Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of the popular anime and manga series One Piece, is known for his incredible strength and fighting abilities despite not using any weapons. However, in the latest chapters of the manga, Luffy has acquired a powerful sword that has left fans wondering just how strong this new weapon is and what it might mean for Luffy’s fighting style going forward.
What sword did Luffy get?
In Chapter 1049 of the One Piece manga, Luffy was given a sword called Nidai Kitetsu by the legendary swordsmith Shimotsuki Kozaburo. The Kitetsu swords are famous for being extremely powerful but also cursed blades that bring misfortune to their owners. Nidai Kitetsu is the second Kitetsu sword to be introduced in the story after Sandai Kitetsu, which is currently wielded by Luffy’s swordsman Zoro. As the higher numbered Nidai Kitetsu, this new sword is implied to be even stronger than Sandai Kitetsu.
How strong are the Kitetsu swords?
The Kitetsu swords are considered to be one of the Supreme Grade swords in the One Piece world. Supreme Grade is the highest level of quality for swords, putting them above even the Great Grade swords that are used by the strongest swordsmen like Mihawk. Both Sandai Kitetsu and Nidai Kitetsu have been established to be insanely sharp swords that can cut through objects with ease.
Additionally, Nidai Kitetsu is said to be vastly superior to Sandai Kitetsu. As one of the 21 O Wazamono grade swords, which are the very best Supreme Grade swords, Nidai Kitetsu is likely one of the strongest swords ever crafted in the One Piece world. It contains tremendous power despite its curse.
Has Luffy ever used a sword before?
Prior to getting Nidai Kitetsu, Luffy has never been shown using a sword in combat before. He’s always fought with his bare hands and rubber Devil Fruit abilities. However, Luffy has wielded a sword briefly during certain moments of the story:
- As a child, Luffy played with swords pretending to be a pirate
- He used a sword randomly while goofing off with Usopp
- He fought Arlong while wielding a sword he found on the ground before discarding it
So while Luffy has never fully incorporated swordsmanship into his fighting style, he at least has some minor experience wielding blades.
How did Luffy get Nidai Kitetsu?
Luffy was gifted the Nidai Kitetsu sword by Kozaburo out of respect for Luffy’s accomplishments and seeing him as a future “sword master.” Previously, Zoro had tried to take ownership of Nidai Kitetsu by surviving its curse through force of will. However, Kozaburo decided Luffy was the one destined to wield Nidai Kitetsu instead based on Luffy possessing qualities similar to the sword’s original owner, the legendary samurai Shimotsuki Ryuma.
Will Luffy start using a sword in fights?
It’s currently unclear if Luffy plans to integrate Nidai Kitetsu into his combat style going forward. On one hand, it would be a major shift for Luffy to switch from being a brawler to a swordsman. It would take time for him to properly learn swordsmanship. However, the power of Nidai Kitetsu may prove too good for Luffy to ignore. Even without proper technique, he could rely on the sword’s sharpness and innate power to make it a formidable weapon.
There are hints Luffy may start using Nidai Kitetsu more actively:
- He was willing to take the sword from Kozaburo despite its curse
- He’s paralleled to Ryuma, who was an unbeatable swordsman
- He may need a weapon that can damage strong opponents
But Luffy also acknowledged that he doesn’t know anything about swords. He may end up giving Nidai Kitetsu to Zoro, who could master it as the crew’s swordsman.
How would Nidai Kitetsu affect Luffy’s strength?
If Luffy does add Nidai Kitetsu to his fighting abilities, it could increase his strength tremendously. With a Supreme Grade sword in hand, Luffy would have:
- Increased attack power and reach in close quarters combat
- The ability to cut through enemies and objects that are usually too durable for blunt strikes
- A precaution against fighting opponents that can turn into blades or have blade-based abilities
- Techniques like projectile sword slashes added to his arsenal
This could potentially counter enemies that previously gave Luffy trouble due to their blades such as Mihawk and Hachi. However, Luffy would need advanced Armament Haki to properly wield Nidai Kitetsu to its full potential.
Conclusion
As one of the 21 O Wazamono Supreme Grade swords, Nidai Kitetsu is undoubtedly an insanely powerful blade. If Luffy masters it, Nidai Kitetsu could make him essentially undefeatable in close quarters sword combat. However, it’s still uncertain if Luffy will integrate swordsmanship into his fighting style given his lack of experience. Fans will have to keep reading One Piece to see if and how Luffy takes advantage of his newest formidable weapon. But the potential of Luffy dual-wielding Nidai Kitetsu with his rubber abilities certainly makes for an exciting development.