Hump Day Husbando: Trafalgar Law (One Piece)
Well, this sure is an oversight on our part. Since we can’t be the only ones who are ever so excited for the live action One Piece to drop on Netflix tomorrow – fingers crossed it’s as enjoyable as the early reviews say – there’s no better time than now to owe a Hump Day Husbando piece on one of its most beloved male characters in the series. I can’t be the only one to have assumed that he had already covered.
So, about that Trafalgar Law.
Minor spoilers are mentioned.
Who is Trafalgar Law?
“Surgeon of Death” Law is both captain and doctor of the Heart Pirates. He made quick work to win the hearts (pun intended) of audiences since his very first appearance during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc. Despite being in a minor role initially Law would start immediately appearing in the One Piece official character popularity poll. At one point he was even beating out Zoro who had consistently ranked at second place at the time, giving Oda the perfect reason to put Law in the spotlight. We sure did want more of him and more we certainly got.
Appearing at the forefront in the later arcs of Punk Hazard and Dressrosa as he takes the role of a deuteragonist, Law would become much more than just another pirate who is referred as within the confines of the Worst Generation. Alongside butting heads with Eustass Kid that is.
Why we love him
First things first, Law is voiced by one of our favourite voice actors in the industry; Hiroshi Kamiya, known best for portraying Levi from Attack on Titan, Izaya Orihara from Durarara, Akashi from Kuroko’s Basketball, and my personal favourite, Gareki from Karneval. He’s got a fantastic voice that adds that extra oomph to Law’s characterisation.
Speaking of I feel that it is appropriate to sum up Law as a jerk with a heart of gold. He appears unapproachable and unfriendly, is short and blunt when he speaks and tends to be inexpressive and deadpan. He’s the opposite of Luffy in the charisma department, and for that reason alone is why so much humour comes from Law’s interactions with him and his crew. Such scenes often result in Law being unsure of how to react to their wacky antics, and it’s an absolute joy to witness each and every time. But when we see his eventual allying with the Straw Hat Pirates the levels of loyalty and compassion hidden in his depths can be appreciated.
Why you will love him
That’s because like any memorable and loveable character from One Piece who makes the longest lasting significant impact on its audience, Law’s past/baggage tends to be compared to that of Nico Robin’s. The man lost everything not once but twice, and the initial tragedy that happened to him occurred when he was a mere child. He’s a heavy hitting character since his cynicism towards the world and people in general is more than understandable.
For a guy whose devil fruit grants immortality through his own self sacrifice, Law is continuously searching for a reason to live. Once his plan that consumed over a decade of his life was finally accomplished, it’s his allegiance to the Straw Hats and his own crew that keeps him going after his original goal is fulfilled. Talk about emotional damage. To say that his determination is admirable is an understatement. He’s much too humble to realise just how strong he really is in many more ways than just his medical and combat abilities.
Unfamiliar with the world of One Piece? Turn that around by watching the anime now on Crunchyroll.
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