One Piece fans wonder how Nami can defeat Luffy even though his body’s made of rubber. Here are some possible answers.
Nami’s ability to hurt Luffy is an age-old question that the fandom still has. The Straw Hat captain, who is made of rubber, has a large power difference. Therefore, blunt force shouldn’t be an option. Nami has beat Luffy to a pulp regardless of this fact. Similar questions were asked when Luffy’s other crew members also beat him up.

No one knows for certain why Luffy would be able to take such brutal beatings from Nami. But, people continue to ask questions and attempt to find the answer. Many fans and Eiichiro Oda themselves have provided their suggestions on how to achieve this phenomenon.
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What Are the Possible Reasons Nami Can Hurt Luffy?
Technically, there is an answer in the canon to this question. Oda said that Nami is targeting Luffy’s spirit and his body. He reasoned that, since the beatings are often in admonishment combined with a strong understanding of purpose, that aspect of the beatings is what hurts Luffy.
There may be something to the idea, of beating up a Rubber Human with the right convictions. Monkey D. Garp claimed that he was capable to beat his grandson through the familial love that he felt. Perhaps Luffy may be hurt by the intent behind it.
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This may however be due to how and when it was given. This response was given as part of the SBS for Vol 43 while the Enies Lobby Arc continued. Oda was not ready to answer because there may have been another concept to the story. He even admitted that he wasn’t certain about what he answered here.
Haki was a concept that had not been introduced to the Enies Lobby Arc. Although clues to the existence of this power system were scattered around, it would take years before they officially introduced it to the story. Many fans believe Nami used an underdeveloped Armament Haki version to cause harm to her captain since the introduction of Haki.
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Another new possibility is Luffy’s Gum-Gum Fruit’s true nature. This Mythical Zoan Fruit grants Luffy the abilities of rubber and allows him to perform ridiculous feats, such as jumping off the walls or reaching through eyeholes. It makes him a cartoon figure.
Could Cartoon Physics Be Related to It?
These cartoon physics techniques could be the reason Nami and others can beat Luffy. Remember that these beatings are comical. Luffy’s powers can be comical, so he may feel the same pain as he does the funny.

RELATED: Onepiece: Was Vegapunk York a Tall City? Luffy’s enemies often find it hard to bring him down, as they don’t get hurt unless it’s hilarious. Luffy’s enemies take their fight seriously and must resort to traditional Haki or slashing/stabbing attacks to cause permanent damage. Nami or Luffy could not have a serious fight. However, it’s possible that these cartoonish beatings could be attributed to established story elements. Again, these are intended for a comical effect. They are never discussed and their impact on the story is minimal. They are just one of many running gags in One Piece. It seems like that’s all it’s supposed to be.