One Piece has become one of the best anime of all time, and even though there are a lot of reasons why that's the case, its protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, has played a crucial role in the series' success. The story of Luffy reuniting a crew with the goal of becoming the King of Pirates has touched the hearts of millions of fans, but one of the common criticisms it has received over time is that Luffy's worst trait has been his selfishness. However, Luffy's unique nature is precisely what differentiates One Piece from other anime.

Luffy is a selfish character, doing as he pleases most of the time and lacking the righteousness and sense of justice present in almost every other shōnen protagonist. As a result, some viewers claim that Luffy lacked substance as the series progressed, with a stagnant development that has forced him to stay as a child who only acts out of his own interest. Yet, what sets him apart is that while Luffy lacks the shōnen hero trope, he still does it arguably better than any other anime protagonist.

Luffy’s Selfishness Motivated Him To Save the Day

Saving Others Is More a Consequence Than a Goal for Luffy

One of the aspects that has made One Piece so popular is the way its story features politics, tackling themes like racism, slavery, and tyranny on many islands along the Grand Line, where Luffy and his crew always take the side of the oppressed and confront the villains in power. However, while in other anime, the decision to help would be motivated to bring justice to those in need, Luffy only acts for the sake of a friend.

In Arlong Park, Luffy freed the Cocoyasi Village from Arlong's tyranny, but he fought the Fishman for Nami's sake after she asked him for help. Likewise, Luffy cares about the situation in Arabasta because of how it affects Vivi, deciding to her after witnessing that she is willing to risk her life for her country. Additionally, while he did care about the Sky people in Skypeia, Luffy's main reason for fighting Enel was definitely his desire to ring the bell.

Furthermore, Luffy knew about the slaves in Sabaody, but he was only interested in saving Camie, and in Wano, Luffy's motivation to seek the freedom of the country from Kaido was for Tama after being impressed by her willingness to share food with him and due to Kinnemon and Momonosuke after the latter asked him for help. This way, Luffy's selfless actions had selfish motivations, since his involvement was only for someone he cared about.

Luffy's Selfishness Makes Him Stand Out from Other Shōnen Heroes

Luffy Was Never Meant to Be a Hero of Justice

While Luffy still has a strong understanding of right and wrong, his simplicity of acting just to help his friends (and saving others in the process) gives Luffy a nuance that other shōnen heroes lack, as Goku's main goal was fighting stronger opponents, naturally getting involved with dangerous villains that he decided to defeat due to his nature as a warrior, while in Naruto's case, he never strayed from his ideology, and saving others was part of his Ninja Path. Because of this, Luffy had a unique morality, standing for what he believed to be right, even if it wasn't accepted by society or put others in danger.

This goes in line with his role as a pirate who opposes authority. For this reason, when in the Fishman Island Arc, after Shirahoshi asked him if he was good or bad, Luffy told her it was up to her to decide what kind of person he was. A hero like Naruto wouldn't have freed the criminals from Impel Down even if it was for saving his brother, and Goku wouldn't have let himself be beaten even after being asked by a friend, like when Luffy didn't counter Bellamy in the Jaya Arc.

That means that Luffy is not a hero; he does not seek to face villains out of virtue or goodwill. If, by helping his friends, he saved a country, that was not his intention. Luffy recognized this part of himself when he explained what he thinks a hero is and why he doesn't want to be one, as heroes distribute their food to everyone, but he is the type of person who wants to eat all the food.

Luffy May Only Care About His Friends, but His Standard for Friendship Is Low

One Piece Has Always Been About Freedom to Be Oneself

One Piece is an ode to freedom, showcasing how people should live the way they want to. This hasn't only been represented through Robin's character arc, but also by Luffy being selfish enough to act upon his own interest, which is the greatest freedom there is. Luffy revealed that the reason he wanted to be the King of Pirates was because he thought the one that had the title was the freest person that exists. So Luffy is not shallow and has stayed as a consistent character, as all he wants is to be free and do whatever he wants while helping his friends.

However, what makes Luffy great is that he is extremely kind, befriending others easily and impacting people positively, while also being quick to forgive those who repent of their actions, like Bon Clay or Buggy. This way, Luffy ends up helping many people along his journey. It's his care for his friends, drive to defeat those who mess with the people close to him, and ambition to be the King of the Pirates that allow him to defy everyone that opposes his goals.

“His ability to make allies of everyone around him is the most dangerous power on the sea”- Mihawk

Nonetheless, even if Luffy doesn't try to be selfless, One Piece makes clear that not everyone who claims to be a paladin of justice is legitimate, as seen by the World Government, but it is the outcomes of your actions that prove whether you're a real hero or not. This is what has made One Piece be so beloved and resonate with countless fans worldwide for more than two decades, who are drawn to Luffy's unique self-interest and kindness and want to see him and the Straw Hats crew achieve their goals.