If a member of the Straw Hat Pirates leaves the crew without Luffy's permission, Luffy does his best to recruit them back. This is how things work between the Straw Hat Pirates, as they are a close-knit pirate crew in One Piece. It's not a crew with many members, which is probably why they feel like a family. So far, Nami, Robin, and Usopp have left the crew at some point, only to return. Additionally, Chopper and Sanji were forced by others to leave the crew against their wishes, with Chopper returning shortly after. However, the situation with Sanji lasted for about a week. In this article, we'll tell you about these events and how they came about.

You'll learn about each of the crew members who left the crew, whether temporarily, as in most cases, or permanently, as in the case of Nefertari Vivi. We'll describe the circumstances that led to these events, as well as the circumstances surrounding each member's return to the crew. One common thread will be present in all of these stories: Luffy's unwavering will to keep the Straw Hats together and his willingness to do anything to keep them all in one place.

1. Nami – left during the Baratie Arc

While Luffy tries to convince Sanji to join his crew, Nami flees on the Going Merry after seeing a wanted poster for Arlong, without giving the crew any explanation. Luffy immediately decides to go find her. After recruiting Sanji, Luffy and his crew pursue their navigator to Arlong Park. Despite the fact that she is on the enemy side, Luffy continues to want her as his navigator.

With only a few cents left before Nami can buy back her village, Marines unfortunately come to take everything back, and Nami knows that Arlong is behind it all. She then settles the score with him, but Arlong claims that he never broke their contract. The villagers confess that they always knew what happened to Nami and decide to take up their weapons even though they know it's in vain.

Nami tries to stop them and assures them that she will return with the sum Arlong demanded. But the villagers don't listen to her. Enraged by Nami's crying, Luffy confronts Arlong and his cronies to avenge her. Arlong Park is reduced to ruins, and the village is liberated. Nami then decides to join Luffy in fulfilling his dream: to map the entire world. Genzo tells Luffy that if he takes away Nami's smile, he will regret it. Thus, Nami officially joins the Straw Hats.

2. Rain – left during the Zou Arc

Bege's crew captures Nami, Chopper, Brook, and Caesar. In his body, Bege announces that Sanji is invited to Big Mom's Tea Party. He will be married to Charlotte Pudding, the 35th daughter of the Charlotte family, as the third son of the Vinsmoke family. Sanji is stunned to learn this. He refuses to marry a woman he doesn't know, but Vito, the Firetank Crew's advisor, blackmails him.

Big Mom will kill everyone Sanji comes into contact with, namely Zeff and the rest of the Baratie, as well as Kedetrav's men. Sanji must have been forced to accept Bege's offer. However, after successfully freeing Nami and the others from Bege's body, he writes a letter stating that he will return. He takes Caesar Clown hostage and reminds Bege's men that his wanted poster reads "Only Alive," meaning they must keep him alive.

Pekoms later explains to Luffy that if and when Sanji's marriage to Pudding is formalized, Sanji will automatically cease to be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates and become a member of the Big Mom Pirates, something Luffy cannot accept. However, this proves to be false, as Big Mom's true intention was not to recruit Sanji, but to assassinate him and the entire Vinsmoke family during the wedding ceremony. During the wedding preparations, Sanji, under duress, met with Luffy, and Nami deliberately disrespected them, in an attempt to get them to abandon her. Knowing him, Luffy did not believe him, seeing Sanji's insincerity, and eventually managed to help him escape without consequence.

3. Usopp – “left” during the Enies lobby arc

When Luffy announces that they will be parting ways with the Going Merry because it has become beyond repair, Usopp does not accept this decision and decides to leave the crew, challenging Luffy to a single combat with the Going Merry as a reward. The beginning of the fight between Luffy and Usopp is very interesting since Usopp dominates Luffy. However, he is defeated by his former friend in one blow, due to the fact that he was already very weak before the fight.

After his defeat, Usopp finds himself alone on the Going Merry and is kidnapped by the Fanky family, who want to use him as bait to lure Luffy away. Usopp then explains to Franky that he is no longer part of the crew, because of the conflict surrounding the Going Merry. Franky is touched by this story and is overcome with affection for Usopp.

Later, Usopp refuses to help the crew save Robin, but he returns moments later wearing the Sogeking mask, claiming to be a friend of Usopp's and wanting to save Robin. Only Chopper and Luffy fail to recognize Usopp when he wears his Sogeking mask. Once they arrive at the large gate of Enies Lobby, Usopp participates in the fight against the two giants.

Once the latter is defeated, Usopp notices their tears and tells them that they had no reason to fight for the World Government because their leaders, whom they believed to be imprisoned, are actually on Little Garden Island. The two giants then decide to rally to the crew's cause. Once past the tribunal island, Usopp climbs onto the roof of the courthouse with the rest of the crew.

Shortly after, on Luffy's orders, he sets fire to the World Government flag atop the Tower of Justice. Once inside the Tower of Justice, Usopp sets off alone to find one of the keys to free Robin from his sea granite handcuffs. He confronts Jabura, who defeats him shortly afterward. Usopp would not have survived without the intervention of Zoro, who falls from the upper floor with his opponent, Kaku.

During this two-on-two, Usopp is handcuffed to Zoro following an unfortunate accident. They then ask Chopper to find the key that will allow them to free themselves. Once freed, Usopp must once again fight Jabura, who was about to kill him, if Sanji hadn't intervened. Later, Usopp is on the roof of the Tower of Justice, and shoots all the Marines to cover Robin and Franky, on the Bridge of Eclipse.

He then sends all the keys recovered from the CP9 agents. Once on the Bridge of Hesitation, the entire crew must face the Buster Call as well as the elite Marine unit while Luffy finishes his fight against Lucci. Once defeated, Luffy can no longer move, it is Usopp who will talk to him to motivate him to move, unfortunately in vain. Usopp will be one of the first to hear the voice of Going Merry come to save them.

Usopp is present as SOgeking at the Going Merry's funeral. Once back at Water 7, Usopp leaves on his own, given that he is no longer part of the crew. Meanwhile, he searches for phrases to say to his former crewmates to rejoin the crew. However, he is surprised by Sanji, who warns the others of his intentions. Everyone is delighted that Usopp can return, except for Zoro's remark that he will not be allowed to return to his crewmates until he apologizes.

Once the Straw Hats' new ship, Thousand Sunny, is about to set sail, the crew is left waiting for Usopp. However, they are forced to weigh anchor as Vice Admiral Garp attempts to stop them. Seeing the ship leave, Usopp becomes worried and rushes to apologize in tears. Luffy then offers him his hand so he can return to their ranks.

4. Nico Robin – left during the Water 7 arc

When Iceburg, mayor of Water Seven and president of Galley-La Company, is nearly killed in an assassination attempt, he claims one of the assassins was Nico Robin and assumes the masked man with her was another member of the Straw Hat Pirates. A newspaper ad accuses the Straw Hats and urges the townspeople to search for them.

While the crew hides from the townspeople, Sanji and Chopper find Robin, but she refuses to return to the crew and confesses that she was the one who attempted to assassinate Iceburg. The Straw Hats rush to Galley-La's headquarters where Robin and CP9, an elite group of World Government assassins, begin a raid. In Iceburg's room, Robin and the mysterious man Iceburg had seen reveal that they deliberately blamed the crew.

When Robin reveals her fears of being abandoned by the Straw Hats due to the danger she poses to them, Luffy orders Sogeking to burn the World Government's flag. Luffy declares that they will never abandon her, no matter if the World Government is her enemy. Luffy then encourages Robin to say that she wants to live. The archaeologist cries to all the Enies Lobby members, crying, that she wants to live and return to the sea with them.

5. Nefertari Vivi – left at the end of the Alabasta Arch

As Crocodile throws Vivi from the battlements, Luffy and Pell arrive from the sky and catch her. On the ground, Luffy, Pell, and Vivi are joined by the other members of the group, each of whom has fought a fierce battle against Baroque Works' most powerful agents. Luffy goes to fight Crocodile, and the rest of the group sets out to find the bomb that will destroy everything.

With just a few minutes left, Vivi discovers that the cannon that will fire the bomb is located at the top of a bell tower. On their way, Billions attempt to kill Vivi, but Tashigi and a few Marines clear the way for them. Once at the top of the bell tower, Vivi defeats Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day with some acrobatics and cuts the fuse of the cannon a second before firing.

However, she realizes that the bomb has a timer. Just when she thinks it's lost, Pell takes the bomb with him, and using his Zoan-type Devil Fruit power, he flies up and detonates the bomb far enough into the sky for it to go unnoticed. Unfortunately, this isn't enough to stop the fighting, and no one hears her shouts for the soldiers and rebels to lay down their weapons.

The fight continues until Luffy defeats Crocodile and rain begins to fall on Alabasta. They stop fighting in shock, allowing Vivi to be heard by everyone. Her speech is confirmed by several people, including Kohza, Igaram, who miraculously escaped his ship's explosion, and a little boy who had discovered some of Baroque Works' stock.

Vivi and her friends have succeeded. They stopped the war and arrested Crocodile. After their victory at Alubarna, the crew rests at the Royal Palace. After a huge banquet in honor of the kingdom's saviors and a collective bath in the Royal Baths, the pirates consider leaving. Vivi then worries about the friendship that unites them.

She is torn between joining her friends and starting a new life, or staying and fulfilling her duty as a princess. The crew gives her time to think and arranges to meet her at the last port of Alabasta, where the Going Merry will pass. So, if she decides to continue the adventure, this will be her last chance to join them.

The next morning, Vivi prepares her speech to the people. She has made her decision: she will stay in her country, but she will honor her friendship with the pirate crew. Instead of appearing on the balcony of the royal palace, she decides to deliver her speech from the port where she is meeting, and broadcast it throughout the country.

During her speech, Vivi asks the Straw Hats if they will remain friends. Luffy, wanting to say yes, is stopped by the snails and Marines watching the scene. He then decides, instead of endangering Vivi, to respond with a silent sign: the crew members line up and raise their left arms, showing the sign of the cross they are wearing, a sign that indicates that Vivi and Karoo will always be their companions and friends.

6. Tony Tony Chopper – left during the Long Ring Long Land arc

Chopper and the others stumble upon a mysterious pirate ship after trying to escape a giant wave. They then arrive at an island inhabited by strange animals. The Going Merry is captured by the Foxy Pirates. After reuniting Tonjit with his horse, they are attacked by Captain Foxy and his henchmen, who challenge Luffy to a Davy Back Fight, a pirate contest where the crew members are at stake.

The first round of the Davy Back Fight is a race around the island in small boats. In the anime, Chopper teams up with Zoro, but their boat is immediately eliminated. In the end, Porche's team wins. Porche chose Chopper as his reward, so he was forced to join Foxy's crew. When Foxy decided to take Chopper after the first round, the "Donut Race," Chopper started to cry.

Zoro challenges Chopper, telling him that he must be a man and that he is responsible for his life as a pirate. Chopper immediately stops crying to show himself brave and ready to endure whatever Foxy could throw at him. Then comes the second round. Without Chopper, who was supposed to participate, Sanji and Zoro must face the Foxy Pirates in a ball game, but their opponents continue to cheat and the referee pretends not to notice, making it difficult.

Eventually, Sanji and Zoro put their rivalry aside and manage to win by fighting together. Luffy retrieves Chopper, weeping with joy. Luffy and Foxy then face off in the final test: a battle between the captains on Foxy's ship. Despite the terrain giving Foxy an advantage, Luffy manages to win, and the crew returns to find the carpenter.