For more than twenty years, One Piece enthusiasts have been engrossed by Monkey D. Luffy’s quest to claim the title of Pirate King. His unique devil fruit abilities and distinctive Gear techniques render him a fighter full of surprises.

After a long period of eager anticipation, Luffy has now achieved a legendary level of power – the astounding Gear 5 form. 

This transformation has set new records in the fandom, with the One Piece manga chapter revealing Gear 5 selling more than 1.3 million copies in a matter of weeks. The fan excitement is palpable, as this long-anticipated power-up is set to be animated in the anime shortly. 

Let’s delve into the capabilities of Luffy’s new form and explore why it has sent the fandom into a whirlwind of excitement.

First Appearance of Gear 5

During a grueling battle against Kaido, the seemingly invincible leader of the Beasts Pirates, Luffy revealed Gear 5 when he was pushed to his absolute brink. After being rendered unconscious, Luffy’s Devil Fruit underwent an unexpected ‘awakening,’ bestowing upon him an explosive surge of new power.

His body was filled with a mystical force, his eyes radiating red as he morphed into the legendary Warrior of Liberation – Nika, the Sun God. 

This awakening caused a seismic stir in the One Piece universe. Luffy’s fruit was disclosed to be the Mythical Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, a power that the World Government had attempted to obliterate from history. Now, Luffy himself commands the full potential of this ancient power.

Gear 5 Abilities and Power

In his Gear 5 form, Luffy sports a lean, muscular physique, stark white hair, and matching attire. An aura, reminiscent of flames and wings, emanates from his back, symbolizing Nika’s emblem of freedom.

In this state, Luffy achieves power akin to a demi-god. His rubber body can stretch, enlarge, and twist without any constraints. He can seamlessly transition from his base form to the gigantic Gear 3rd or the formidable Gear 4th modes.

Luffy has the ability to hurl lightning bolts, transform his surroundings into rubber, and even manipulate Kaido’s body as if it were malleable putty! Gear 5 aligns perfectly with Luffy’s jovial personality. Even with his demi-god powers, he maintains his characteristic grin and playful demeanor.

His innovative new attacks, such as Gum-Gum Bajrang Gun and Gum-Gum Escape Rocket, display boundless creativity. Luffy’s speed and unpredictability in battles make him seem like a real-life animated character!

Interestingly, the series’ creator disclosed that the classic cartoon duo, Tom and Jerry, served as the inspiration behind Luffy’s newly awakened form.

Why Fans Are Excited About Luffy Gear 5?

For years, as the manga progressed, One Piece enthusiasts have been keenly awaiting Luffy’s next power enhancement. It’s been nearly a decade since Luffy’s last significant power boost, Gear 4, was unveiled in November 2014.

Gear 5 symbolizes the complete awakening of Luffy’s fruit after more than 1,000 chapters, elevating his power to demi-god levels, fitting for the prospective Pirate King. It also uncovers fascinating lore about Luffy’s fruit being the legendary Nika fruit.

Gear 5 Release Date In Anime

Anime enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating the animation of Luffy’s Gear 5. The long-awaited episode, adapting chapter 1044 of the manga, is set to premiere on August 7, 2023.

According to Toei Animation, the studio behind the anime, the series will show Gear 5 next Sunday, August 6, 2023. It will be during episode 1071, although it is very likely that the ending of episode 1070 will turn everything upside down.

It will be available on its usual channel (Crunchyroll) on Sunday at its usual time in the United States:

• 7:00 AM ET
• 6:00 AM CT
• 4:00 AM PT

The anime promises to amplify the manga’s iconic events with high-quality, cinematic production. A brand new anime opening theme song will also be introduced, underscoring Luffy’s ascension. August 7th can’t arrive quickly enough for fans eager to see Gear 5 in all its splendor.

Are you looking forward to Luffy’s Gear 5? Share your thoughts in the comment section