One Piece primarily revolves around the Straw Hats, and Nami is one of the central characters of the manga and anime series. Oda sensei’s outstanding writing, coupled with Nami’s looks, intelligence, and resourcefulness, make her a fan-favorite character. While fans know a lot about our beloved cat burglar Nami, there are still some hidden and interesting facts about One Piece’s Nami that you might be unaware of. So, we have curated a list of unknown facts about Nami-swannn, including her likes/dislikes, background, and personality.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers about Nami from the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece. We suggest you watch the anime and read the manga first to avoid ruining your experience.
1. Nami’s Birthday is a Clever Wordplay
Nami’s birthday is celebrated on the 3rd of July. There is a reason why her birth date falls on the said date, and it’s a clever move from Oda sensei. July 3rd can be written as 7/3 in US format, and Na = 7 and Mi = 3 in Japanese. So, the birth date and month combined together form our beloved Nami-chan’s name.
This is indeed a hidden easter egg in One Piece from Oda, but it’s not the only one. One time Oda mentioned that Nami’s phone number is 7373-737373, which also resonates with her name. Now, don’t go calling this number!
2. All of Nami’s Favorite Foods
We all know Nami has a huge obsession with money, but the author has also revealed her likings when it comes to food. Nami’s favorite food is mikans. This is the case since Nami’s adoptive mother, Bell-mere, and her sister, Nojiko, like the same food.
Nami also likes Oshiruko, a dish from Wano Country that was revealed recently, and she likes fried eggs, sunny side up, cooked with orange sauce. She also enjoys other fruit varieties but Orangette is her least favorite dish. About Nami’s cooking, roasted duck with mikan sauce is her favorite recipe to prepare.
3. Nami Could’ve Been a Cyborg
This interesting fact is going to blow your mind for sure. Before Franky, Nami’s earlier designs suggest that she could have been a Cyborg. Yes! You read that right, an earlier sketch of Nami included her having a prosthetic left hand as well as a prosthetic right leg. She carried a big battle-axe in this concept. Whilst the Nami we have in One Piece is uber-cool, the earlier concept would have made her look badass.
4. Nami’s Devil Fruit Powers by Oda
Nami is not a devil fruit user, and that’s a known fact. But when Oda was asked if Nami was a devil fruit user, which devil fruit she would have eaten? Well, he replied with an unexpected answer. Oda replied that Nami would have gained the powers of Goro Goro no Mi.
For those unaware, this is Enel’s devil fruit, which is one of the strongest devil fruits in One Piece. If you’re wondering why particularly this devil fruit, it’s because Nami has always been associated with lightning powers. So, this devil fruit would be an instant match for her.
5. Jolly Roger for Nami
All the pirate crews have a cool Jolly Rogers in One Piece, but what if I say Nami also has a personal Jolly Roger? Yeah, that’s the case. The Jolly Roger you see pictured above was made by Oda for Nami’s character. The left one is the pre-time skip Jolly Roger, and the right one is after the two-year time skip. Both of these Jolly Rogers personify Nami’s character as well as her obsession with money quite well.
6. Nami Cosplay and Oda Connection
During Jump Festa 2002, model and actress Chiaki Inaba cosplayed Nami from One Piece. But, little did she know that her performance would lead to a surprising encounter. Yeah, mangaka Oda with Inaba after her performance and was captivated by her charm. Thus, they started dating and decided to tie the knot on November 7, 2004.
So yeah, Oda found his real-life Nami and is blessed with two daughters. It’s an incredible story, right? Oda penning a fictional character, that character coming to life through cosplay, and him finding his soulmate in the process. Another extraordinary fact, but yeah, Nami’s character sure had a butterfly effect on Oda’s life.
7. Nami Invited Chopper Before Luffy
Everyone knows that when it comes to the addition of new members to the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece, Luffy is generally the one who invites everyone to his crew. But something special transpired on Drum Island.
During the Drum Island arc (see One Piece arcs order list), Nami essentially invited Chopper to join the group before Luffy by asking him if he would want to go on adventures with them. Nami always had a special place for kids in her hear, and this is why Chopper must have won over her instantly.
8. Debut in the Anime is Different from Manga
Yes, the introduction of Nami’s character is notably different in the One Piece manga and the anime. While Episode 1 of the anime shows Nami infiltrating Alvida’s ship and meeting Luffy while escaping with the treasure, these events do not happen in the manga. Nami makes her first appearance in manga Chapter 8, titled “Nami,” and it happens after Luffy has already recruited Zoro as the first crewmate of the Straw Hats Pirates.
It’s a common misconception among many fans that Nami was Luffy’s first crewmate. Zoro is the first person Luffy met, so he will always be his initial companion.
9. This is Nami’s Real-Life Job
In an SBS, author Oda mentioned that if the One Piece world was based on today’s real-life world, Nami would originate from the country, Sweden. He further added that if the Straw Hats didn’t go with the choice of Pirates, Nami would now be working as a childcare worker. I mean, Nami has an affinity towards children, so this job would suit her personality, right? So, this is one of the most intriguing facts about Nami.
10. What Nami Will Look Like When She Gets Old
Nami is the most popular female character in One Piece, and it’s natural for fans to raise many questions about her. In one such case, Oda answered the question of how would Nami look through different ages with two possible pictures. You can see the alternate possibilities of Nami in her old age, as envisioned by Oda sensei.
Frequently Asked Questions
Author Oda has stated that the Straw Hat Pirates are unlikely to fall in love with each other or romance among them. So there is zero chance that Nami is in love with Luffy.
We certainly don’t have the future pair of Nami in One Piece right now.
The first one to have a crush on Nami is none other than Sanji.
Ajith Kumar
