4 years ago, on March 28, 2022, in One Piece Chapter 1044, which was published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #17, series creator Eiichiro Oda unleashed the strongest transformation for Monkey D. Luffy with the Awakening of his Mythical Zoan Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. This transformation is Luffy’s Gear 5 or the Sun God Nika form. Immediately upon Nika’s descent on the world after 800 years, Eiichiro Oda confirmed that he was the Warrior of Liberation who brought laughter and joy to the faces of everyone around him. While the power that the Nika Awakening offered Luffy was absolutely tremendous, it significantly simplified Luffy’s tendency to joke around in battle. Gear 5 took this character trait to the absolute maximum level and, at times, led to all the tension being eradicated from the battle.
However, One Piece’s Elbaf arc has addressed this issue once and for all by giving Luffy’s Gear 5 a completely new edge and making him fight completely seriously for the first time. In One Piece Chapter 1187, which was released officially on July 5, 2026, Eiichiro Oda gave Luffy’s Gear 5 a completely new look by making him far more serious than ever before.
One Piece Chapter 1187 Officially Erases Luffy’s Flaws By Making Gear 5 Serious
Luffy’s character has always been goofy from the very beginning of One Piece. Be it his battle against the likes of Crocodile, where he used Water Luffy, or Enel, where he utilized the power of Gomu Gomu no Boh, Luffy has always been somewhat ridiculous in battle. Even in his battle against Rob Lucci, where the life of a crewmate, Nico Robin, was on the line, Luffy did not let go of his comedic nature. However, when Luffy tapped into the power of Gear 5 on March 28, 2022, this comedic aspect of his nature was taken to the absolute maximum level, which some fans did not like.
“What’s happening? How can I still stand? I just lost, but I feel like I’m having a blast! Ahahahahaha! I feel like anything is possible now. I can keep fighting a little longer.” — Monkey D. Luffy shows the funny side of Gear 5, One Piece Chapter #1044
In an interview in 2022, Eiichiro Oda himself stated that he wanted his manga to be something that makes people laugh no matter what. In today’s world, more manga that are serious are coming out one after another, and Oda is not a fan of that. In essence, manga is something for Oda that exists to make kids smile, and to personify that to the absolute maximum level, he created Gear 5 to be a funny transformation. Even if people hate Gear 5, Eiichiro Oda knows that this transformation is what represents Luffy’s character the very best way.
“I drew Gear 5 as a big joke, knowing that all my readers would not be happy with it. Battle manga become more serious when they follow readers’ expectations. I hated that. I didn’t want my manga to be too serious, so I had fun achieving it with the fight against Kaido.” — Eiichiro Oda explains how Gear 5 was made, Interview With Aoyama
That said, at times, Oda has excessively utilized the laughing trait for Monkey D. Luffy when he utilizes Gear 5. Thankfully, in the Elbaf Arc climax, this flaw of Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 5 has been officially addressed. In One Piece Chapter 1187, released officially on July 5, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shounen Jump Issue #32, Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 5 was put under the spotlight once again. It was clear to see that, for the very first time, Luffy, with Gear 5, immediately jumped into serious mode when entering battle. Against the biggest of enemies like Nerona Imu, Eiichiro Oda needs to maintain high-stakes tension and, as such, limit how much Luffy plays his jokes in battle.
Imu: So thou hast finally shown thyself, Joy Boy!
Luffy: Don’t go calling me whatever you want. I’m Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the King of the Pirates.
— Luffy Vs Imu begins, One Piece Chapter #1187
Why Luffy’s Gear 5 Needed A Serious Edge After Wano
Luffy’s Gear 5 is perfect the way Eiichiro Oda has crafted it. Being the Warrior of Liberation and the individual who brings laughter and joy to the oppressed people of the world, Monkey D. Luffy’s ultimate power-up is the absolute personification of his personality, and that should never change. Luffy’s ability to make people smile and laugh himself all the time is a key part of his character, and no fan who understands Luffy’s character would ask that to be changed.
However, what Eiichiro Oda needs to do is strike a perfect balance between the two. When the tension in the story is at a high level, Gear 5 needs to adapt to this scenario, as has been the case in One Piece Chapter 1187. Similarly, when Luffy arrives at the Sun World with Loki in One Piece Chapter 1175, Eiichiro Oda once again highlighted his serious and deadly nature with Gear 5, showcasing that this flaw that he once struggled to balance does not exist anymore. With Gear 5 being highlighted a lot more in the upcoming One Piece Chapter 1188, scheduled for a release on July 12, 2026, and the chapters beyond, it is highly likely that we will get more glimpses of Eiichiro Oda’s new depiction of Luffy’s Gear 5.
“A strong Devil Fruit isn’t enough to conquer the seas. Look at Roger! He had no Devil Fruit, yet he still brought the world to heel. Haki transcends all!” — Kaido explains the biggest power in One Piece
How Luffy’s Gear 5 Can Evolve Even Further In The Final Saga
While Eiichiro Oda has practically mastered the balance between Gear 5’s funny nature and the serious side, he can make this power even more lethal in the Final Saga by upgrading its overall abilities. In One Piece Chapter 1179, which was released officially on April 5, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #19, Eiichiro Oda introduced the idea of awakening rings.
This was once again showcased with Rain God Zaza in One Piece Chapter 1182 on May 10, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #24. Monkey D. Luffy, despite being a God of the World, does not have this awakening ring yet, and perhaps Gear 5 could be upgraded with the inclusion of this powerful Awakening Ring. Be it this way or in any other, Gear 5 is likely to be upgraded in the final saga before the Great War begins, and we absolutely cannot wait to see what Luffy’s upgraded form looks like in the future.
All chapters of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
