One Piece Author Oda Reveals Luffy’s Biggest Weakness

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

The popular manga and anime series One Piece is nearing its conclusion with the ‘Final Saga’. During this saga, the creator, Eiichiro Oda, is introducing the most powerful opponents the Straw Hat Pirates have ever faced. With dangerous characters like Blackbeard and the mysterious Imu already causing trouble, fans realize Luffy needs to reach a new level of strength. Despite Luffy mastering all three types of Haki and achieving the powerful Gear 5 transformation, he still isn’t strong enough to defeat Imu.

According to the author, Oda, Luffy isn’t yet at his full potential because of a significant weakness: his stamina. While Luffy is incredibly strong and can compete with anyone in the One Piece world, he can’t sustain his powers or Haki for extended periods. This issue will likely need to be resolved during the Elbaf arc.

Oda Has Already Shown Luffy’s Stamina Is His Biggest Weakness

Luffy’s ability to win fights quickly is often limited by his stamina. It’s not that he lacks stamina – in fact, he has a huge amount, likely among the best in the series. The problem is his powerful abilities drain his stamina very quickly, preventing him from using them for extended periods.

He’s strong, but he’s using too much Haki! — Law on seeing Gear 4

Oda has repeatedly explained that Luffy’s Gear 4 has a time limit due to the way it works. When Luffy uses Gear 4, he dramatically increases the amount of Haki he’s using. This massive burst of Haki quickly depletes his stamina, creating a significant weakness.

Even though Luffy can now use Gear 5, a problem remains. Gear 5 is a powerful transformation unlocked by awakening his Devil Fruit, but it significantly drains his stamina and causes him to age quickly after use.

Luffy Can’t Maintain His Gear 5 For Long

As a huge One Piece fan, it’s become really clear that Luffy’s Gear 5 isn’t sustainable for long fights. We saw it in Wano against Kaido where he was practically pushing himself to keep it going, and then again in Egghead – he actually ran out of Gear 5 mid-fight with Kizaru, forcing him to change tactics. Even more recently, fighting the Elders completely drained him! It’s a definite weakness. And it’s not just Gear 5 itself; using both Conqueror’s and Armament Haki takes a huge toll on his stamina, meaning he burns through his power way faster than he’d like. It’s a real concern for his future battles!

That’s a fascinating ability, but it doesn’t last forever, does it? How long can you keep it going?

Luffy Will Overcome His Stamina Weakness In The Final Saga

One of Luffy’s biggest challenges right now, as repeatedly shown by the author, is his endurance. If he wants to win against powerful opponents like Imu, Shanks, or Blackbeard, he needs to significantly improve his stamina and take it to a whole new level.

Once he masters that skill, he’ll finally reach his full potential. For example, if Luffy increases his endurance, he can use incredibly powerful Haki along with his Gear 5 transformation, which already gives him a huge advantage. Combining these abilities will allow Luffy to overcome any obstacle while remaining fully capable in battle.

Hey everyone, just a heads-up for all my fellow One Piece fans! There won’t be a new chapter next week, but don’t worry, we’ll get Chapter 1166 in two weeks! Mark your calendars for November 23rd, 2025, because that’s when it officially drops. And the best part? You can read it for free on Manga Plus, so we can all enjoy it together!

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2025-11-15 00:38