One Piece’s Original Sun God Nika and Luffy’s Connection as a Mink

The enigmatic figure of The Sun God Nika in One Piece has made frequent appearances throughout the various story arcs, adding to their mystique. The true nature of Nika and their relation to Joy Boy remains uncertain and unconfirmed in the narrative.

Despite the lack of information on Nika’s origins and details, Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation is heavily linked to the Sun God Nika as it is a physical manifestation of his Hito Hito no Mi Model: Nika fruit awakening.

This has prompted numerous fans to speculate about the potential appearance of Nika. The fact that Nika, Joy Boy, Zunesha, and the Minks all overlap, as well as the similarity between Gear 5 and the Mink tribe’s Sulong transformation, suggests that Nika could be an incredibly ancient Mink.

Notice: This article includes revelations for the One Piece series.

One Piece: Is Nika an Ancient Mink Inspired by Sun Wukong?

Gear 5 Luffy as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation debuted towards the end of the Wano arc, when he faced Kaido in their final battle. While the connection between Luffy’s Gear 5 and the Minks has not yet been revealed in the story, there are several noticeable similarities between them.

The transformation into the Sulong form affects all Minks, regardless of their original fur color, resulting in white fur and red eyes. This physical change is accompanied by a loss of ego and personality, replaced by a state of rage.

The alterations bear a striking resemblance to Luffy’s Gear 5 evolution, in which his entire color scheme shifts to white, his eyes turn red, and he experiences overwhelming happiness and laughter.

There is a possibility that the original Nika was a member of the Mink tribe and was transformed into a Devil Fruit in ancient times.

Luffy's devil fruit as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation) — Luffy’s devil fruit as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The Gear 5 transformation exhibits qualities such as excessive self-assurance, a feeling of liberation, and a distant demeanor, all of which bear resemblance to contemporary depictions of Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, is a legendary character from the epic tale “Journey to the West.”In this story, he possesses immense powers comparable to Gear 5 Luffy and has served as an inspiration for the popular character Son Goku in the manga series Dragon Ball.

As a well-known fact, Oda is a great admirer of the Dragon Ball series, which may have influenced his creation of Luffy and Nika based on Sun Wukong. The resemblance between Luffy’s character and that of Sun Wukong, as portrayed in other media, is evident in Luffy’s everyday demeanor. This can also be hinted at by Luffy’s name, “Monkey D. Luffy,”potentially indicating Nika’s true identity.

The smoke surrounding Gear 5 Luffy is frequently interpreted as a symbol of divinity in the anime. This, combined with Luffy’s ability to stretch similar to Sun Wukong’s staff, suggests that Nika may have been a Monkey Mink tribe member who obtained some kind of divine power and now resides within Luffy’s Devil Fruit.

Concluding Remarks

The Egghead Island arc of the One Piece manga has just concluded, with the Straw Hats setting sail on Dorry and Brogy’s ship.

The Island of Elbaf will be their next stop, signaling the start of the much-awaited Elbaf arc. The previous chapter, 1124, concluded with a mysterious individual already anticipating the arrival of Luffy and his crew on Elbaf.

This has caused numerous fans to speculate that it could potentially be Shanks, who was last witnessed battling Captain Kid near Elbaf. The upcoming One Piece chapter 1125 is scheduled to be released on September 8, 2024, and will mark the beginning of the Elbaf arc.

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