Originally Posted by
Laufeyson
Luffy dreams of becoming King of the Pirates, but what does that mean?
On one hand, Luffy believes that the King of the Pirates is “the person with the most freedom in the world.” On the other hand, Luffy always acts on behalf of others. It’s neat how he helps people around him. Making others happy makes him happy. Those he helped then return the favor. I believe that this samurai spirit—a chivalrous heart that beats for others—should be passed down to future generations.
Hmmm, I think you are missing Oda point here. The thing is Luffy help people because he like it, even if the consequence is worse than anything. To put it simple Luffy doesn't give a ****. He doesn't give a **** and to be honest it's just good for people there he gives a **** in the right term because if not, then... you can see from Impel Down and Doflamingo fall down. I think you are missing this, but, Luffy without doubt is the villain of Impel Down, and that arc truly highlights how for all he did, he is villain. He let out prisoners, destroying what supposed to be prison, killing people like guard of Impel Down who did nothing by boiling them into the Level 4.
Normally hero even if it's GA will take a second time to think everything that Luffy did, but Luffy? Nah, he didn't give a ****.
Because, like what Oda said there, what Luffy wants is the most important thing as far as he is concerned. The other? **** everything else.
So, Oda sure tell us that he is a hero, but the another way to interpret what he said is that Luffy is person who doesn't give a **** and just in the right mind of it. That's dangerous, the way to read it in another way is through Baki Dou - The Musashi arc. Musashi there is just like Luffy. He is a good person, a pleasant and honest guy that speak of his mind. But through the stories he is paint out as villain because his way of thinking has a dissonance with how modern world is thinking.
Now, sure you can say that Luffy is a hero because he fight for those can't, but there is a line here that it's as along as he care. He save Nami, Robin, Ace, Vivi because he cares about and allow them to be happy more often than not.
Now, how about Superman. How about we imagine if Superman had Luffy moral there? Doesn't that make him the most dangerous being alive. He is strong enough to destroy stars and he just do whatever he wanted, doing justice what he thought as right and just being immoral as ****. Judging people not by standards, but by himself doesn't that frightening? I think the answer is yes.
Though I can give you this that we can see Luffy as heroic and morally right if we look into the frame of Shonen's target audience. But, the thing is, I am an adult, the way I see the world and the target audience for Shonen is different. So for me the answer from that SBS is that we supposed to learn that we must help the others in need like the roamnticism version of Samurai, not that Luffy is a hero.