One Piece: The Devastating Effects of the SMILE Fruit, Explained

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Summary

  • SMILE Fruits are created using SAD liquid made from Bloodline Elements and only 10% yield successful artificial Devil Fruit users.
  • Effects of SMILE Fruits include enhanced physical abilities but also the inability to swim and feel sadness or anger.
  • Failed SMILE Fruits were distributed to citizens in Wano, turning them into Pleasures with adverse effects, highlighting the fruit’s devastating impact.

As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in the vibrant world of One Piece, I must say that the SMILE Fruit is one of the most intriguing and, dare I say, disturbing concepts introduced in this captivating series. Having watched the Straw Hats navigate through numerous perils, it’s hard not to be moved by their encounters with these artificial Devil Fruits.

The existence of SMILE Fruit was first introduced during the Punk Hazard arc. Caesar Clown was the primary scientist behind its creation, using new and existing technology to ensure mass production.

In the Wano Country saga, I witnessed the chilling execution of a sinister plot by Kurozumi Orochi, where he distributed failed SMILE Fruits among the residents of Ebisu Town. Uncovering the disastrous consequences that these fruits could bring in the world of One Piece was both eye-opening and alarming.

How are SMILE Fruits created

Using SAD, it was produced in Dressrosa by the Tontatta’s

Arc Punk Hazard
Chapters 654 – 699
Episodes 579 – 625

The SMILE Devil Fruit is an artificially created Zoan fruit used to generate individuals with powers similar to those granted by real Devil Fruits. These SMILES were developed by Caesar Clown, aided by certain genetic factors known as Bloodline Elements. Dr. Vegapunk and Vinsmoke Judge uncovered these Bloodline Elements while working in an unregulated research group.

Life’s basic structures, or Bloodline Elements, serve as templates for all living things. People who consume Devil Fruits possess powers that can be analyzed. Later on, Caesar advanced this research by creating a drug called SAD, an essential component in the production of SMILEs.

  • The SAD liquid is made by mixing Bloodline Elements of various animals.
  • The SMILE Fruit was produced at Dressora, at the SMILE Factory, by the Tontatta dwarves.
  • Only one of every ten fruits can produce an artificial SMILE Devil Fruit user.

Despite Caesar Clown serving as the chief scientist for the manufacture of the SAD liquid, he was in collaboration with Donquixote Doflamingo, who supplied and dispersed the SMILE Fruits to Kaido, then one of the Four Emperors, belonging to the Beast Pirates. With these SMILE Fruits, Kaido aimed to populate his Beast Pirate crew with individuals artificially imbued with Zoan-type fruit abilities.

The collaboration between Doflamingo and Caesar functioned seamlessly; while Caesar manufactured the SAD liquid at Punk Hazard, Doflamingo employed his power to safeguard him and the production process. In exchange for this protection, Doflamingo received a supply of the SAD liquid that he utilized in his SMILE Factory on Dressrosa. This factory was concealed within a covert building on the island, where the Tontatta dwarves were forced to work as slaves and tend to the fruit.

We successfully recreated a Devil Fruit!

Following the crop’s harvest, these fruits were intended for Kaido, who used them in cultivating the Animal Beast Kingdom. Yet, due to the imperfection of the synthetic Devil Fruit, there were some setbacks. As Kaido and his associates dispersed the fruit, it was only those deemed worthy who had the opportunity to become users of artificial Zoan powers, a special group known as Gifters.

It’s stated earlier that among every ten fruits picked, only one would have the ability to bestow SMILE fruit powers; the rest were called Pleasures, as they instead suffered the negative impacts of the SMILE fruit. However, Trafalgar Law put an end to the factory manufacturing the SAD liquid, thereby stopping the creation of SMILE Fruits. Regrettably, the detrimental effects of the fruit persist.

What devastating effects does the SMILE Fruit have?

Only 10% of SMILE Fruits are successful; the remaining only consist of negative effects

Prior to examining the practical uses and impacts of the SMILE fruit, the manufacture of this artificial Devil Fruit was just as destructive. This production led many individuals into slavery under Doflamingo and Caesar Clown. Sadly, the Tontatta dwarves were naive and easily deceived by Doflamingo’s falsehoods to ensure the SMILEs were produced using their skilled labor. It wasn’t until the Straw Hats helped them dismantle the factory that they were liberated from their mistreatment.

A SMILE Fruit, when consumed successfully, imparts artificial animal-like abilities, specifically of Zoan type. This enables the user with improved physical prowess and characteristics similar to the animal in the fruit. Similar to Devil Fruits, consumption prevents swimming ability. However, only 500 SMILE fruits were effective, making many others ineffective or duds.

Because the formula isn’t fully developed… Consequently, they no longer have the capacity to feel sorrow or anger. Instead, they remain perpetually joyful and amused.

Previously noted, they went by the name Pleasures, and they were solely afflicted with the unfavorable outcomes of the SMILE fruit – they couldn’t swim, and they could feel emotions like sadness or anger. Given the significant drawbacks associated with this engineered Devil Fruit, its consumers are well-informed about its characteristics and potential consequences if the fruit does not select them.

Yet, it’s not just here that the damaging consequences of the artificial fruit become evident. To add insult to injury for the inhabitants of Wano Country, Kurozumi Orochi handed out the partially consumed failed SMILE Devil Fruit to the common people living in Ebisu Town. Since a single bite is sufficient to unlock the abilities within the SMILE Fruit, similar to the Devil Fruit, Orochi discarded the faulty fruits and then distributed them among the citizens, transforming them into Pleasures.

Consequently, people who consume these unsuccessful fruits to alleviate hunger may experience all the detrimental side-effects associated with them. While the creation of a synthetic Devil Fruit was somewhat fruitful, resulting in approximately 10% of the fruits producing artificial Zoan-type users, the adverse effects far outnumber this success rate. Unfortunately, due to the widespread distribution of these failed SMILE fruits, there has been no known remedy for those affected, leading to tragic consequences.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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2024-12-28 19:05