Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of One Piece, has one of the most recognizable designs in anime. From his signature vest to his beloved and iconic straw hat, it is hard to miss him whenever he appears on screen.
However, another characteristic that defines him is the x-shaped scar that adorns his chest. When the series began, Luffy had no visible scar on his body, so newcomers may be confused about how and when Luffy got it.
Beware of spoilers below for One Piece.
The Origins of Luffy’s Scar in One Piece
During the Marineford War, Luffy witnessed the ruthless Admiral Akainu kill his older brother Ace in front of him. This event caused Luffy to enter a state of shock, unable to move or react to what was happening around him. Jinbe, who would go on to become a member of Luffy’s crew, took the Straw Hat Captain and ran from the battle, all while Akainu continued pursuing the duo.
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Sadly, the Admiral caught up with them and used his Magma Fist to pierce Jinbe’s chest and left a permanent mark on Luffy’s chest. This scar became a reminder of Luffy about how much stronger his opponents were at the time. He used this feeling as motivation to train harder and become powerful enough to protect his friends and family.
Luffy’s Other Iconic Scar
Besides his x-shaped scar, Luffy is known for having a small wound under his left eye. This scar was inflicted by Luffy himself while he was still a child. For many months, Luffy kept asking the Red-Hair Pirates Captain, Shanks, to let him join his crew and become a pirate. Shanks refused, claiming that Luffy was still a kid and was therefore too weak and cowardly to become a pirate.
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To prove him wrong, Luffy took Shanks’ sword and stabbed himself under the left eye. This caused Shanks and his crew to panic, as they did not expect Luffy to go that far just to prove his commitment to being a pirate. Thankfully, the damage was minor, and Luffy was able to heal completely from this ordeal.
One Piece Anime-Only Scar
Before the iconic x-shaped scar was a part of Luffy’s design, the One Piece anime gave the Straw Hat Captain a similar wound during a filler episode. After Luffy’s crew lost their memories and awoke on a strange island, they all began fighting.
Luffy was caught in the middle of Zoro’s attacks, which left him an x-shaped scar similar to the one that Akainu would cause him in the future. The scar disappeared by the end of the filler arc, but many fans believed that this was the moment that inspired Eiichiro Oda to add a similar mark on his chest later in the series.
