Just started watching One Piece and...

[Kusanagi]

Is it just me, or do ya'll seem to think that Luffy has a real Homer Simpson-esque quality about him in that he gets dumber with every episode??

[docdan63]

Is it just me, or do ya'll seem to think that Luffy has a real Homer Simpson-esque quality about him in that he gets dumber with every episode??



No actually I totally agree with you on that one. His child simpleness makes the meat of his character though. Good stuff. Oda needs to keep that up.

[UChessmaster]

Is it just me, or do ya'll seem to think that Luffy has a real Homer Simpson-esque quality about him in that he gets dumber with every episode??

no, homer is a goffy rather angry guy that do angry stuff wich ends up being goofy

luffy, is a guffy rather heroic guy that do goofy stuff but end up being heroic at the end of the day

[DarthEnderX]

That's not really what he's asking.

He's asking if anyone else thinks Luffy gets stupider over the course of the series.

I say he goes up and down. Generally yes, but occasionally, he does things that are...uncharacteristically intelligent.


For example(mid series spoilers):



The entire encounter with Laboon. Somehow, he understood the situation, and developed this rather complicated psychological plot to start a fight with Laboon, then end it midfight, giving Laboon something else to live for. And then, even comes up with the whole idea of the mark so Laboon would start hurting himself. His execution makes it seem like his normal stupid self, but it's obvious he understood the outcome of what he was doing.

Things like that are on a thought level much higher than he normally displays. Makes a person wonder if he's smarter than he seems, or if Oda just wrote him a little out of character there.

[Assertn]

The entire encounter with Laboon. Somehow, he understood the situation, and developed this rather complicated psychological plot to start a fight with Laboon, then end it midfight, giving Laboon something else to live for. And then, even comes up with the whole idea of the mark so Laboon would start hurting himself. His execution makes it seem like his normal stupid self, but it's obvious he understood the outcome of what he was doing.

Things like that are on a thought level much higher than he normally displays. Makes a person wonder if he's smarter than he seems, or if Oda just wrote him a little out of character there.
Except luffy always acts like that. He has no intention of being a hero of justice, and adheres to his own beliefs. His way of helping others is by awakening their own drive, and the bigger their drive, the more he's willing to assist, like with the Cobi/Alvida conflict. He also makes his own decisions on how to approach a problem, which has caused friction between him and his friends on different occasions, like that scene from Arabasta when Luffy blatantly snuffed Vivi. He also willfully chooses to avoid conflicts that clash with his own beliefs as well, such as when that spring guy was beating the shit out of him and Zoro.

Some of Luffy's decisions end up being plain stupid, but many of them actually end up being really complex and make him a pretty deep character. It's hard to tell what he's going to do half the time.

[Abdula]

Freaking Assertn,


Things like that are on a thought level much higher than he normally displays. Makes a person wonder if he's smarter than he seems, or if Oda just wrote him a little out of character there.


Neither, thats just intuitiveness. Luffy understanding Laboons emotions, thoughts and feelings without any communication. It doesn't have anything to do with any sophisticated thought process, its just another example of Luffy following his instincts.

[Kraco]

Yeah. I don't think he's a genuine idiot but his thinking process is quite childish and instinct driven, like Abdula said. When you look at things more rationally like many in the crew do, Nami above all, Luffy's behavior can seem very stupid.

What comes to the original question, I haven't really thought about it, but it's quite possible. After all, once you get used to something, you need higher doses to have an effect.

[Assertn]

But it's ok, cause Luffy's a pirate.
Pirates aren't supposed to follow other peoples' code of conduct.

[Death BOO Z]

I think we discussed something similar regarding Naruto.
which is true, though Luffy doesn't seem to be so effected of it.

in anime, charecters tend to fall into the one dimensional perssona the moment we get past the first few seasons.
dumb people get dumber, smart people get smarter, eno bitches go hardcore, and crybabies can't stop whinning.

examples: as said, Homer (and the rest of the simpsons), Ranma 1/2(Ranm & Akane's realtionship), Prince of tennis (just about every single charecter, espically the shorter kids) even Berserk (Puff was semi intelgent when the series started, now he's as dumb as a rock).

[Kusanagi]

I see what your saying about the insight and willingness to act upon it.

I just passed the Alabasta arc and after having seen his brother a couple new questions come to mind. Is Luffy's "idiocy" just something he fell into after having a brother like that? And if so, does he really have the capacity to be like his brother?

[DarthEnderX]

I don't think so. Ace seems ALOT less stupid than Luffy. Sure, he's got weird bouts of narcolepsy, but overall, he gives off the impression that any ignorance he has is feigned.