The break week after chapter 1043 of One Piece had fans literally going crazy.
The cliffhanger set off about a million theories, my favorites being the ones about Luffy’s Devil Fruit.
One Piece fans had desperately been trying to draw connections between dots that were barely there. They made Oda a stringent follower of Buddhist, Hindu, and African cultures among others, and compared Luffy to a vast number of deities and kings, some real, some mythical.
Surprisingly, after the mega reveal in chapter 1044, most of the theories seem to fit with the facts – well, at least in one way or the other.
This is because Oda had already given us quite a lot of hints, and we didn’t really have to make huge leaps to put the pieces together.
1. What is Luffy’s true Devil Fruit?
Luffy’s Devil Fruit is and always has been the Paramecia-type Gomu Gomu no Mi, or the Gum-Gum Fruit – only, that isn’t its actual name. The Gorosei revealed that its original identity is the Mythical Zoan-type Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.
This is the same fruit Luffy unwittingly took from Shanks’ treasure chest and ate in chapter 1.
In chapter 1037, we saw the 5 Elders or the Gorosei discuss a certain legendary Devil Fruit that hadn’t awakened for 8 centuries. The fruit was believed to be so powerful that its very name was changed.
After Joy Boy’s era, the World Government reclassified it as a Paramecia-type fruit to cloud its identity.
The Devil Fruit had eluded the Government for 800 years. Before the Red Haired Pirates stole the fruit, the World Government only presumably suspected that the fruit they had was special.
They put Who’s Who, one of the current most powerful members of Kaido’s Tobi Roppo, in charge of protecting the fruit.
Who’s Who was a CP9 agent at the time he let the fruit out of his grasp; when the authorities found out, they dismissed him from service and threw him into jail.
It was hard not to find this suspicious. The Gum-Gum fruit was seemingly inconspicuous; it didn’t seem to do much other than turn the user into rubber. Why would such a “weak” fruit have so much protection around it?
In chapter 1044, the Gorosei reveal that this particular Devil Fruit is the connection between Joy Boy, Sun God Nika, and Luffy. It is the same fruit that was last awakened by Joy Boy.
The Gorosei confirm that the user of this Devil Fruit can take on the attributes of the Sun God Nika, namely, a body with all the properties of rubber, giving him the versatility to fight in whatever way he fancies.
The only know user to have done this is Joy Boy.
Thus, Luffy takes on the title of Joy Boy when he awakens the Hito Hito no Mi and goes into Gear 5: Nika.
I. Why the Nika Theory has Always Made Sense:
Here is a very direct connection of the fruit with Nika: the first time Oda even tells us about Nika is when Who’s Who is imprisoned by the World Government for losing the unnamed fruit.
A prison guard tells him about a mythical warrior, the Sun God Nika, who would come one day to bring joy and freedom to the suffering slaves.
In the Wano arc, most of the nation is under the tyranny of Kaido, who is hell bent on turning every last man, woman, and child into slaves.
Luffy has always stood for liberation, freedom, and joy. So when the moment arises and the elements align, he is able to awaken Nika (which he terms his new Gear 5) and fully embody the essence of Joy Boy.
It isn’t about Luffy suddenly becoming who he is supposed to be but Luffy simply being who he has always been.
It is through his awakening that Luffy has become the Warrior of Liberation; Luffy will take on the mantle of Joy Boy and free the oppressed citizens of Wano from the tyrannical rule of Orochi and Kaido.
Everything that is happening now has been foreshadowed in previous chapters, grounded in the events of the past. This is why the Nika theory isn’t a twist or a surprise – it’s almost like Oda had implanted the seed in our minds since the very beginning. The seed is just growing now.
This is also why the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika feels so right. There is symbolic, narrative, and logical sense in this theory-turned-canon.
Luffy or his Devil Fruit haven’t changed, only evolved.
It’s like Luffy and his Devil Fruit are only now realizing their full capacity. With Gear 5, Luffy and the Gomu/Hito actualize and awaken the ridiculous power of Nika – the power that has always been within them.
II. How Luffy’s Devil Fruit Betrayed the Truth from the Start:
Luffy has literally been in his Hybrid Mythical Zoan form since the start of the series. Luffy’s ability to seamlessly switch into his rubber form wasn’t due to his Paramecia bodily alteration but an extension of the fruit’s Zoan transformation capabilities.
It also explains his durability and endurance, which we previously credited to the properties of rubber. But stamina and a faster recovery time are aspects of Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit users.
Additionally, Luffy’s abilities have always been similar to Chopper’s – the other Zoan Devil Fruit user in the Straw Hats Pirates.
Chopper can transform into several “points” using his Rumble Balls. This is very similar to Luffy transforming into his different “gears.”
Another small but important little similarity is Chopper and Luffy both turning into mini selves – Chopper into Baby Geezer or Chibi before Monster Point and Luffy into Tiny Luffy before Gear 3.
There were also theories suggesting that the all-powerful fruit, indeed, Joy Boy’s Devil Fruit, could be called the Jushi Jushi no Mi, which is the most credible theory after the Nika one.
I do want to go over it, since I believe that we shouldn’t stop talking about resin just yet. We still don’t know the full extent of Luffy’s Gear 5 powers – only that they have no physical limit and are ridiculous at max.
Resin is the stronger form of rubber, so maybe it will come into play later.
2. What is the Resin Theory?
At the end of chapter 1043, Luffy awakens his Devil Fruit and transforms into a new form that turns him into resin. According to the Resin Theory, the Gomu Gomu no Mi is actually the Jushi Jushi no Mi, or the Resin-Resin Devil Fruit, of which rubber is one part.
True rubber, or gum, originates from trees as a viscous, translucent substance called resin. In fact, gum is an example of plant resin, so we can make the connection that the Gum-Gum fruit is one component or ability of the Resin-Resin fruit.
3. Reasons to support the Resin Theory:
I. Ju-Shi-Mi
The chapter that generated all this discussion, the latest chapter 1043, has a hidden meaning. In Japanese, 10 is read as Ju, 4 as Shi, and 3 as San, which makes the name of the chapter, “The Resin Man.” I mean, Oda literally spells it out for us.
II. Oda’s 3 favorite scenes
In 2020, Oda, in an interview, revealed his top 3 favorite scenes. The first one is the Skypiea bonfire party scene. At the time, nobody questioned this, but in light of the recent chapter, it really all makes sense. This is where Luffy’s silhouette is likened to the Sun God Nika.
His second favorite scene is even more bizarre than the first, and I’m sure you don’t even remember it. It’s from chapter 496, in Saobody, where Robin disgustedly wipes a sticky substance on Usopp’s pants. The starfish explains how the roots of the Yarukiman Mangrove secrete a special natural resin which is why it’s sticky.
Sure, Oda said he likes the scene because it adds a swab of realism to an otherwise fantastical scene. But, come on. Resin? Of course it makes sense for it to mean more than it does on the surface.
His third favorite, is a zoomed out panoramic shot of the Land of Wano, from chapter 909.
If we put these three together, we get the idea that Oda is simply being his sneaky, brilliant self – et voila! The Resin Theory is suddenly very close to canon.
III. The Properties of Resin
Resin explains all the abilities that Luffy has thus far demonstrated while using his Devil Fruit. Some of Luffy’s powers can’t even be explained if we only consider his rubber abilities.
For example, when he’s fighting Kaido, he alters the trajectory of his movements and attacks. Kaido even comments:
Rubber shouldn’t be able to do this!
- Resin can be melted to alter it. Maybe this is what Luffy is unconsciously doing. We already know Luffy uses heat and steam to change Gears. Luffy heats his body, to transform into Gear 2.
- Resin is also known to be hardened into an extremely tough surface. And isn’t this exactly what Luffy does in Gear 4? We all thought this was Armament Haki, but Luffy is known to mix his Haki with his Devil Fruit abilities.
- In its base form, resin presents as a stretchy, sticky, amber substance, oftentimes mistaken for sap. This is also Luffy’s base form.
- Resin is inflammable. This is how Luffy is able to use flames to ignite himself while using Red Attacks.
- As a chemical compound, resin is often used as an insulator. This would explain Luffy being able to withstand Enel’s lightning.
IV. 1039 Cover Page
On the colored cover of chapter 1039, there is a monkey that literally points to amber resin in the right-top corner of the page. The design looks mad similar to the one in the last panel of chapter 1043, where Luffy’s head is melting.
Now, sure, this could just be some old yellow colored glop, but I’m willing to bet my straw hat that this is Oda giving us another clue.
4. Is there a connection between Nika and Resin?
While the term “resin” isn’t canon yet, there is a natural connection of Nika with rubber. Gomu Gomu is just one aspect of the Hito Hito: Nika, it’s most basic form. Rubber is the natural property of the fruit, the Nika awakening being its ultimate form.
There are a couple of theories that suggest that Nika means resin, it’s still somewhat of a stretch.
One theory is that nika, the Japanese word for grin, is stretchy, or rubber-y, in the way that one has to stretch their facial muscles in order to grin.
Another theory is that the Devil Fruit itself was first derived from the Sun Tree Eve, which is where Sun God Nika first took the fruit from. Chamaecyparis obtuse or the Japanese Sun Tree, is known to produce weather-resistant lumber and resin.
But I think the most probable thing here is that the ultimate form of Luffy’s Devil Fruit encapsulates all the properties of rubber, which includes resin.
Rubber is the essence of the fruit, of the Sun God Nika – much like how fire is the essence of Marco’s Phoenix, and ice the essence of Yamato’s Wolf.
5. What is Luffy’s Devil Fruit awakening?
Luffy’s Devil Fruit Awakening unlocks the true power of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. He can access godly power to turn his body and the environment into pretty much anything he wants. The power is only limited by the user’s imagination.
The awakening itself was foreshadowed by the One Piece Original Soundtrack, WanoKuni, which was released on 16 March, 2022.
Many of the tracks on the album are telling phrases associated with characters, themes, or places. Track 14 of Disk 1 is titled, “Luffy – Awakening”, and Track 15 is titled, “Awakened Luffy’s Performance.”
So, while we now know what Luffy’s true Devil Fruit is and have seen his awakening in action, we don’t exactly know the zenith of this Gear 5: Nika.
Chapter 1045 and Luffy’s final bout with Kaido will give us all the answers.
6. About One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.
The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!
Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.
No Comments on What is Luffy’s true Devil Fruit in One Piece?