One Piece’s critically acclaimed world-building is something that mesmerizes us day by day. One Piece is an anime infested with mysteries. The more the story progresses, the more critical they become; you have the One Piece itself, the Joy Boy’s identity, the ancient weapons, Im, Poneglyphs, and many more.
But today, we will discuss something revealed in the groundbreaking Wano Country arc. We will talk about the Hito Hito no Mi, Model Nika, and the Devil fruit that Luffy ate when he was a kid twelve years ago. Of course, we all thought it was just a Devil Fruit named Gomu Gomu no Mi who granted rubber abilities to the user… but Oda trolled us again with a mind-blowing plot twist, and we thank him for that.
While fighting Kaidou, Luffy awakens the fruit’s true potential; after this, Zunesha states that Joy Boy has returned. The awakening of these hidden powers started the theory that Joy Boy has returned and is Luffy.
So, let’s begin with these 10 things you should know about this new and mysterious fruit.
1. Hito Hito no Mi is a Mythical Zoan
Since the beginning of One Piece, every fan considered Luffy a Paramecia-type user, and the Devil Fruit he ate turned him into rubber and gave him rubber abilities. However, this was proved wrong in the Wano Country arc when it was revealed that this fruit is a Mythical Zoan, a sub-class that allows the user to transform into monsters, creatures, or even more powerful entities. Mythical Zoans are considered the most powerful class of Zoan. Unfortunately, they are also extremely rare to find. They are even rarer than a Logia.
2. Rubber is not the core ability
The revelation about the “Hito Hito no Mi” sparked a lot of questions, one of which is about the rubber abilities that Luffy showed since he ate the fruit when he was 12 years old. After revealing that the fruit is a Mythical Zoan, it was clear that the rubber abilities are not the ones granted by this fruit. However, just like Marco, a Mythical Zoan user, his Devil Fruit lets him use the Blue Flames of Resurrection, and in this case, Luffy can use the rubber powers.
3. It was hidden by the World Government
The World Government hid this Mythical fruit for a long time until Shanks and his crew stole it. Since then, they have been trying to get their hands on this fruit because they consider the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika’s user, a natural enemy of the World Government, and also because this fruit is connected to the Ancient Kingdom.
According to the Five Elders, the World Government was never able to capture the Hito Hito no Mi because the Zoan had a will of their own, and it evaded them.
4. Shanks knew it was a Mythical Zoan fruit
This devil fruit was the first ever shown in One Piece, and the first Mythical Zoan ever revealed to us without any clue.
The fruit was in possession of Shanks and his crew after they stole it from an enemy ship that was supposed to be from the World Government. Luffy ate the “Gomu Gomu no Mi” thinking it was some unique dessert and gained the power of rubber he showed throughout the series. However, it was in the Wano Country arc where Oda revealed to us that this fruit, in reality, was the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.
5. Godlike powers
Despite not being considered the most powerful Devil Fruits in One Piece, this Zoan is unique. With the revelation, some say that Luffy turned into a God after awakening the real powers of the fruit, but nothing is clear now. Still, the Five Elders say that the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika carries the name of a God who existed long ago, specifically the Sun God.
We don’t know if that god is Joy Boy or if this god existed before the Joy Boy era. This is something that remains to be seen.
6. Awakening of the true powers
Every devil fruit can be awakened, and the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika is not the exception. While everybody thought that Luffy awakened the fruit’s powers the moment he showed rubber abilities, that was far from the truth. The awakening of this enigmatic fruit granted Luffy the true powers of this fruit called the Gear 5, which makes him stronger, gives him more freedom in battle, and also gives him the ability to turn anything into rubber. He also suffers physical changes; his hair and eyebrows turn white, his eyes glow, his clothes turn white, and he has constant laughter.
7. Unique and musical heartbeat
After awakening the powers of the Hito Hito, Luffy’s heartbeat took on a musical rhythm Zunesha describes as the “Drums of Liberation”. According to Luffy himself; he says that his heart starts beating in a funny way and sounds like actual drums of freedom are ringing inside his body. The curious thing is that these drums sound almost identical to the drums that were present when Luffy and his crew were partying on Skypiea. Zunesha also said that Joy Boy returned as Luffy when the Drums of Liberation started playing.
8. A freedom fighter
Luffy, since the beginning of One Piece, even in One Piece’s prequel story called Romance Dawn, has helped countless people and fought to liberate them from their misery. However, his greatest ability is bringing both Joy and laughter to those around him. After awakening the Gear 5, this “ability” becomes more powerful, and he gets even more joy and laughter from those around him. According to the Five Elders, that innate ability is something that both Joy Boy and Luffy have, which is why some say that Luffy is the “new” Joy Boy.
9. The imagination is the limit
Hito Hito’s ability to turn Luffy’s body into rubber is simple, but if you combine the true power and Luffy’s imagination, you have something incredible in front of your eyes. If the imagination is the limit, then Luffy has no limits because if the true power of this fruit also gives you the ability to turn anything around into rubber, then you have a world-changing ability right there. You have more power, freedom, and opportunities for becoming the Pirates’ king.
10. The most astounding power
As I said, Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika is not the most powerful ability in One Piece. We have yet to see many skills, but it is the most broken one and the one that the World Government fears the most. When activated, it gives the user more power, strength, and near-unlimited freedom giving you the most overpowered ability out there. One thing is the most powerful ability, and another thing is the most overpowered one, and this, without a doubt, is the most broken ability ever shown in One Piece until now.
