Similarities Between Lucci and Luffy
For example, Luffy and Doflamingo share…
- A past of building a hideout in a garbage dump and living with a non-blood family
- A track record of defeating kings who oppressed their people (King Riku, Wapol)
- Conqueror’s Haki
- Deep care for their crewmates
- Hatred of the Celestial Dragons
Their circumstances are so similar that had they met differently, they might have become friends.
I felt the same kind of intentional parallel between Lucci and Luffy, so let’s compare them.
Cross and X
Lucci has a cross-shaped scar on his back from cannon fire. This symbolizes that he carries the World Government’s emblem on his back.
Meanwhile, Luffy has an X-shaped scar on his chest from Akainu. This means he has the Jolly Roger carved into his chest.
Gun-Named Techniques
Whether it’s Lucci’s personal preference or a CP tradition, both he and Luffy name their techniques after guns.
From the ultimate technique “Rokuougan” (Six King Gun), we can see that Oda uses “King” (王) to mean “one who has mastered something.” Applying this logic to “Pirate King” (海賊王) gives us “one who has mastered being a pirate.”
What exactly it takes to master piracy, however, remains undefined.
“Saru Ougun” — just one character different from “Rokuougan.”
I think Luffy’s technique names shifted from “Pistol” to “Gun” because of Lucci’s influence. His reasoning probably went something like:
“Rokuougan was so powerful…”
→ “Both ‘gun’ and ‘pistol’ mean the same thing, but ‘gun’ sounds stronger”
→ “Hancock also uses ‘Pistol’ for a smaller technique”
→ “Alright, let’s call the next big one ‘Gun'”
…and that’s how “Gomu Gomu no Elephant Gun” came to be.
Simple and Honest Characters
What stood out in Chapter 1076 was Lucci’s straightforward and simple personality. He answers honestly even when the answer puts him at a disadvantage, gets scolded by Kaku for it, and immediately takes Luffy’s bait.
During his undercover mission, he compensated for this weakness with the clever idea of using ventriloquism with a pigeon.
Luffy is also simple and honest and can’t really lie — but compared to Lucci, he has leveled up somewhat in that department.
At minimum, he’s now capable of confidently lying when using a Den Den Mushi, when facing an enemy, and when covering for someone.
Contrasting Upbringings
Lucci is an elite who was trained in government facilities from childhood, thoroughly indoctrinated in the World Government’s ideology.
His nature is ferocious, blood-hungry, and beast-like — always waiting for orders to kill. He delegates all moral judgment to the World Government and simply executes whatever mission he’s given.
In a sense, he’s similar to the Seraphim.
- An elite killer steeped in World Government ideology since childhood
- Aware he uses “justice” as an excuse; his brand of justice is “necessary evil”
- A life of following orders, not his own will
In Luffy’s Case
Luffy received no formal education from adults and grew up freely in nature, helped along by his sworn brothers.
The result: no common sense, but an iron will; doesn’t listen to others, but deeply cares about them; selfish, but can’t walk away from someone in tears.
- A wild person raised without formal education
- Judges right and wrong by his own standards, not someone else’s
- The ultimate in selfishness
A Rival in the Making?
Looking at these comparisons, you get the sense that Oda set them up like Goku and Vegeta, or Gon and Killua — protagonist and rival.
Lucci still seems to need another level-up before he can truly be Luffy’s rival. The question is: will Lucci’s role end completely with the Egghead Arc, or will he stay entangled with Luffy all the way to the end?
We can’t take our eyes off Lucci.