Despite being associated with the series since the beginning, Shanks has appeared sparingly in Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece series. The red-haired pirate is the major driving factor behind Luffy becoming a ‘kaizoku’ rather than a Marine. Nonetheless, as the series progresses toward its final arc, it is almost evident that Luffy and Shanks will have a long-awaited reunion.
The two ‘mugiwara’ characters were speculated to have a reunion in the One Piece Film: Red. Released in August 2022, the movie grossed ¥20 billion in Japan and $246.5 million in overall box office sales. A scene did feature the meeting of the two pirates but Eiichiro Oda deftly dodged a proper reunion in order to make the fans wait till the end of the anime.
Eiichiro Oda’s Special Artwork For One Piece: Red Hints At An Upcoming Luffy-Shanks Reunion
Monkey D. Luffy and Shanks crossed paths in the Red but the moment wasn’t one that fans expected. Shanks didn’t get the opportunity to speak to Luffy as he was unconscious due to Uta’s Sing Sing Fruit. Daughter to the red-haired pirate, Uta eventually teams with Luffy and Shanks to fend off Marines although the latter two have no proper conversation because Shanks sailed away before Luffy could recover from the fight.
This isn’t the first time Monkey D. Luffy and Shanks have come close to having a reunion. Marineford, one of the best arcs, was expected to be the platform for the iconic scene. The latest Wano arc also teased a meeting but the red-haired pirate refused to see Luffy and crushed the hopes of fans.
While being a master of foreshadowing, Eiichiro Oda has also been an expert in providing clues about his upcoming story. A Twitter user shared an illustration by Oda based on One Piece Film: Red two years after the movie’s release. It can be assumed to be a spoiler from Eiichiro Oda about an imminent Luffy-Shanks reunion.
Special artwork for Film RED by Eiichiro Oda #OnePiece pic.twitter.com/3bm5385BQL
— Artur – Library of Ohara (@newworldartur) November 5, 2023
Similar to the Straw Hat Crew. the Red-Haired Pirates are also seeking the One Piece treasure. The ongoing Egghead arc has teased a fight between Luffy’s crew and the Five Elders of the World Government. Given that it would be a challenge unlike any other, the arrival of Shanks and Monkey D. Dragon is expected to shift the odds toward the hero’s favor.
Also Read: Is Saint Saturn’s Devil Fruit the Strongest? 5 Characters Who Fans Think Can Beat Him
Why Is The Reunion Between Luffy & Shanks A Highly-Anticipated Event?
Shanks is a mentor to Monkey D. Luffy and the person indirectly responsible for the stretchy powers of the hero: Luffy ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi Devil Fruit that was stashed away by the red-haired pirate. Fans theorize that the fruit was reserved for Ace as Shanks saw him with the power to overthrow the World Government but Luffy’s accident made him reconsider.
After Luffy’s rubber body made each member of the Red-Haired Pirates spit out their drinks, Shanks entrusted his straw hat to the young, aspiring pirate. Shanks made him promise that the mugiwara would be returned once Monkey D. Luffy became a famous pirate like himself.
The meeting between Luffy and Shanks is a highly anticipated event because of the emotional connotations attached to it. Shanks postponed their reunion during the Wano arc because he presumably wanted to see his friend obtain the One Piece and become King of the Pirates before acknowledging the straw hat’s greatness.
This is the reason why Shanks has set sail to find the titular treasure after numerous years of waiting. He knew Luffy was the next Joyboy the moment the latter ate the Devil Fruit. With their paths set to collide, it will be interesting to see how their eventual conversation pans out.
