User blog comment:Ricizubi/A Question to Us All/@comment-31406409-20170413120347

First of all waay too much reading.

Secondly I currently live in Japan and know at least conversational level japanese also one of the first things I found was the meaning for words constantly used in anime/manga. So obviously nakama was on that list.

Now japanese language has words (like many other languages in the world) that cannot be truly defined in english, Nakama is one of those words. It can mean crew member but in japan your co-workers can be callled nakama, your schoolmates can be called nakama, if you play in team your team members can be your nakama. A nakama is someone who is above your regular social acquaintances and friends but below your family.

As to why nakama is so significant in the series and why there are huge emtional reactions whenever it is said, look at the series carefully not a single important character comes from a proper home and family or have faced some trauma in the past involving family. Just some examples:

Luffy: Mother unknown, father left him behind

Nami: real parents unknown, adoptive mother dead

Zoro: real family unknown but someone he rivaled and looked upto dead.

Sanji: abusive family, mother dead

Usopp: mother dead, father left him behind

Chopper: real family disowns him, adoptive fater dead

Robin: Mother and everyone she knew dead, home destroyed.

Franky: real parents unkonwn, mentor and teacher dead.

Brook: can't say much about his family but his crew or his nakama all dead.

I mean one piece alone could give disney a run for it's money on the dead mother front.

Besides the above mentioned Vivi, Shirahoshi, Law, Dofalmingo, Momo.... the list goes on and that's the point the series is making, when you don't have family you rely on your nakama for support.

Lastly, yes get drunk and of course enjoy the series for what it is really fun and awesome.