Boa Hancock or “The Pirate Empress” is one of the more loved characters in One Piece. She is considered the most beautiful woman in the entirety of the Blue Sea.
The Snake Princess (Hebi-Hime) is the current ruler of Amazon Lily, an island on the calm belt which is inhabited by an all-female race called the Kuja tribe.
Boa Hancock is incredibly powerful due to her strong haki and is a user of the devil fruit - Mero Mero no Mi.
As the captain of the Kuja Pirates, she was also a former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea before the Shichibukai system was abolished.
Her current bounty is an impressive 1.659 billion berries, proving that she is a beauty who can literally slay.
In which episode does Luffy first meet Boa Hancock?
Luffy first meets Hancock for a brief minute towards the end of Episode 411 - ‘The Secret Hidden on the Backs – Luffy and the Snake Princess Meet’.
In the Amazon Lily Arc, Luffy is sent flying to the island of Kuja by Bartholomew Kuma, after he had caused a ruckus at the Sabaody Archipelago by punching a Celestial Dragon.
Shortly after that, he is captured by the inhabitants and is treated like a specimen of sorts by most of the Kuja, as it is their first time seeing a man.
However, Luffy soon escapes from the prison and tries to flee from the Kuja warriors.
Meanwhile, the episode also covers that Boa Hancock and the Kuja Pirates have finally returned home to the Amazon Lily from their voyage. It also shows that, although the Snake Princess is a narcissistic and cold person to an extent, she is still adored by her tribe.
Soon an announcement is made that it is time for the Pirate Empress to take a bath and the castle is closed off to everyone.
Luffy on the other hand is still being chased by the Kuja warriors and falls and crashes into a building, which turns out to be Hancock’s bath.
This is when Luffy first encounters Boa Hancock.
Luffy then comments about the symbol on Hancock’s back, claiming that it seems familiar. The princess gets flustered and tries to hide it as if her life depended on it.
With this, the episode comes to an end.
What is the current relationship between Luffy and Boa Hancock?
Although Luffy first meets Hancock in an unconventional setting, the two gradually become closer as they help each other out.
The Pirate Empress has also fallen in love with our protagonist and has become one of the strongest allies of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Even though Hancock is clearly in love with Luffy, there is not much progress in their relationship as lovers, and is just an unrequited love at this point.
However, fans of One Piece are really fond of the potential between the two. The Luffy X Boa Hancock ship has become one of the most popular and favorite ships among countless others in the community.
It is yet to be seen if the two will get together in the future.
