How did Luffy get his scars?

The famous Straw Hat is the most known feature of the great pirate Monkey D. Luffy in One Piece universe. But the most memorable and impressive ones are the scars he ended up with, through his adventure. The first one below his left-eye; the second and overwhelming one on his chest. 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question : How did Luffy get his scars? In clarifying the origins of these cool-looking scars, since there are a lot of speculations about how Luffy got them.

The author of One piece, Eiichiro Oda finally revealed details behind Luffy’s scars, in SBS interviews. In addition to that, you are going to get all of the anime and manga info we pointed out, after recently rewatching it. Also, One Piece’s related contents will be taken into account. 

Let’s begin and stick till the very end, to uncover everything you are looking for.

How did Luffy get the scar on his face? 

Since the first episode, that scar is visible on Luffy’s face, and we haven’t been given any explanation about its origin for a long time. Finally, it was revealed a few episodes before the time skip. 

What episode did Luffy get his scar?

It’s firstly shown in the anime, in the sixth TV special named “Episode of Luffy: Adventure on Hand Island”, which takes place between episodes 576 and 577.

In one of the flashbacks, it’s shown that Luffy got the scar below his eye, by stabbing himself with a dagger. It comes again later in episode 878.

It’s quite surprising that they put this information so far in the anime. While in the manga, this was presented in Chapter 1, when Luffy was introduced as a child.

Actually, it’s the first event the audience can read, after Gol D. Roger challenged the world to find the One piece, during his execution. The anime did not show it, probably because the scene was estimated to be violent; they put it off.

Where does Luffy get his scar?

The story behind the scar, starts when Shanks’s ship berthed Luffy’s village. The crew was making fun of Luffy, and they were taunting him. At such a point, he was so pissed off. He stabbed himself under his left eye while they were watching, to prove how courageous and brave he was, to follow them on their next adventure.

What didn’t actually work with the members of the crew, but they started to act more friendly with him. But it didn’t prevent Shanks from keeping making fun of Luffy, and his “Anchor” outfit. 

In the “Episode of Luffy: Adventure on Hand Island” TV special, this memory comes back to him, when he sees Shanks’s statue.

How did Luffy get the scar on his chest? 

Luffy’s chest scar is the most impressive, and speculative one. A lot of theories have been conveyed, due to some filler content. But hopefully, Oda leaked out the details.

What episode does Luffy get his scar on his chest? 

Luffy’s second scar is an “X” shape burned scar across his chest. It’s really correctly seen after the time skip. 

We have been having two theories about the “X” scar origin. 

• The first one was stating that it was due to Akainu in the Marineford story arc, in Chapter 578 and in Episode 487.
• The other one was about Zoro slicing Luffy, after he loses his memory in Episode 223 in Ocean’s Dream story arc. (we talk about it here : Why did zoro cut Luffy ?)

Oda confirmed that the scar was surely from Akainu, in SBS 62’s interview.

Where does Luffy get his chest scar?

For those who already know what happened in the Marineford War, taking a look at this scar rewinds everything about this arc, including the trauma Luffy endured.

After Ace died in front of him, Luffy was so deeply unsettled, that he was paralyzed and unconscious. His paralysis is also probably due to forcing his body, at such point he asked Ivankov to give him another dose of adrenaline hormone.

Akainu was determined to swipe Luffy out. But his friends and Whitebeard’s crew were there to protect him.

Jimbe blocked Akainu and planned to run away with Luffy. Unfortunately, the sea was frozen by Aokiji, and by this time, Akainu managed to catch them up at the bay. Then, he attacked them with a magma punch, which pierced through Jimbe’s shoulder. And, mainly hit Luffy, inflicting some severe damage. Almost opening his chest. Luffy and Jimbe would have died without the intervention of Buggy, Law Trafalgar, Crocodile, and Shanks.

As weird as it is, the events of the Ocean’s Dream story arc, a filler arc, let appear a scene in which a similar “X” wound has been inflicted to Luffy.

In this arc, Zoro loses his memories and is hypnotized by a sea-horse. In this state, he attacked Luffy and sliced his chest, leaving an “X” mark on it.

However, as the episode was a filler, it was a non-canon. It is not likely to be taken in account for the main plotline’s logic. Since fillers don’t have any impact on the story.

Moreover, Luffy’s chest is visible dozens of times after his fight with Zo ro. Later, in the Sabaody arc, his chest is shown but without any scar on it. It makes it clear that the events of Ocean’s Dream arc did not affect the sequel of the anime. 

Eiichiro Oda confirmed that Akainu’s attack was indeed the reason why Luffy got the “x” scar in an SBS. 

SBSs are interviews, in which Oda replies to fans’ questions on a wide variety of subjects. 

At the end of SBS 62, a fan’s question was: “Is the scar on Luffy’s chest from 2 years ago when Akainu attacked Jimbe and Luffy? […]”. To which he answered: «You’re right. Akainu punched through Jimbe’s left shoulder and into Luffy’s chest! […] »; approving the origins of the scar. 

Why is the scar on the chest “x” shaped?

Since the scar Luffy ended up with was caused by an explosion, it looks X – shaped and stretched. 

Even right after getting hit by Akainu’s attack, through the smoke we can see the wound also shaped like an “X” on his chest, just as the future scar looks.

In the first place, it seems that Luffy received reduced damages. Akainu’s attack went through Jimbe’s shoulder, then hit Luffy’s chest. Meaning less burning damage dealt to him. 

Since his body is made of rubber, it’s supposed to melt before burning. Thus, with the damage reduced, his skin has melted, and it likely induced points. Instead of a deep round hole. 

We also know that he received, fairly quickly, an emergency medical treatment. After the internal damage was rectified, Law would need to sew the hole back together. 

Considering the way, the skin would have been melted, the only possibility left to Law was stitching it back together, in this manner. Leaving that way, a sort of “x” shaped scar on Luffy’s chest. 

Also, note that the scar made by a blade is much more regular and is a clean cut. Which is different from the one Luffy has. If it was the same one, it would have been larger than the type of scar Zoro’s blades can give.

Giving a thorough look at it, we can notice that the “x” scar Straw hat Luffy has, is a “burn wound’s scar”.

How did Luffy get his scars ? Final words :

Scars are prominent details, whether as a cool part of character design, or as a stigma of hardship and outstanding moments of a character’s story.

To answer the question : How did Luffy get his scars ? I will say, Luffy’s eye scar testifies his determination to become a great pirate, a hero, estimated by his model Shanks. The scar left on his chest is a clue that he managed to make himself some valuable comrades.

A wound which got healed by the combined efforts of the reliable allies he made himself, throughout his adventure.