Monkey D. Luffy
Biography
The man who will become the Pirate King is this man, Luffy. He fills himself with optimism and (blind) courage, tinted with some spice of absolute ignorance. Luffy is the captain of his own pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, which he formed in the East Blue with five members and took into the Grand Line. The crew is currently sailing the first half of those dangerous waters.
Luffy ate a Devil's Fruit when he was seven, the Gomu Gomu Fruit (Gum Gum in the English adaptations), which has turned his body into rubber. This power, added to his own ten-year-long training to become a pirate king, has earned him a 100,000,000 Berry bounty.
History
Prelude
Ten years ago in the East Blue, in a quiet fishing village called Fuschia, Monkey D. Luffy was raised. But he wasn't raised alone: For a year's span he camped with a famous pirate crew, and that kindled his desire to become a buccaneer. What set it ablaze was the loss he unintentionally inflicted upon the captain of those pirates, Shanks. Ten years later from that very village, Luffy set off wearing Shanks' straw hat. His vow? Become the King of the Pirates!
Action
It seemed a normal day for Luffy once, ten years back. As usual he pestered Shanks to take him in as a pirate, but he added a twist in that he shoved a dagger in his cheek to prove he could handle the strain. He recuperated in Makino's tavern and stayed with the pirates he so adored, until a mountain bandit group led by Higuma the Bear barged in and demanded grog. When none was found, their leader trashed the bar and left.
What was Luffy doing during the attack? He was eating what he thought was just a strange-looking, bad-tasting fruit, but it turns out it was a Devil Fruit! Luffy already couldn't swim, but with being a Devil Fruit Hammer in addition to it, things looked like he would never be a pirate. Luffy being himself, however, kept up his optimism until the Higuma bandits arrived at the tavern once again.
Infuriated at their bad-mouthing of Shanks and his crew, who Luffy himself had berated for being weak only a few panels before, the rubber boy attacked and was repelled with ease. Just as the finishing blow would have been struck the Shanks crew arrived as backup, and they did indeed massacre most of the bandits. The exception was Higuma, who escaped by boat with Luffy as a hostage.
Luffy ended up thrown overboard, but he indirectly got his revenge as a Sea King rose from the depths and devoured Higuma, boat and all! The beast then turned for Luffy, but was stopped by Shanks. With just one ungodly glare, Shanks turned the beast, but he paid a heavy price: His left arm. Luffy finally understood what being a pirate entailed, but as his friendly neighborhood pirates went to leave for good he vowed that he would become the Pirate King!
"Well, then," Shanks said; he removed his treasured straw hat and plopped it on Luffy's head, saying that when he became a great pirate someday he would return it. Luffy only cried, but ten years later the crying had stopped. Ten years later Luffy had grown strong, and set off with a final farewell to that same Sea King that took Shanks' arm -- a Gomu Gomu Pistol to the face. He made his oath to gather ten men and become the Pirate King then and there, and so the story began!
Roundtable
This area is where the staff members will discuss the ramifications, impacts, and various facets of a character's history. But what you will find here is opinion, so keep that in mind. If you have something you want to say, Personal Message GoAnderson at Arlong Park, or e-mail Zero_Gatotsu509@insightbb.com to get your comment posted here... maybe!
GoAnderson - Luffy's past took up some fifty pages, and is at the core of his motivation for becoming the successor to Gold Roger. I've been hooked on the series ever since I read that chapter, so I do feel a strong attachment to it. And now, I'll open the roundtable with this: Start the SBS!
Links
Luffy's Bio Page (See for shortened history information)
Luffy's Attacks (See for special techniques)
The Straw Hat Pirates (See for group information)