Fans use golf and whips to explain combat in One Piece
Trying to explain One Piece fights can be a challenge to those that even know the context – thankfully a curious Reddit user has come up with a rather odd answer.
Ever wonder why Luffy fights the way he does in One Piece? Most likely not, as most combat in anime leans on your suspension of belief and immersion.
However, a curious Reddit user has questions for the fans as to why our favorite Straw Hat pirate hits the way he does.
Fighting in One Piece can fall to either a great display of intelligence and technique or a straight-up slugfest; there’s very little in between when it comes to Devil Fruit powers and over-the-top swordplay, and that’s not even bringing up Haki.
Why does Luffy fight strangely in One Piece?
Reddit user “GMYTERY69“ asks why Luffy aims his punch backwards before extending his arm instead of facing his hand forward pre-stretch. This is a reasonable question since any punch in real life is thrown facing the target already.
A simple punch such as this is Luffy’s iconic “Gum-Gum Pistol” attack. Naturally, Reddit users rushed to the comment section to assist in the investigation, some of which use odd but somehow apt examples.
One user comments “The way he does it would build up more speed. Like a whip.” Followed by support from another Reddit user “Exactly this. The fist carries the momentum backwards resulting in a greater force upon snapping back.”
Reddit user dumplin-gorilla-lion takes things to the country club with their golf-based theory, supporting technique over brute force, commenting:
“Relate this to Golf, If you simply use all of your muscle to crush the ball and hit it hard, it may go 100 yards (example). If you have good form, and allow your body to swing the club properly, creating a whip effect, even a relaxed, un-muscled swing could go 150 effortlessly. Explains this, suggests, even someone as small as Luffy, and create a whip effect with his elastic body, and have incredibly more hitting power.”
While adventuring in the New World, Luffy has yet to precisely measure up when compared vertically to his villains, Doflamingo, Kaido, and the appropriately named Big Mom. The official One Piece YouTube channel supports this theory of Luffy using techniques to compensate for his small stature.
If these curious Reddit users haven’t scratched your One Piece itch, why not check out our ranking of the best story arcs in One Piece? If you’re looking forward to the next episode, you’ll want to find out when the new episode will be released, spoiler warning!