Luffy technically hasn’t met Shanks again yet in the canon story after the childhood flashbacks, either in the anime or the manga as of early 2026.

Quick Scoop: Where things stand

  • In the story’s present timeline, Luffy and Shanks have still not had their on‑screen reunion.
  • They just missed each other around the Wano arc era: Shanks came near Wano after Luffy defeated Kaido, but chose not to meet him.
  • Their promised reunion (when Luffy returns the Straw Hat as a “great pirate”) is clearly being saved for a major late‑series moment.

“To see him now would violate our agreement, right Luffy?” – Shanks, reminding that the reunion waits until Luffy is truly a great pirate.

About “meeting again” confusion

Some Q&A and fan pages online incorrectly claim Luffy “meets Shanks again” in Marineford or even give specific episode numbers.

In Marineford, Shanks appears and helps end the war, but Luffy is unconscious and they never actually speak or reunite properly, so this does not count as their promised meeting.

Latest hints and speculation (no hard answer yet)

  • Shanks has recently moved into a more active role, openly declaring he’s going for the One Piece, which positions him as a direct rival to Luffy.
  • Many current analyses and fan discussions think their reunion will happen very late in the story, possibly:
    • On Elbaf , where Shanks has strong ties, or
    • On Lodestar Island , the last island before Laugh Tale, as a huge “final battle / final promise” setup.

These are theories , not confirmed canon, but they fit how big Oda clearly wants that scene to be.

Forum & fandom vibe

  • Long‑time fans expect a massive, emotional reunion, likely involving:
    • Luffy finally returning the Straw Hat.
* A serious clash or duel between equal Emperors, followed by a feast, often compared to Roger vs Whitebeard.
  • Others argue they might never have a normal “reunion,” or that something tragic could happen with Shanks first, but this is pure speculation.

TL;DR: If you’re asking “when does Luffy meet Shanks again?” the honest canon answer right now is: he still hasn’t, and the series is very clearly saving it for one of the final big moments.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.