One Piece officially puts up the final upgrade to Luffy's Gear 5

On March 23, 2022, in Shueisha's Weekly Shounen Jump issue 17, Monkey D. Luffy officially debuted his ultimate transformation called Gear 5. This transformation was made possible due to the awakening of Luffy's Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, one of the most powerful names Mythical Fruits a God Zoan. Since then in One PieceLuffy has demonstrated the powers of his Sun God Nika form on several occasions, and it is clear to see that he is already incredibly overpowered.

But when it comes to fighting the absolute strongest in the world, like the Devil God Nerona Imu, who officially descended on Elbaf in Chapter 1179 on April 6, 2026, Luffy's Gear 5 is not enough, and he needs to go beyond that. The Elbaf arc, currently in its climax, has set the stage for Luffy to do just that, and we absolutely cannot wait to see the next upgrade to his Sun God Nika form.

One Piece Prepares For Big Haki Boost To Gear 5 In Luffy Vs Imu Battle In Elbaf Climax

Monkey D. Luffy's Gear 5 is his absolute strongest transformation. The Gear 5 form was officially obtained by him in Chapter 1044, and it was clear that after being killed by Kaido's powerful Horai Hakke, Luffy finally managed to unlock his true potential and understand the true nature of his Devil Fruit ability.

“Awakening is what happens when your mind and body catch up with your ability. And it's truly ridiculous powers!” — Kaido explains the Devil Fruit Awakening, One Piece Chapter #1045

His body became more rubbery and could fight more freely than ever before. Most importantly, Luffy was not bound by anything but his own imagination and could do just about anything he wanted. This became the true power of his Gear 5 transformation and made him a force to be reckoned with. While Luffy initially struggled to fight Kaido, after gaining access to the power of Gear 5, he was able to easily overwhelm him on several occasions, showing his superior fighting ability. Since then, two arcs have passed, and Luffy's Gear 5 has only gotten better.

The true power of Luffy's Gear 5 will be tested against Nerona Imu in the climax of the Elbaf arc. In One Piece chapter 1181, which was officially released on April 27, 2026, in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump issues 22-23, Monkey D. Luffy was seen preparing to face Imu by consuming massive amounts of food. Of course, this will address one of the biggest flaws that Luffy has when it comes to Gear 5, and that is the lack of stamina. Once the stamina is finished, Luffy's strength also needs to be upgraded.

“Gotta eat more! I've never felt anything like this before! It's so heavy and hard! What's with this guy's Haki?” — Monkey D. Luffy eats extra food to fight Imu, One Piece Chapter #1181

Although the Gear 5 is incredibly powerful, it's not strong enough to defeat Nerona Imu, it seems. Even Loki, who by all accounts should be an equal to Sun God Nika, struggles to land consecutive hits on Imu. For Luffy to do what he is, will be impossible, and that's exactly why he needs to get an upgrade. To increase the effectiveness and combat power of Luffy's Gear 5, Eiichiro Oda will likely give him a Haki upgrade. In One Piece Chapter 1152, Scopper Gaban told Luffy to think about how to use his Haki properly. Once Luffy learns how to use Conqueror's Haki at a higher level, just like Shanks, he will become much stronger overall, and his effectiveness with Gear 5 will also increase drastically. Only then can he stand a chance against Nerona Imu in battle.

“Listen, Straw Hat! Etch into your mind how to use your Color of the Supreme King. These guys aren't immortal! — Scopper Gaban tells Luffy how to beat the immortals, One Piece Chapter #1152

Why stronger Haki can push Luffy's Gear 5 to newer heights

When it comes to the power of Supreme King Haki, it is inherently tied to the strength of the user. Unlike other Haki, Supreme King Haki cannot be trained directly. It gets stronger as the user grows in strength. As such, when Luffy is stronger than before, his Haki will also grow. Conversely, when Luffy's Haki is stronger, his Gear 5 will automatically receive a significant buff. This buff comes in terms of both offense and defense. Luffy's offensive capabilities will increase drastically, allowing him to deal more damage to the likes of Nerona Imu in battle.

Likewise, Luffy's defense will also improve to the point where powerful hits from the likes of Imu won't do lasting damage, and he can engage in a longer battle. This should also reflect in his overall stamina, and over time he should be able to maintain Gear 5 for longer periods of time. All of these issues could be addressed by Eiichiro Oda at once in the Elbaf arc, which we are eagerly waiting to see.

“Although you can control the color of that Supreme King, you cannot train it to become stronger directly. It is the embodiment of the user's spirit. The only way to make it stronger is for the user to become stronger.” — Silver's Rayleigh explains how to strengthen Supreme King Haki, One Piece Chapter #597

Luffy's Gear 5 must surpass Joy Boy's total level at the time of the Great War

Image via Toei Animation.

The creator of One PieceEiichiro Oda, has already set a level for Luffy to reach in the story, thanks to the character Joy Boy. In One Piece Chapter 1122, which was officially released in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #36-37 on August 5, 2024, Eiichiro Oda displayed the absolute peak of Joy Boy's strength when Emeth unleashed Joy Boy's Haki. It was strong enough to single-handedly split the sky, knock out all the vice admirals in Egghead, nullify the Yokai powers of the Five Elders, and finally even cause pain to Nerona Imu. Right now, Luffy is nowhere near this strength, but that needs to change. By and large, this is the exact level that Luffy must reach if he is to take on Nerona Imu in battle and defeat him.

“Listen, Emeth! I have tied a knot of the greatest Haki and locked it in your body. Use it when the time is right.” — Joy Boy to Emeth, One Piece Chapter #1122

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Luffy would have to surpass Joy Boy by a wide margin if he is to do what he failed to do 800 years ago. Reaching such a level is only possible by continuously upgrading the power of Gear 5, which is what Luffy will do from here on out, starting with Elbaf. Eiichiro Oda will give him a Haki boost, which is the main purpose of this arc, as far as Straw Hat Pirates power-ups go. As Luffy grows in terms of Haki, more power-ups will come his way, as the Great War approaches. By the end of the last battle, he will likely have passed the overall level of the likes of Gol D. Roger and Joy Boy, becoming the undisputed strongest pirate in the entire world.

The latest chapters of the One Piece manga by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.