By Rei Penber
Both Devil Fruits and Haki can be game-changing in the middle of a fight. But which of the two gives users the biggest advantage?
Among the many sources of power that exist within the One Piece world, Haki and Devil Fruits are known to be two of the biggest. Devil Fruits were introduced to the fans quite early into the series, with Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Mi debuting in the very first chapter of the story. These mystical fruits have, since then, been explored quite a lot and currently, Devil Fruit users are incredibly common in the series.
At the same time, Eiichiro Oda introduced another power system in the story, which he went into great depth around the timeskip of the story, called Haki. This power is considered to be essential for anyone hoping to conquer the New World and has, thus, become increasingly important. While both Haki and Devil Fruits are incredible in their own ways, there are strengths and limitations to both.
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Devil Fruits are an incredible source of power and once eaten, they grant one of three major types of power to the user. A Zoan type of Devil Fruit allows the user to transform themselves into an animal or a hybrid of a human and animal at will. Logia, considered to be the strongest class of all Devil Fruits, allows the user to create, manipulate, and become an element or a force of nature itself. The ability to produce something, along with all the other miscellaneous powers fit in the Paramecia class.
Evidently, Devil Fruits offer great advantages, depending on which power one attains. For instance, the Gura Gura no Mi allows the user to produce quakes that can destroy the entire world, which just goes to show that it is an overpowered ability. Just like the Gura Gura no Mi, there are quite a lot of overpowered fruits out there with powers that can even pose the strongest of Haki users great trouble.
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On the other hand, Devil Fruit users also have two glaring weaknesses – the sea and sea stone. When a significant portion of a Devil Fruit user's body is submerged in water, they cannot use their Devil Fruit ability at all and are simply way too weak to even move. Sea stone, which is a mineral originating in Wano, is also quite a big weakness as it emits the same wavelength as the ocean, meaning any Devil Fruit power stands no chance against it.
When compared to Devil Fruits, Haki is a completely different power system as it exists within everyone in the One Piece world. It is a spiritual power that only a few people manage to tap into. Once awakened, however, Haki is quite useful as it allows the user to manifest their spiritual power in several ways. Usually, Haki can be divided into two types – the Color of Observation Haki, and the Color of Arms Haki.
The Color of Observation Haki grants a sixth sense to a user and allows them to see predict things such as movements quite easily. It also grants the ability to feel emotions, sense danger, or even gauge power levels quite easily. Observation Haki is an incredibly useful power in combat. In comparison, the Color of Armament Haki allows the user to manifest their spirit as an invisible armor and use it to attack and defend. The biggest advantage of the Color of Armament Haki is that it allows the user to bypass any Devil Fruit protection, allowing the user to make contact with their real bodies and damage them.
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When hit with Haki, even a rubber man such as Luffy feels pain with blunt attacks, which supposedly shouldn't work on him. At the same time, the likes of the Logia are vulnerable to its power as well. A third type of Haki called the Color of the Supreme King, or Conqueror's Haki, allows the super to impose their willpower on others and dominate those with weaker wills. This power is, however, present only in one in a million people, meaning not everyone will have it.
The other two types of Haki, on the other hand, have their own weaknesses as well. In combat, Observation Haki can be easily bypassed with enough speed, as seen when Luffy was able to outspeed the movements of Boa Sandersonia, or even Enel, despite them using Observation Haki. Similarly, while Armament Haki offers great defense, it can be broken through and overpowered with sheer force itself. When Luffy fought Marigold, even her advanced usage of Armament Haki, called Ryuo, was not enough to guard against Luffy's incredible force. Katakuri, whose Haki was much superior to Luffy's, wasn't able to withstand the sheer force of Gear Fourth, despite it using weaker Haki. It is unconfirmed if sea stone affects the ability to use Haki or not, however, Luffy couldn't make use of his Haki in Udon Prison despite wearing weakened sea stone cuffs.
Both Devil Fruits and Haki are incredible sources of power in the One Piece world and they're both capable of taking someone to the top. The likes of Shanks and even Gol D. Roger attained tremendous strength without even having a Devil Fruit power at their disposal. This quite clearly implies that Devil Fruits aren't needed for one to be among the strongest. At the same time, however, the likes of Blackbeard have reached the pinnacle of strength using Devil Fruits mainly. Whitebeard's Devil Fruit was considered strong enough to be able to destroy the entire world, which is something that Ancient Weapons are usually known to be able to do. This puts into perspective what great power these fruits hold as well.
In essence, one can't go wrong with either of the two powers in One Piece. However, with Devil Fruits, there are weaknesses that people simply can't control, such as the sea, which don't affect Haki users. Devil Fruits would also require one to get lucky to attain great power. Attaining a rather underwhelming power is just as possible. In the case of Haki, however, this isn't possible as the ability grows stronger the more the user trains and puts themselves in dangerous situations that bring the best out of their abilities. Haki does, however, run out the more the user strains themselves and is an ability that weakens during a fight. While some Devil Fruits are affected by this phenomenon, most don't have an effect on stamina at all.
To put things simply, Devil Fruits are high-risk high reward – meaning one can attain tremendous power without even lifting a finger and instantly become strong by using them. Haki, on the other hand, is an ability that is more stable and takes quite a lot of practice to master. There is no better power between the two, however, depending on what the user prefers in battle, one can certainly be preferred over the other.
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As a seasoned enthusiast deeply immersed in the intricate world of anime, particularly the realm of One Piece created by Eiichiro Oda, I can confidently assert my expertise on the concepts of Devil Fruits and Haki. Having delved extensively into the series and its nuanced power systems, I bring forth a wealth of firsthand knowledge to dissect the intricate dynamics between these two game-changing elements.
Let's start with Devil Fruits, an early introduction into the One Piece narrative. These mystical fruits bestow users with extraordinary powers, categorized into three major types: Zoan, Logia, and Paramecia. Zoan allows transformations into animals or hybrids, Logia grants control over elements or forces of nature, and Paramecia encompasses a range of miscellaneous powers. The diversity of Devil Fruits is immense, exemplified by the Gura Gura no Mi, capable of unleashing destructive quakes that can potentially reshape the world.
However, the inherent weaknesses of Devil Fruits cannot be overlooked. Submersion in water or contact with sea stone renders users powerless, adding a strategic vulnerability to their otherwise formidable abilities. Despite the potency of Devil Fruits, these weaknesses underscore the high-risk, high-reward nature of this power system.
On the flip side, Haki emerges as a distinct power system introduced by Oda during the series' timeskip. It is a spiritual power inherent in everyone in the One Piece world, requiring awakening to unleash its full potential. Haki is divided into three types: Color of Observation, Color of Armament, and Color of the Supreme King (Conqueror's Haki).
Color of Observation Haki grants users a sixth sense, enabling them to predict movements, sense emotions, and gauge power levels in combat. Color of Armament Haki allows the manifestation of spirit as an invisible armor, capable of bypassing Devil Fruit protections and inflicting damage on users' real bodies. Conqueror's Haki, a rare and powerful type, empowers individuals to impose their will on others and dominate those with weaker wills.
Despite its versatility, Haki is not without weaknesses. Observation Haki can be surpassed with enough speed, while Armament Haki, though offering strong defense, can be overpowered with sheer force. The existence of sea stone's influence on Haki remains unconfirmed, but instances like Luffy's inability to use Haki while wearing sea stone cuffs suggest a potential connection.
In essence, the comparison between Devil Fruits and Haki in terms of advantages and disadvantages is a complex one. Devil Fruits provide instant, often overwhelming power with inherent weaknesses, while Haki demands training and mastery but offers a more stable and versatile skill set. The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preference and battle strategy.
In conclusion, both Devil Fruits and Haki are formidable sources of power in the One Piece world, each with its unique strengths and limitations. The series exemplifies that achieving greatness doesn't hinge solely on possessing a Devil Fruit, as seen with characters like Shanks and Gol D. Roger. Ultimately, the debate between the two powers is subjective, and the decision rests on what users prioritize in the dynamic and perilous world of One Piece.
