One Piece’s anime adaptation might have taken a recent hiatus to tackle a remaster of the Fishman Island saga but Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have wasted little time in returning to Egghead Island. Recent episodes have demonstrated just how advanced Toei Animation’s art has become, especially when it comes to Monkey D. Luffy’s ultimate transformation. One Piece episode 1128, “The Nightmare Strikes – Godhead of Science & Defense, St. Saturn,” didn’t just feature the arrival of one of the Five Elders to the battlefield but it highlighted one of the biggest attacks that Luffy has unleashed thus far in the shonen franchise.
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Now that Saturn has arrived on Dr. Vegapunk’s island, the game has changed for both the swashbucklers and the military that have been a part of recent installments. The Five Elders’ member has no issue killing his own men and has shown his horrific, ultimate transformation in the process. Unfortunately for Luffy, the Straw Hat still has his hands full with the navy admiral known as Kizaru. In fighting against the light-manipulating antagonist, Monkey has once again called upon the power of Gear Fifth to net him a victory, unleashing an attack dubbed “White Star Gun.” On its surface, this blow is strong enough on its own but when you dive deeper, you realize that it’s a combination of several of Luffy’s previous techniques.
[RELATED: One Piece Unleashes Saturn’s Devilish True Form: Watch]
The White Star Gun Unleashed
Luffy has been making good use of Gear Fifth so far in his fight against Kizaru, but with the White Star Gun, the Straw Hat takes things up a notch. On top of using elements of Gear Four with the extension and solidification of his arm, Luffy coats his appendage in Conqueror’s Haki and brings it all together with the reality-bending aspects of his current form. Unleashing the blow at light speed, it hits Kizaru so hard that you can see the light villain’s head reflect the massive assault. Luckily for the admiral, his Devil Fruit powers mean that he can survive this assault and not lose his head in the process.
While Luffy’s Gear Fifth almost makes the pirate captain invincible, there is a massive weakness that is highlighted in this latest episode. After delivering the White Star Gun attack, Monkey is drained once again thanks to the sheer energy required in harboring this cartoonish form. This fact could not have come at a worse time as Saturn has landed and even a sword to the chest from Bonney wasn’t enough to bring him down.
Beyond Future Island
Thanks to the recent anime hiatus, the One Piece manga has had the chance to chronicle some big moments past the latest arc taking place in the television series. Without diving into spoiler territory, some major revelations will be revealed before the Straw Hats leave Dr. Vegapunk’s abode and said revelations will change the Grand Line forever. In Eiichiro Oda’s printed story, the Straw Hat Pirates find themselves in a legendary locale that is sure to look amazing when Toei Animation’s animators get the chance to bring it to life.
Want to keep tabs on Monkey D. Luffy’s ultimate attacks? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on One Piece and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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