One Piece made waves two years ago when Monkey D Luffy’s newest transformation was revealed. In the climactic final act of the Wano Country arc, Luffy reached the peak of his power by unlocking Gear 5 while battling Kaido, King of the Beasts.
When Does Luffy First Use Gear 5 in One Piece?
Luffy first unlocked what he calls his “peak” — Gear 5 — at the end of the Wano Country Arc, during his battle with Kaido, King of the Beasts. Kaido was considered the strongest creature in the world at the time of his introduction, and his battle with Luffy at the end of Wano pushed each character to their absolute limit. However, just when Luffy was considered down for the count, his Devil Fruit power awakened, unlocking Gear 5.
In chapter 1044 of the manga and episode 1071 of the anime, Luffy awakens from his dead state with glowing white hair and newfound strength. With this awakening comes the revelation that his awakened Devil Fruit abilities allow him to make not only himself rubber but everything in his surroundings as well. Luffy uses his new abilities to defeat Kaido, and that’s the first and last time we see the transformation in this arc.
Has Luffy Used Gear 5 Since?
Luffy would again use Gear 5 in the next and current arc, Egghead Island. The return of Rob Lucci, an old enemy from the Water Seven arc, would cause Luffy to activate the power-up again in chapter 1069 and episode 1100 to fight his old foe. He even goes up against a Navy Admiral, Kizaru, who is considered one of the strongest characters in the series. As One Piece draws to a close, it makes sense that Luffy would attain his (possibly) final and most impressive power-up to take on the meanest and strongest the series has to offer.
One Piece consists of over 1000 chapters and has now reached its final saga. The anime is in the same boat, having run concurrently with the manga since it first aired in 1999. With such a long story and so many arcs & sagas, you might think that the plot and character development would grind to a halt. Thankfully, creator Eiichiro Oda has surpassed all expectations with his detailed worldbuilding and storytelling, especially regarding the power-ups of the main character and Captain of the Straw Hats, Monkey D Luffy.
One Piece is available to read online in English through VIZ Media and other services.
