When did the One Piece Manga debut this new form of Luffy?
One Piece fans are preparing for anime episode 1071 to ‘break the internet’ with the debut of Gear 5 Luffy, but what new powers and abilities does our hero gain when using this awakened form?
What are the new abilities that Gear 5 gives Luffy?
Gear 5, also referred to as ‘Fifth Gear,’ is the awakened form of the Gomu Gomu no Mi, the original Devil Fruit eaten by Monkey D. Luffy, with the true nature of this power activated only after Luffy was on the brink of death following his battle with Kaidou.
To put it simply: this Gear 5 form enhances Luffy’s already rubbery body, granting him increased strength, flexibility, and freedom during fights. It also allows him to manipulate and transform the environment around him, similar to a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit’s awakening.
Using Gear 5, our hero gains extraordinary strength, speed, and durability, surpassing the abilities of un-awakened Zoan users: during his final battle with the formidable Emperor Kaidou, Luffy demonstrates the power of Gear 5 by matching and eventually overpowering Kaidou’s own awakened Zoan form.
Gear 5 is a flexible material that allows Luffy’s rubbery body reach even more cartoonish lengths. His body becomes malleable as well, and is able to resist powerful attacks. This was demonstrated in his battle against Kaidou. Luffy is able to go beyond his limit by pumping his legs at such a high speed that the friction created allows him to temporarily run in midair.
Luffy is able to use his old Gear forms as well without needing to inhale air. Gear 5 does consume a large amount of energy, however.
Unfortunately, there is a major risk that Luffy’s mind might be consumed from using this power too frequently, a bi-product of the Devil Fruit itself being derived from the Sun God Nika – he is also still vulnerable to cutting attacks.
Aside from power-ups, Gear 5 awakened Luffy’s heartbeat takes on a musical rhythm known as the Drums of Liberation, and his appearance changes, with his hair and clothes turning white, and his eyes glowing with red ring-like pupils.
Gear 5 includes several new techniques including Gomu Gomu No Fusen, Gomu Gomu No Gigant, Gomu Gomu Banjrang Gun and Gomu Gomu Mogura Pistol.
When was Gear 5 Luffy first published in manga?
Gear 5 first appeared in One Piece’s original manga in chapter 1043. The full reveal of Gear 5 occurred in chapter 1044 (released in March 2022).
The One Piece Manga series Volume 103 contains this particular chapter. launched In August 2022, Japan will be able to enjoy the summer of 2023 and in July 2023 for international travel.
Gear 5 has a unique concept. reportedly Inspired by cartoons and animation involving rubber hose, mangaka Eiichiro drew inspiration from Tom and Jerry.
In a 2022 interview with Weekly Shonen Jump, Oda revealed that Gear 5 went over-the-top in terms of its ‘cartoonishness and ‘silliness’ because he wanted to create a polarity between Luffy’s humor and Kaidou’s seriousness.
In the original manga chapter 1053, Morgans, a character who controls the news, finds Luffy’s Gear 5 form mystifying and uses it as the image for Luffy’s current bounty poster without approval from the World Government’s Five Elders – meaning that Gear 5 is the first Gear form to be featured on Luffy’s bounty poster.
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