Since its introduction during the Land of Wano arc One piece series, Luffy's Gear 5 has become one of the most iconic transformations in anime history. This whimsical and powerful form is the perfect embodiment of everything that makes Eiichiro Oda's work so popular around the world. It combines the epic techniques that fans enjoy so much with a comical approach to combat rarely seen in modern Shonen series.
While there's no denying how much fun it is to see the Gear 5 in action, viewers realize the immense power hidden behind those glowing eyes and permanent smile. With his Devil Fruit awakening, the Straw Hat Captain has become one of the most dangerous and powerful pirates in the world, proving his strength against formidable opponents such as Kaido or the Five Elders. Still, many fans wonder how powerful Luffy has become now that the series has entered the Elbaf arc.
One Piece's Elbaf Arc strengthens Luffy's forgotten form
Luffy's Forgotten Form received a major upgrade in Elbaf, improving his overall utility.
Luffy's Gear 5 Rivals The most formidable villains
Although Luffy was long known as the user of the Gum-Gum Fruit, a powerful treasure that allowed its user to manipulate gum, the true nature of his powers was revealed during the battle against Kaido. During this epic confrontation against one of the powerful sea emperors, the protagonist was able to awaken his Devil Fruit, confirming his status as a legendary Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika.
This meant that Luffy's powers did not come from rubber, but rather from an ancient sun deity, known among the slaves as the liberator and protector of freedom. This god's powers manifested in the hero's Gear 5 transformation, which gave the user control over reality itself, with the only limit to these abilities being the imagination. In this state, Luffy becomes an almost unstoppable force, able to go toe-to-toe against some of the strongest characters in the series.
One Piece: The 7 Strongest Straw Hat Transformations, Ranked
Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece have grown tremendously in power. These are their most powerful transformations.
While the form has yet to be used in a serious battle during the Elbaf arc, there are plenty of hints of Luffy's true power hidden during his previous fights. In chapters 1110 to 1118, the Straw Hat Captain is seen fighting the Five Elders, the immortal followers of Supreme Leader Imu. Luffy had a pretty hard time facing these opponents, but the fact that he survived his fight against all of them proves that he's either barely behind the Elders in terms of sheer power, or less likely to be on par as a single member of the group.
Luffy has yet to discover the upper limit of his power
It is undeniable that Gear 5 Luffy is among the most powerful beings in the world One piece. His strength and durability go far beyond what a normal warrior could achieve. From defeating Kaid to surviving an encounter with the Five Elders, the Straw Hat Captain has far exceeded fans' expectations in terms of raw power.
Despite how incredible it was to see Luffy use this form in battle, there hadn't been a real opportunity for him to show his true power until now. His first use of the transformation against Kaido, a former member of the Rocks Pirates and the ruler of the Land of Wano, occurred when both opponents suffered serious injuries. Luffy gained complete control of the fight after awakening Gear 5, but he was far from at his best fighting.
Eiichiro Oda is quietly preparing Luffy's next transformation after Gear 5
Luffy could have another transformation after Gear 5. Oda already set it up in One Piece.
He later went on to fight the awakened Rob Lucci, who was nowhere near strong enough to pose a real challenge to the pirate. His last serious use of Gear 5 against the Five Elders during the conclusion of the Egghead arc saw Luffy face several opponents, each with powers and abilities similar to his own. The series hinted that the hero could at least take on one of the elders on his own, but he never got the chance, meaning Luffy never had the chance to prove how strong he could be.
Nika's abilities can keep getting stronger
Luffy has become a being powered not only by Hakim, but by the very concept of imagination, making him a great threat to even the most powerful One piece villains. The Straw Hat Captain can toss his opponents around like toys, bend the ground beneath him as if it were made of rubber, change his body into any shape, and even change the physical composition of surrounding elements. His only limitation comes from what he can imagine.
Eiichiro Oda officially confirms a new transformation stronger than Gear 5
Gear 5 is strong, but this new transformation is even stronger in One Piece.
One pieceThe protagonist 's is the most suitable candidate for this power because his desire for freedom and joyful personality help him to do things that no one else in the world can do. Luffy still has a long way to go before his strength is comparable to Nika, or even his predecessor Joyboy. He may not be one of the smartest characters in the anime, but viewers have seen how much progress the hero can make the more he uses technology.
A small detail could indicate that Luffy has already grown up
When Luffy first meets Loki in chapters 1130 and 1131, the pair share a small conversation that ends with Shanks insulting him. Angered by his mentor's slander, the protagonist attacks Loki in his Gear 4 state, causing the Giant to become alarmed. It may be considered insignificant, but the fact that a being as powerful as Loki, the holder of the legendary Dragon Devil Fruit, was sacred to Luffy may indicate how powerful the hero has become.
One piece
- Release date
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October 20, 1999
- Network
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Fuji TV
- directors
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Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imayomura, Yashiôhiro Mayuū Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
- Writers
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Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda
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Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
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Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
