Key Takeaways
- Kaido’s Hassaikai, despite being ungraded, showcases deadly techniques inspired by Buddhism.
- The Eight Precepts Kaido distorts through his combat styles reflect his indulgence and chaos.
- The Hassaikai symbolizes Kaido’s rejection of discipline, highlighting strength without moral grounding.
As a long-time follower of One Piece and a student of both Eastern philosophy and Western literature, I find Kaido’s character to be a profound exploration of human nature and the corrupting influence of power. Growing up with a background steeped in the teachings of Buddhism, it is fascinating to see how Oda has twisted these principles in such an intriguing way through Kaido’s character.
The animated show “One Piece” is renowned for its detailed backstory, particularly its complex grading system for weapons. This classification divides weapons into four levels: Supreme Grade, Great Grade, Skillful Grade, and Common Grade. Weapons of great power are typically found within these categories. Each level not only showcases the weapon’s quality but also its historical value and battleworthiness.
Although not every legendary weapon from the series One Piece has been officially ranked, some like Kaido’s Hassaikai remain ungraded, even though they possess immense power and iconic status. Despite its lack of an official grade, Oda has mentioned that if Kaido were to abandon the Hassaikai, it would likely become legendary on its own merit. However, what makes this massive, spiked kanabo so special?
The Origins and Abilities of Kaido’s Hassaikai
For most part of his pirate life, Kaido’s renowned kanabo, symbolizing the Hassaikai, serves as his preferred tool of battle. Regardless of whether he assumes human or colossal Human-Beast form, this fearsome iron club is primarily used in Kaido’s close quarters attacks. His prodigious strength, coupled with his expertise in Supreme King Haki, enables him to unleash tremendous destructive power through the weapon. With a single strike, Kaido can launch enemies far distances, inflicting severe injuries or even rendering them unconscious.
With a single hand for swift maneuvers and two hands to unleash full force, particularly in his stronger attacks, Kaido skillfully wields the Hassaikai sword. This versatile weapon is used both offensively and defensively, even deflecting lethal blows. Despite its constant use throughout the years, the history of this formidable artifact remains unexplored. When he joined the Rocks Pirates as an apprentice more than 40 years ago, Kaido was already armed with the Hassaikai. Over time, the sword seems to have developed alongside him, becoming a physical manifestation of his immense power. By the time he clashed swords with Luffy in Wano, Kaido had mastered eight distinct techniques using the Hassaikai, each derived from the Eight Precepts of Buddhism.
The Eight Techniques of Kaido’s Hassaikai
The Hassaikai, though unranked, showcases an array of lethal moves that mirror Kaido’s fierce fighting approach. These moves aren’t just about raw strength; they hold significant meaning, each one named and influenced by aspects of Buddhism. But in the hands of Kaido, these spiritual ideas are distorted into tools for disorder and devastation.
- Raimei Hakke (Thunderclap Eight Trigrams): Kaido’s signature move, a devastating horizontal swing often used at blinding speed. Imbued with Supreme King and Armament Haki, this attack knocked Luffy unconscious with a single blow.
- Horai Hakke (Roaring Thunder Eight Trigrams): A more powerful variation of Raimei Hakke, used in retaliation against Luffy’s Over Kong Gun.
- Daiitoku Raimei Hakke (Great Virtue Thunderclap Eight Trigrams): A follow-up to Raimei Hakke, which is combined with Kaido’s bulkier Human-Beast form, increasing the brutality of his strike. It was first used against Gear 5 Luffy.
- Hakai (Supremacy Sea):A collaborative attack with Big Mom, combining the powers of Hassaikai and Napoleon to create an immense energy wave capable of devastating entire landscapes.
- Kosanze Ragnaraku (Conquered Three Worlds, Attracting Hell): A thunderous overhead strike, spinning the Hassaikai above his head and crashing it down with enough power to smash opponents into the ground. This attack knocked Luffy unconscious the first time he used it.
- Kongo Kabura (Vajra Arrow): A long-range shock-wave attack. Kaido swings the Hassaikai forward with such force that it sends a projectile-like force toward enemies. This wave was enough to knock Yamato down in his Human-Beast form.
- Gundari Ryuseigun (Prosperous Dragon Army): A barrage of rapid, high-speed swings imbued with Supreme King Haki, overwhelming opponents with sheer volume and power.
- Kaifu (Demolishing Wind): Air blades created by swinging the Hassaikai with immense force, capable of slicing through the air toward the enemy.
Although these methods draw significant influence from Buddhist iconography, they are anything but serene; instead, they represent force and devastation.
Hassaikai and the Eight Precepts: Buddhism Flipped on Its Head
The criminal organization led by Kaido, known as the Hassaikai, derives its name from the “Eight Precepts,” a fundamental code in Buddhism that promotes ethical behavior, self-discipline, and moral integrity. However, contrary to these teachings, Kaido’s actions and combat style are the antithesis of these virtues as he is a ruthless and power-seeking pirate. The Hassaikai serves as an embodiment of this twisted distortion of Buddhist principles.
The Eight Precepts Kaido distorts through his combat styles include:
| Buddhist Precept | Kaido’s Reverse |
|---|---|
| Abstaining from killing | Slaughtering Drunk – Embracing violence and bloodshed. |
| Abstaining from stealing | Thieving Drunk – Reveling in taking what doesn’t belong to him. |
| Abstaining from sexual activity | Spoiled Flirty Drunk – Embodying indulgence and lust. |
| Abstaining from telling lies | Angry Drunk – Truth is distorted by rage and madness. |
| Abstaining from intoxicating drinks | Drunken combat modes – Highlighting Kaido’s fondness for intoxication. |
| Abstaining from eating after noon | Depressed Drunk – A reflection of Kaido’s mood swings exacerbating his violent outbursts. |
| Abstaining from entertainment | Laughing Drunk – Representing Kaido’s utter disregard for moral restraint and indulgence in excessive entertainment. |
| Abstaining from luxurious furniture | Kaido’s lifestyle of excess – His lavish kingdom in Wano and his insatiable thirst for power reflect his complete rejection of this precept. |
In a simpler, more conversational style: Kaido isn’t just your typical tough guy villain; he represents disorder, indulgence, and internal turmoil. His lifestyle, which contrasts with the principles of self-control, morality, and purity, shows his descent into a world filled with excess, violence, and spiritual decay. It seems like Oda wanted to portray Kaido’s tragic downfall—a character who might have had the potential for greatness (remember, he thought he was JoyBoy), but ended up being overtaken by his own destructive side.
The underrated yet iconic Hassaikai embodies Kaido’s defiance towards structure and decorum, reinforcing the idea that raw power lacking ethical foundation may ultimately cause one’s ruin.
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2024-09-24 21:34