One Piece: The true powers of Luffy’s Gear 5 explained

Luffy’s Gear 5 is known as the most ridiculous power in the world, as no other devil fruit can compare to it. Here’s what you need to know about its powers and significance in the story.

One Piece built up Luffy’s powers for over two decades as it transforms from an ordinary Paramecia-type to a mythical Zoan fruit. Luffy’s Gear 5 makes its official debut in this week’s episode, and it’s safe to say that the anime adaptation has far exceeded fans’ expectations.

Before transforming, Luffy faced a terrible defeat when the CP0 agent launched a surprise attack on him. His defeat completely destroyed the morale of the alliance and every single person in Wano.

However, just as all hope seems lost, Luffy awakens his devil fruit powers, ready to obliterate Kaido. In their final showdown, the young pirate easily overpowers the Yonko. Delve deeper to find out more about Luffy’s Gear 5 in One Piece.

The primary abilities of Luffy’s devil fruit

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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 Gear 5 form of Luffy’s devil fruit

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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. Luffy named this form 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, shocking 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

Luffy’s devil fruit is special because 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. 

Luffy’s 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.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023?

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
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3.  Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched

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See our other One Piece coverage below, and you can check out our other anime coverage here.

• One Piece leakers warn fans to avoid Chapter 1096 spoilers
• Does Kaido die in One Piece Wano Country Saga?
• One Piece: Who deserves to be Yonko instead of Buggy?
• One Piece: Shanks’ appearance in Wano Saga explained

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