One Piece is appreciated for its worldbuilding, lore, layers of mysteries, captivating characters, and power system, among many other qualities that justify the fact that it’s the best-selling manga of all time. What started as a light-hearted journey of a young pirate gradually turned into something much deeper and complex. The story is now in its Final Saga and is slowly tying up the loose ends before commencing the final war. As a Shonen series, One Piece never shied away from transformations during the fights, and that’s especially the case for our protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy. His Devil Fruit and creativity allow him to explore the endless possibilities that come with being a “rubber boy.”
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For over two decades, the story progressed with the general idea that Luffy’s Devil Fruit is just a Paramecia-Type that he accidentally ate. The Devil Fruit grants him special abilities, but that wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t spent ten years training and honing his skills to properly use his powers. The key to handling such a power is tricky, but Luffy had to master it before setting sail in hopes of accomplishing his dreams. He made it all the way to Wano and challenged Kaido, a Yonko who is said to be the strongest creature in the world. Two years ago, Luffy was forced into a corner during his fight with Kaido. However, just when it seemed like he had no way out, he shocked the fandom with his unexpected transformation.
It’s Been Two Years Since One Piece Debuted the Gear 5 Transformation
One Piece released Episode 1071 on August 6th, 2023, which changed the story forever. It adapts Chapter 1044 of the manga, which was released on March 28th, 2022. The series revealed that Luffy’s Devil Fruit is originally called Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika. Nika refers to the Sun God, an ancient legendary figure who is revered as the Warrior of Liberation. What ensued was an animated battle extravaganza as Gear 5 Luffy laid into Kaido in a way no other anime has ever matched in terms of combined pure hype and cartoonish whimsy.
The fruit has a will of its own, having evaded the World Government for 800 years, and at one point it even nearly fell into their hands. However, Shanks stole the Devil Fruit from them and escaped to Foosha Village in the East Blue. The series has yet to reveal whether meeting Luffy was his plan all along or if it was simply fate that brought them together.
The Five Elders have always been aware of the fruit’s existence and described it as the world’s most ridiculous power. It’s such a troublesome ability that they had to erase its existence from the annals of history. Even so, Luffy not only awakened his Devil Fruit but also used it to overpower Kaido. Now that the anime is in the Egghead Incident Arc, we can see that he has gotten a better hold of his new ability. What makes the Gear 5 transformation truly incredible is how it resonates with Luffy’s character, who represents joy, freedom, and turning imagination into reality. It’s mystical and yet comical at the same time, which suits the tone of the story, while feeling wildly original in the process, and it’s something fans won’t soon forget.
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Image Courtesy of Nintendo -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
