All forms of Luffy, explained

Key recommendations

• Luffy's transformations are crucial powers during battles, with different strengths and weaknesses.
• Gear 2 increases Luffy's speed and strength, but drains his energy quickly.
• Gear 5, Luffy's latest form, provides near invincibility and the ability to manipulate objects.

Like most other Shonen anime series, One piece is no stranger to new transformations that act as power-ups for characters. While not as blatant and common as in many other franchises, transformations are often a major part of an arc, whether they serve to increase the power of a hero or even a villain. Because of this, they often have a lot more weight to them once they are displayed compared to other series.

As such, the main character, Monkey D. Luffy, has suffered a few of them over time One piece. These transformations often served as difference makers in the battles they were used in, although they are not completely infallible. So let's go over all of Luffy's transformations and take a look at all of their strengths and weaknesses.

Luffy's base form

Standard State

While this isn't technically a form, this is essentially the state Luffy is in all the time and the one he used once he began his journey as a pirate, so it's worth mentioning with the rest. Over the years, Luffy has grown stronger and learned to rely on more than just his Devil Fruit, which is why he can now use Haki with mastery. He applies this power to his regular attacks even in his base form.

Hero? Not! We are pirates! I love heroes, but I don't want to be one!

Due to this knowledge and powers he has acquired over the years, Luffy remains a formidable fighter even without realizing any of his transformations. However, this form could only take him so far as he had to unlock a stronger state since the Enies Lobby arc against Blueno. Although this state is stronger than ever due to Luffy's ability to use Haki, it is still quite low on the power scale.

Gear 2 Luffy

Luffy's first transformation

The first transformation Luffy ever showed in the series was Gear 2, which he used against Blueno during their fight on Enies Lobby. By controlling the flow of blood in his body and making it travel faster to the different parts of his body, he gives those parts of his body more oxygen and nutrients, making him much stronger and faster than before. Because of this, the increase in blood flow and oxygen that the body uses causes this form to release steam.

You won't be able to catch me. Each of my techniques takes it to the next level.

Due to Gear 2's increased strain on his body, Luffy is unable to use the form for too long as he uses up all of his food and energy reserves to maintain it. Using Gear 2 makes him much hungrier than usual, but can even paralyze him for a while if he uses it too much. This form made short work of Blueno, but was not strong enough to defeat Rob Lucci during the Enies Lobby battle.

Gear 3 Luffy

Luffy's gigantic transformation

Similar to Gear 2, this transformation uses Luffy's powers given to him due to the unique properties of his rubber body. However, unlike Gear 2, this is less of a form and more of a temporary power, as it requires Luffy to use the air from his bones to inflate his arms to gargantuan size. Biting down hard on his thumb, he creates an opening that allows him to blow air into the bones to inflate the arm.

If you want the backbone, I'll show you another tactic. Equipment… Third!

Not only does his arm grow to a size comparable to that of a giant, namely Oars, but it packs as much of a punch as it looks, with Luffy being shown to be capable of destroying entire buildings and huge structures with a single punch. In his fight against Rob Lucci, Luffy destroyed a substantial portion of Enies Lobby when he eliminated Lucci. However, once he's done using it, his entire body loses energy and causes him to shrink in size, looking like a child and depleting his stamina.

Nightmare Luffy

A strong, unique shape

During the events of Thriller Bark, Gecko Moria proved to be an extremely dangerous threat to the heroes, to the point where even Gears 2 and 3 were not enough to defeat him. Although he was quite weak on his own, his powers were quite formidable, though they also proved to be his downfall when Luffy was able to host 100 shadows to unlock his Nightmare Luffy form.

Oh, you big idiot. What should you iron? No one is under your feet.

This form was incredibly physically powerful, making Luffy much larger and giving him more physical strength than any of his other forms. This was seen in his climactic battle against Oars, where he used his incredible strength to block Oars' frontal strike and even throw him. Although the form lasted for a very short time, it becomes one of Luffy's strongest.

Gear 4 Luffy

The state with the most subforms

Gear 4 is perhaps the most interesting of all Luffy's transformations, as it includes several sub-forms within it, each with its own specialty in a combat situation. The defining characteristic of this form is that it is the first of Luffy's transformations to use Haki, covering a large portion of his body in Armament Haki to make his attacks do much more damage. Similar to Gear 3, Luffy inflates his body by blowing air into his arms, though this time it affects his entire body rather than just one limb at a time.

You made my friends cry and drove my crewmates crazy. But you haven't fallen yet, so I'll take it all in! Equipment… Fourth!

Unlike the other forms, Gear 4 has different states that emphasize different aspects of fighting situations that Luffy can mix and match to fit whatever situation he finds himself in. For example, Boundman is a state that makes his body quite lively, but also gives his attacks a ton. of power behind them, allowing them to simulate flight by hitting the air. On the other hand, Snakeman makes Luffy keep Luffy close to the same size as his normal state, is much weaker, and gives his hits an incredible speed and mobility boost.

Gear 5 Luffy

The power of the sun god Nika

The biggest and still most mysterious of all of Luffy's transformations is his most recent; Gear 5. This is not only the most unique transformation in terms of powers and abilities, but due to the near invincibility it grants Luffy while in this state, essentially giving him the powers of the toon force, both offensively and defensively. Although Luffy has only been shown using this form briefly, the potential he holds is limitless considering fans know next to nothing about him in the current setting.

This… is my peak. This is Gear 5!

Gear 5 made its debut in Luffy's grueling battle against Kaido, who was an enemy that proved to be far too much for Luffy to face, even in his strongest form at the time. After being pushed to the brink of death, Luffy's Devil Fruit underwent an awakening and proved to be one of the most powerful Zoan Mythical Fruits in One pieceturning Luffy into Sun God Nika's state. In Gear 5, Luffy is able to essentially do anything he wants by putting the rubbery properties of his Devil Fruit on any object near him. Although he couldn't really damage Gorosei, Gear 5 Luffy is currently the strongest known character in the entire series.

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