One Piece: The powers of Luffy’s devil fruit explained

One Piece built up Luffy’s powers for over two decades as it transforms from an ordinary Paramecia-type to a mythical Zoan fruit. Here’s what you need to know about Luffy’s devil fruit.

In the world of One Piece, those who set out to the sea of their own are deemed criminals and called pirates. Since exploring the world is illegal, the World Government places bounties on their heads and sends soldiers to capture them.

What’s more, the sea is a dangerous place filled with sea monsters, enemies, and even mysterious diseases. Therefore, pirates need to have enough skills to survive out there. This is why, before becoming a pirate, Luffy spent years honing his devil fruit abilities.

Even during his voyage, he constantly fought new enemies and further developed his skills. However, the series reveals the true nature of Luffy’s devil fruit in the “Wano Country Saga,” after which he is able to overpower Yonko Kaido.

The primary abilities of Luffy’s devil fruit

Crunchyroll

Luffy’s devil fruit primarily functions as Gomu Gomu no Mi, a paramecia type which makes him a rubber man. The user can stretch and retract parts of their bodies as if they were actual rubber. Furthermore, they are also immune to lightning-based attacks since their bodies act as insulators.

Luffy’s adaptability and creativity allow him to amplify his powers using Gear 2 and Gear 3. Upon reaching Gear 4, he combines his Haki with his devil fruit, inflicting devastating damage on his enemies. 

Furthermore, Luffy is prone to many physical attacks unless they’re imbued with a special form of Haki or technique. This is why the Straw Hats are actually surprised when Jinbe could hurt Luffy using his Fish-Man Karate.

The real form of Luffy’s devil fruit

Viz Media

The real name of Luffy’s devil fruit is Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. Luffy awakened his powers during his fight with Kaido and transformed into a mythical being called Nika, the Sun God. This form is also called Gear 5.

Once transformed, Luffy undergoes a drastic change where his hair and clothing turn white and his eyebrows resemble spirals. He also gains ringed pupils in addition to the steam wrapped around him.

In this state, his rubbery body gains irregular adaptability that even shocked Kaido, who has previously fought several powerful adversaries. However, this form quickly drains his stamina. Even briefly, using this power tired Luffy so much that he became pale as if someone had sucked out his life from him.

What makes Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika so special?

Crunchyroll

What makes Luffy’s devil fruit truly special is that it reveals its true powers only after awakening. No other fruit has Paramecia powers and then transforms into Zoan after awakening. 

According to the Five Elders, the World Government tried for over 800 years and failed to attain the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. They hypothesized that this was due to the fruit’s own will. 

To conceal its true nature, the government changed the fruit’s name to “Gomu Gomu no Mi” and categorized it as a Paramecia. This caused the actual name to be omitted from the old Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. 

Luffy has only utilized this power once, but it is evident that his mental state has been slightly influenced as a result. Due to the true nature of the devil fruit, Luffy is overwhelmed with excitement even in the middle of a battle and grins while maintaining his form. 

Gear 5 lets him easily change the shape and size of his rubbery body. Surprisingly, he may also extend his rubber powers to inanimate items around him to impact the environment – similar to a Paramecia Devil Fruit awakening.

There are still many mysteries surrounding Luffy and his devil fruit. Fans know that it has some connection to Joy Boy, an influential figure during the Void Century. Since Luffy has only used this power once, there is much to learn about it, even now.

One Piece can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other TV hubs below:

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