Shocking Truth: Why Shanks’ Red Hair Pirates Shun Devil Fruits and Embrace Unmatched Haki Mastery!

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This article contains spoilers from One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.

Summary

  • The Red Hair Pirates are a Yonko crew with impenetrable defenses due to their balanced strength, lack of Devil Fruit users, and strong Haki.
  • Their uniqueness lies in not having Devil Fruits, maintaining the ability to swim, and setting themselves apart from other Emperor crews.
  • While Devil Fruits may not be essential, Haki is crucial for survival in the New World, as proven by Shanks and Roger without them.

In the grand finale of “One Piece,” known as the Elbaf arc, the narrative takes a significant stride forward following Egghead’s opening of its gates. This storyline has sparked immense excitement among fans for various reasons, one of them being the Red Hair Pirates. For years, viewers have been speculating about the roles these pirates might play within this arc.

Even though they haven’t taken an active part in the storyline so far, it’s only a matter of time before the Red Hair Pirates make their move. As more and more fans eagerly await their entrance, the topic of their abilities becomes increasingly popular. Given their potential to cause chaos during the climactic final saga, this is hardly unexpected. A significant point of debate regarding the Red Hair Pirates is that they lack any members with Devil Fruits. While it could simply be a coincidence, there may be a hidden reason behind this.

The Power Of The Red Hair Pirates

  • The Red Hair Pirates Are A Yonko Crew
  • The Most Balanced Crew In One Piece

1) The Red-Haired Pirates, an outstanding pirate crew in “One Piece,” have been depicted magnificently by Oda from the get-go. They were actually the first group that the audience encountered in the storyline. This is the very pirate gang that instilled a feeling of true liberation within Luffy and guided him towards his dream of becoming a pirate. Fans acknowledge that the Red-Haired Pirates possess immense power, with their captain being a strong contender for the world’s strongest character. It was disclosed during the Water 7 Saga that Red-Haired Shanks is one of the Four Sea Emperors. Then, during the Wano Country Arc, it was Brannew who revealed that Shanks assumed the position of Yonko six years ago, signifying that when Luffy embarked on his voyage, Shanks had already been a Sea Emperor for approximately 4 years.

Above all, pirates have freedom! — Red Hair Pirates

In the realm of Elbaf, it’s evident that Shanks’ rise as a Yonko is closely connected with Loki, who caused chaos on the seas following the rumored slaying of King Harald. When Shanks defeated Loki and returned him to Elbaf, Oda hinted at the Red Hair Pirates elevating to a tier equivalent to Yonkos. Since that time, the Red Hair Pirates have witnessed significant growth.

According to Oda, it is the Red Hair Pirates who boast the finest equilibrium among all the Emperor crews, making their defenses virtually unbreachable. This means that every pirate in the Red Hair crew is exceptionally strong, and there isn’t a significant gap in power between their top officers. However, their strength doesn’t derive from Devil Fruits.

Why There Are No Devil Fruit Users In The Red Hair Pirates

The Red Hair Pirates Are Made Unique By This Quality

In the universe of One Piece, it’s noteworthy that the Red Hair Pirates, as far as fans are concerned, lack any known users of the Devil Fruit. This could be due to their emphasis on the fundamental skill of swimming. While it’s true that possessing a Devil Fruit isn’t a prerequisite for greatness in One Piece, without the mastery of Haki, even the strongest pirates would find survival in the New World virtually impossible. The Red Hair Pirates excel in Haki, enabling them to thrive in the New World and assert their dominance as a well-balanced crew.

Out all the Yonko crews, they’re the ones who have the best balance. — Brannew

The reason why members of the Red Hair Pirates lack Devil Fruits is because they already possess sufficient strength without needing one. Since they’re quite powerful as they are, consuming a Devil Fruit isn’t necessarily necessary for them. This also allows them to retain their swimming abilities, which seems important to their crew, as evident in the Romance Dawn arc when Shanks pointed out Luffy’s tendency to sink like an anchor.

Shanks might have been influenced by his mentor and decided against eating a fruit. This is likely the primary reason why the Red Hair Pirates appear to lack members with special abilities. However, it’s important to note that Shanks didn’t intentionally recruit only those who don’t use Devil Fruits. Instead, they didn’t have any fruits from the start, and later chose not to consume one. The Gomu Gomu no Mi, which they obtained, was never intended for their personal use.

However, although there are logical explanations for why the Red Hair Pirates lack a Devil Fruit, the primary reason may be to differentiate the Red Hair crew. Compared to the Big Mom Pirates, who have numerous Devil Fruit users, all mostly related to Big Mom, this makes the Red Hair crew stand out. Similarly, Kaido’s pirate crew is unique because it consists mainly of Zoan users. Blackbeard’s crew is unique due to their collection of specific ability users, which they acquired themselves. The only thing that sets Shanks and his crew apart is their lack of Devil Fruits.

Are The Red Hair Pirates Limited In Terms Of Power?

The Red Hair Pirates Are A Force To Be Reckoned With

Though it might seem like the Red Hair Pirates have restricted abilities, this assumption couldn’t be more misleading. As previously discussed, mastery over Haki is crucial for success in the New World; however, possessing a Devil Fruit is not a mandatory requirement. The presence of figures like Shanks in our current era and Roger in the past era demonstrates this fact clearly.

In simpler terms, only the Devil Fruit is crucial for someone to carry out the will of “D” as “Nika,” a fact that fans are aware Luffy has achieved with some assistance from Shanks and destiny. However, apart from executing the will of “D” and reinstating “Nika,” there’s no absolute necessity for any Devil Fruit in the storyline, at least not yet.

Readers can access One Piece through Viz Media, where they can officially read it for free on both Shonen Jump and Manga Plus apps. The next installment of One Piece, chapter 1140, is scheduled to be released on February 23, 2025.

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2025-02-18 02:04