Romance in shonen manga is a rare treat. Many series hint at it but stay away from any direct confirmation unless they're ending. Well, for one, the genre is primarily catered to young boys, and girls have cooties. Second, it's all about action. There's no time for romance! Yet, somehow, the biggest series of all, One Piece, has a fair amount of romance in it. That's probably why it's remained so popular over the years.
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There are little sprinkles of romance throughout the 900+ chapter series. So, let's open the floodgates and gush about some fan pairings. Hopefully, this will hold people over until Pirate Warriors 4 finally comes out.
Updated on November 4th, 2021 by Olivia Subero:The progression of the most recent Wano Country arc has birthed another potential ship between Zoro and one of the newest characters. Also, this list has been updated to fix some out of date information and address a few other minor errors.
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10 Fans Are Behind: Nami X Sanji
There's really no other place to start, is there? Nami and Sanji, the pairing the manga itself harps on most, as well as the one most fans talk about. Some are against it due to how big of a perv Sanji is and how he loves every woman he sees.
Others are against it because they think Sanji should remain alone or get together with one of his other potential love interests, such as Pudding or Viola. But, at the end of the day, both of these kids have saved each other from forced marriage attempts, they're constantly teasing each other (even if Sanji is usually the one being teased), and they have natural chemistry.
9 Fans Rejected: Luffy X Nami
Now, arguably, Luffy and Nami have gone through more together, and Nami might even trust Luffy more than Sanji. The rubber boy did save her life from Arlong and finally broke down the walls that kept her from connecting with anyone. Still, to the fans, these two have never seemed like anything more than close friends.
Luffy makes no attempts to appear attractive to Nami, and she rarely, if at all, uses her feminine wiles to trick him. They're just two kindred spirits with entirely different personalities. We love the chemistry between the captain and navigator of the Straw Hat Crew but couldn't imagine them even holding hands romantically.
8 Fans Are Behind: Robin X Franky
Most casual readers of One Piece prefer that all of the Straw Hat Crew just remain as friends. The whole series is built upon finding your true "nakama," and forcing romantic ties would deflate that overall message. Still, if any two in the crew make sense together, it's Franky and Robin. Both of them act as mature older siblings to the rest of the bunch and have some really tragic backgrounds.
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They've crossed the romantic barrier before right when Franky joined, although that instance was rather violent. Still, the movies especially like to hint at a sort of subtle closeness between the Oharan scholar and the Shipwright protege, and fans are all for it.
7 Fans Rejected: Usopp X Perona
There's a real trend that if two characters share any similarities, people think they're destined for each other. Remember, most of these people ranting and raving about pairings on forums are teens or children, so they're a bit inexperienced on what makes a successful mature relationship.
And a pairing that was constantly fought for with little evidence is Usopp and Perona. The two of them are both realists, and not to mention "weak" and cowardly. Oh, and they both have unique facial expressions. Yet, they've only shared one fight and a few conversations. There's nothing there in terms of romantic interest or even general friendship.
6 Fans Are Behind: Usopp X Kaya
Usopp and Kaya, on the other hand, might as well just be a confirmed pairing by mangaka Eiichiro Oda himself. They both like each other. They have also made it known; it's simply a matter of Kaya surviving until Usopp makes it through the Grand Line, and their pairing is sure to happen.
Usopp almost died for her, she's sacrificed plenty for him, and she actually likes his cowardly nature and tendency to lie. It's a classic case of individuals who grew up together and grow old together. As far as romances go, other than maybe Capone Bege and his wife Charlotte Chiffon, this is about as real as they'll get in the One Piece universe.
5 Fans Rejected: Zoro X Perona
Poor Perona, she just can't seem to romance anyone. Not that she really tries to; her personality just sort of innately puts anyone close to her in the "friend zone." While it's true that Zoro and Perona have shared plenty of time together, have chemistry conversationally, and an honest, natural back-and-forth, it still doesn't seem romantic. Moreso, they seem like unlikely allies forced to be friendly due to their situation.
Think of how Luffy and Trafalgar's alliance first started; it seems a lot more similar to that than how Usopp and Kaya talk to each other. While it'd be nice ifZoro finds love so he can develop a bit more emotional depth past "I really want cut things well," it's unlikely he'll find what he's looking for with Perona.
4 Fans Are Behind: Smoker X Tashigi
There's a common agreement among those in any workforce that you shouldn't date anyone you work with daily. People need space to maintain healthy relationships. Being forced to see your significant other every day at work and when you're home only makes things more complicated.
Yet, somehow, we still think Marine Captain Smoker and his subordinate Tashigi would be fantastic together. Honestly, it seems like Tashigi is the only person Smoker even opens up to, and he also seems to encompass everything Tashigi wants to become herself as a Marine. Plus, they've both possessed each other's bodies for a time in Punk Hazard, so that adds another weird level to the potential chemistry.
3 Fans Rejected: Zoro X Tashigi
While there was some genuine connection between Smoker and Tashigi, there is almost nothing for Zoro and the sword-wielding Marine. Well, other than the fact she looks like his dead childhood friend, which is about the worst reason for romance possible.
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Tashigi and Zoro are both sword users, and while there are hundreds of fan theories about her being Kuina, it hasn't been confirmed, and they still have almost no chemistry in the current day. Yet, all it takes is both of them using swords for fans to rant and rave about how they belong together.
2 Fans Are Behind: Zoro X Hiyori
Now that the Wano Country arc is in full swing, fans have been introduced to an array of new characters. Hiyori, the youngest child of the late Oden Kozuki, develops an allyship with the Straw Hat Crew's famous swordsman.After Zoro saves her and Otoko from a rampaging Kamazo, Hiyori stays by his side while in hiding. She feels more comfortable revealing her true identity to him after realizing he's allied with her brother, Momonosuke. Hiyori's trust in Zoro strengthens when she decides to give him Enma, a precious heirloom passed down from her father.
It's rare to see Zoro get close to another woman that isn't Nami or Robin, so fans welcome the idea of a ship between him and Hiyori. Their personalities are complete opposites, but there is a strong bond between them. Their banter is also a joy to watch, and fans are eager to see more of it.
1 Fans Rejected: Luffy X Boa Hancock
Let's take a look into one of the most forced pairings of the show that breeds nothing but contempt. Boa Hancock is a murderer, she's selfish, and she's vain. But she has a real soft spot for a certain Monkey D. Luffy. It's a hilarious series of events, and fans still kind of love that she melts at the sight of him, even when he's picking his nose.
But, these two would not last together. Luffy in no way would be subservient to her, Hancock wouldn't fit at all on the Thousand Sunny, and both their goals couldn't be more different. As unrequited love, it's a funny bit, but as a serious relationship, it doesn't hold much water.
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FAQs
Who is Mihawk's love interest? ›
It is one of few One Piece pairings where there has been a substantial amount of time spent together, as Mihawk and Perona have been by each other's side now for at least two years. Their moments can be seen closely as husband and wife, with how Perona tries to care for Mihawk and how he has shown worry for her safety.
Who will marry Nami? ›Who married Nami in One Piece? Nami and Sanji, the pairing the manga itself harps on most, as well as the one most fans talk about.
Who is Nami in love with? ›Who is Nami's crush One Piece? Nami cares about Luffy deeply and will often hug or hold onto him when she is scared or depressed. Their relationship is consistently presented as positive and affirming, an example of two people with compatible dreams and different temperaments working out conflicts as equals.
Who does Zoro marry in One Piece? ›Zoro does not marry anyone in One Piece. He is not interested in marriage. In the anime, Kozuki Hiyori is very close to Zoro because he risked his life to save her and Toko from Orochi's assassin Kamazo.
Who is Mihawks wife? ›Perona is a short young woman with unusually big, round eyes, and she has long, light pink hair that she keeps tied into two pigtails with black and white flower hairpins.
Who loves Zoro in One Piece? ›Zoro x Hiyori
They shared intimate moments and Zoro might even find a sense of belongingness when he's with her. Throughout his tedious journey, Zoro met a lot of potential partners but the connection he seems to have with Hiyori seems special as Wanokuni has immense influence over Zoro's life.
Throughout his journey Luffy has made strong bonds with numerous women. At least two have fallen in love with him, Alvida and Hancock, whilst another two have become enamoured with him, Rebecca and Shirahoshi. Nami, Robin and Vivi all share close and deep bonds with Luffy and have become some of his closest friends.
Who does Robin love? ›Robin also seems to be very devoted to Luffy, as he is the only person whom she wants to get stronger for. This shows how great her dedication to her captain has become after the Enies Lobby Arc. Upon learning of Ace's death, Robin was very shocked and became greatly concerned about Luffy's wellbeing.
Who did Luffy marry? ›| Love Interest | |
|---|---|
| Hobby | Eating meat, looking for adventure |
| Goals | To find the One Piece, become the King of the Pirates, protect his friends and loved ones |
| Love interest | Boa Hancock (Self-proclaimed wife) |
| Type of Love interest | Comical, Superpowered, Loveable Idiot |
Charlotte Pudding is one of the members of the Charlotte Family and a part of the Big Mom Pirates. She's one of the main characters to appear in One Piece's Whole Cake Island arc, where she is chosen to be Sanji's betrothed.
Does Nami have a crush on Vivi? ›
it's really easy to read nami's fast attachment to vivi as her developing a crush, but even if you don't, it's clear they hit it off very quickly just on account of being very compatible. throughout the whole alabasta saga we can see them just spending time together because they like each other.
Who is Nami shipped with? ›LuNa is the het ship between Monkey D. Luffy and Nami from the One Piece fandom.
What is mihawk's ship? ›The Hitsugibune is a small craft used by the former Warlord, Dracule Mihawk.
Who is Mihawk to Zoro? ›There has been no concrete evidence that Zoro and Mihawk are in anyway related by blood to each other. Zoro is Mihawk's disciple, and aims to beat Mihawk to become the strongest swordsman in the world.
Who's son is Mihawk? ›Mihawk is Rayleigh's son | Fandom.