One Piece is officially setting the final upgrade to Luffy's Gear 5

On March 23, 2022, in Shueisha's Weekly Shounen Jump #17, Monkey D. Luffy officially debuted his ultimate transformation called Gear 5. This transformation was made possible by Luffy's awakening Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, one of the most powerful Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits that auto. Since then in One pieceLuffy has demonstrated the powers of his Sun God Nik form on numerous occasions, and it's clear to see that he's already incredibly overpowered.

However, when it comes to fighting the absolute strongest in the world, such as the Devil God Nero Ima, who officially descended on Elbaf in Chapter 1179 on April 6, 2026, Luffy's Gear 5 is not enough and he has to move on. The Elbaf arc, which is currently at its climax, has set the stage for Luffy to do just that, and we absolutely cannot wait to see more refinements to his Sun God Niko form.

One Piece prepares for a major Haki Boost on Gear 5 in the Luffy vs Imu battle at the Elbaf Climax

Monkey D. Luffy's Gear 5 is by far his strongest transformation. The Gear 5 form was officially obtained in Chapter 1044, and it was clear that after being killed by Kaido's powerful Horai Hakka, Luffy finally managed to unlock his true potential and understand the true nature of his Devil Fruit ability.

“Awakening is what happens when your mind and body catch up with your powers. And they sure are ridiculous powers!” — Kaido explains Devil Fruit Awakening, Chapter #1045

His body became more rubbery and he could fight more freely than ever before. Most importantly, Luffy was bound by nothing but his own imagination and could do almost anything he set his mind to. This became the true power of his Gear 5 transformation and made him a force to be reckoned with. While Luffy initially struggled to fight Kaido, after gaining access to the power of Gear 5, he was easily able to overpower him several times, showing his superior fighting skills. Two arcs have passed since then and Luffy's Gear 5 has only gotten better.

The true power of Luffy's Gear 5 will be tested against Nero Ima in the climax of the Elbaf arc. In One Piece chapter 1181, which was officially released on April 27, 2026, in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, issues 22-23, Monkey D. Luffy was seen preparing to face Ima by consuming a huge amount of food. Naturally, this fixes one of the biggest flaws Luffy has when it comes to Gear 5, which is a lack of stamina. Once the stamina is leveled, Luffy's strength needs an upgrade as well.

“I need to eat more! I've never felt anything like this before! It's so hard and rough! What's with this guy's Haki?” — Monkey D. Luffy consumes extra food to fight Imu, One Piece Chapter #1181

While the Gear 5 is incredibly powerful, it's not strong enough to beat Nero Ima as things stand. Even Loki, who should be the equal of the Sun God Nika in every way, struggles to land consecutive hits on Ima. It will be impossible for Luffy to do it the way he is, which is why he needs to get an upgrade. To increase the efficiency and fighting power of Luffy's Gear 5, Eiichiro Oda will probably give him a Haki upgrade. In One Piece Chapter 1152, Scopper Gaban told Luffy to be mindful of how to use his Haki properly. Once Luffy learns how to use Conqueror's Haki at a higher level, just like Shanks, he will become much stronger overall and his effectiveness with Gear 5 will also increase drastically. That's the only way he can stand a chance against Nero Ima in battle.

“Listen, Strawman! Get it into your mind how you use your High King color. These guys aren't immortal!” – Scopper Gaban tells Luffy how to defeat the immortals, One Piece Chapter #1152

Why stronger Haki can push Luffy's Gear 5 to newer heights

As for Supreme King Haki's power, it is inherently linked to the power of the user. Unlike other Haki, Supreme King Haki cannot be trained directly. It becomes stronger as the user's strength increases. When Luffy becomes stronger than before, his Haki will also increase. Conversely, as Luffy's Haki gets stronger, his Gear 5 will automatically gain a significant buff. This buff comes in terms of both offense and defense. Luffy's offensive abilities will increase drastically, allowing him to deal more damage in combat against the likes of Nero Ima.

Similarly, Luffy's defense will also improve to the point where heavy hits from the likes of Imu will not cause permanent damage and he can participate in an extended battle. This should be reflected in its overall endurance as well, and over time it should be able to hold the Gear 5 for longer periods of time. Eiichiro Oda could solve all of these problems at once in the eagerly awaited Elbaf arc.

“Although you can control the Supreme King Color, you cannot train it to be stronger directly. It is the embodiment of the user's spirit. The only way to make it stronger is for it to grow stronger. — Silvers Rayleigh explains how to strengthen Supreme King Haki, One Piece Chapter #597

Luffy's Gear 5 must surpass Joy Boy's overall level at the time of the Great War

Image via Toei Animation.

Creator One pieceEiichiro Oda, has already set the level for Luffy to reach in the story with the character of Joy Boy. In One Piece Chapter 1122, which was officially published in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #36-37 on August 5, 2024, Eiichiro Oda displayed the absolute peak of Joy Boy's power when Emeth unleashed Joy Boy's Haki. It was powerful enough to split the sky on its own, knock out all the vice admirals in Egghead, nullify the yokai powers of the five elders, and finally even cause pain to Nero Ima. Right now, Luffy is nowhere near that level of power, but that has to change. In the grand scheme of things, this is the exact level that Luffy must reach if he is to face Nerona Imu in battle and defeat him.

“Listen, Emeth! I have tied a knot of the greatest Haki and locked it in your body. Use it when the time is right.” — Joy Boy to Emeth, One Piece Chapter # 1122

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Luffy will have to outdo Joy Boy by a significant margin if he is to do what he failed to do 800 years ago. Reaching that level is only possible by constantly upgrading the Gear 5, which is what Luffy will be doing from here on out, starting with Elbaf. Eiichiro Oda gives him a Haki boost, which is the main goal of this arc in terms of power-ups for the Straw Hat Pirates. As Luffy grows in terms of Haki, more upgrades will come his way as the Great War approaches. By the end of the final battle, he will probably surpass the overall level of Gol D. Roger and Joy Boy and become the undisputed strongest pirate in the entire world.

The latest chapters of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga are available to read through Manga Plus and Viz Media.