Devil Fruits were introduced as the primary power system in the world of One Piece, eventually being followed by Haki. However, the true potential of Devil Fruits was kept hidden by Oda, until he chose to reveal Devil Fruit Awakening for the first time during the events of the Dressrosa Arc.
Here is everything you need to know about One Piece Devil Fruit Awakenings.
What is a Devil Fruit Awakening?
Awakening allows Devil Fruit users to amplify their abilities and utilize their powers in new ways. For example, Paramecia fruits normally give users specific abilities. But when awakened, the user can directly affect their environment and impose their fruit’s properties onto objects or areas around them.
- There are a few telltale signs that a Devil Fruit user has achieved Awakening.
- The user displays greater mastery over their abilities and can affect their surroundings in ways not previously shown.
- Awakened users also mention awakening their “powers” or make references to awakening, although this is only the case when the user is aware of ‘Awakenings’.
Types of Awakenings
- Paramecia Awakenings transform the user’s power from self-affecting to external-affecting. Doflamingo demonstrates this by awakening his String-String Fruit to turn buildings, geography, and even clouds into strings that he can manipulate like a puppeteer. Katakuri also displays awakened abilities by converting the inorganic matter around him into mochi.
- Zoan awakenings enhance physical capabilities and recovery, allowing users to morph specific body parts into animal forms and quickly regenerate injuries. After awakening his Mythical Zoan Fruit, Luffy was able to ascend to Gear 5, which he considers to be the peak of his abilities. In Gear 5 Luffy has shown to have absolute mastery over his rubbery body and at the same time was able to affect his environment as well.
- No explicit examples of Logia Awakenings exist yet, but in theory, it would grant the user greater control over creating, manipulating, and transforming into their element. Unawakened Logias can already passively transform, so the effects might be quite different from what we would generally expect.
Awakening Criteria
Awakening seems limited to experienced Devil Fruit masters with immense skill and creativity. Fans theorize the series’ most powerful figures like Kaido, Big Mom, Whitebeard, and Akainu have also awakened their Devil Fruit abilities.
- Outside of theories, it seems that the bare minimum for an Awakening is to have absolute mastery over one’s Devil Fruit’s capabilities.
- Doflamingo implied that awakening is extremely rare even for the most adept of Devil Fruit users.
- Luffy had to push his abilities to the absolute limit and literally get into multiple near-death scenarios to finally awaken his fruit, that too after using his Devil Fruit in several different creative ways for such a prolonged time.
- Haki might also be a component that could influence Devil Fruit Awakenings.
Conclusion
Awakening represents the ultimate mastery of Devil Fruit abilities in One Piece and the pinnacle of power for these users. It remains an exceptionally rare and coveted level of strength that marks the coming of age for a Devil Fruit user into a true powerhouse.
Unlocking Awakening establishes Devil Fruit users into a class of their own and might be the only way to deal with those who have superior Haki to nullify Devil Fruit Abilities.