The Mind-Blowing Secrets Behind Gear 5's Unrivaled Power in One Piece

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE ANIME EPISODE #1073

The One Piece manga fell short in showcasing the true extent of Luffy's Gear 5 attacks, unlike the anime. In the battle between Kaido, the Captain of the Beast Pirates and Emperor of the Sea, atop his Wano Pirate Base, the anime has managed to surpass the manga in October 2021. Luffy proved to be a formidable opponent as he unlocked his devil fruit powers, and the anime has done a remarkable job in presenting Gear 5 in a way that highlights its excruciating abilities, exceeding what readers may have realized.

Eiichiro Oda, the author and illustrator of the series, designed Luffy's Gear 5 with a focus on fun and quirkiness rather than aiming for something intimidating and epic, which many fans expected. Nevertheless, this latest transformation of the Straw Hat Captain packs a punch, capable of delivering powerful and destructive attacks that visibly affect the seemingly invincible Kaido. Episodes #1072 and #1073 of the One Piece anime outshine the manga by incorporating visuals and sound effects that effectively portray the workings of Luffy's newfound powers and the devastating impact of his rubber-like abilities, when combined with the laws of the One Piece world's physics.

One Piece's Anime Confirms How Luffy's Gear 5 Attacks Warp Reality

During the battle, Kaido mentioned that in addition to Luffy's incredible new powers, he appears to be using both Conquerors and Armament Haki simultaneously. However, Luffy's awakening abilities bring another level of effectiveness to his attacks due to rubberization. The anime effectively showcased the impact of this new power through the use of sound effects, particularly in episode #1072. When Luffy's fist connected with his opponent's face, it caused Kaido's head to stretch and elongate along with Luffy's fist. However, similar to a rubber band, once released, the snap back propelled the formidable enemy far away from the impact.

With Luffy's extensive training on Wano, combined with his honed mastery of Haki acquired throughout his perilous journey, the power behind the Straw Hat Captain's punches had already instilled fear in his opponents. However, when aided by the impeccable sound effects featured in the anime, a facet that the manga was unable to capture, the true might of his punches becomes apparent. Notably, these punches possess the same formidable strength as before, but now possess an enhanced force, potentially even multiplied, due to the remarkable rubberization's snap-back effect. While other awakening devil fruits have displayed influences on their surroundings, the extent to which Luffy's powers have taken this concept remains unparalleled, surpassing even Kaido's capabilities and surpassing the expectations of fervent fans.

Luffy's Gear 5 Attacks Hit Harder Than Anyone Thought

Not only does Luffy's Gear 5 defy the laws of physics in One Piece, but it also surpasses readers' expectations as the anime captures the form more faithfully than the manga. The manga failed to convey the snap-back effect, but through animation and enhanced sound effects, Luffy's Gear 5 and its formidable power are now truly brought to life. However, the epic showdown between Kaido and Luffy is still ongoing. Those who follow the manga are aware that our beloved protagonist has a few more tricks up his sleeve before the Wano arc concludes.

Watch the newest episodes of One Piece on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Source: Crunchyroll Collection/YouTube