. His attitude when dealing with characters like Boa Hancock, who openly profess their love for him, is ignorance of these loves.
Impact on the Story
Not having Luffy bound to any single romance allows themes of friendship, adventure, and personal growth to take center stage in the story. This has gone on throughout the series and adds to what is unique about Luffy's character development.
Although Monkey D. Luffy does not have a girlfriend in One Piece, this seems to be one of the hot topics among fans and a subject of speculation. The main content of the series is basically Luffy's adventures with his crew members; love life is quite minor or nonexistent as far as his character is concerned. This has made the series full of character development and storyline, focusing on friendship and personal growth rather than romance.