Luffy, the protagonist of the popular anime One Piece, is known for his rubber powers which allow him to stretch his body like rubber. However, in the latest chapters of the manga, Luffy has shown signs of awakening new abilities related to the “6 powers” technique. The 6 powers technique was used by previous top-tier pirates in One Piece and granted them incredible strength. So can Luffy also learn to use this legendary power? Let’s analyze what the 6 powers are and whether Luffy has the potential to master them.
What are the 6 Powers?
The 6 Powers, also known as Rokushiki, are 6 special techniques that grant the user superhuman abilities. They were developed by the secret government organization CP9. Here is a quick overview of each of the 6 powers:
Soru
This allows the user to move at extremely high speeds, essentially allowing them to teleport short distances. It is done by kicking the ground 10 times in the blink of an eye.
Geppo
Grants the user the ability to jump off the air itself, allowing them to stay aloft and essentially skywalk. It works by kicking the air rapidly to gain footing.
Rankyaku
Allows the user to launch powerful compressed air blades from their legs by kicking at high speeds. These air blades can slice through steel.
Shigan
Enables the user to stab at opponents with their finger, piercing them like a bullet. It is done by finger flicking at super high speeds.
Tekkai
Hardens the user’s body to the level of iron, allowing them to deflect bullets and absorb devastating attacks. It is done by flexing muscles at their utmost limit.
Kamie
Makes the user’s body go limp to avoid any damage, allowing them to dodge attacks effortlessly. It is done by relaxing muscles completely.
These 6 techniques give the user incredible speed, agility, attacking power and defensive ability. Mastering all 6 powers is considered a superhuman feat in the One Piece world.
Does Luffy Have the Potential to Learn the 6 Powers?
Luffy has already shown shades of some of the 6 powers abilities:
Soru
Luffy entered Gear Second mode by pumping blood rapidly through his legs, giving him a tremendous speed boost akin to Soru. He can keep up with Soru users like CP9’s Blueno in this form.
Geppo
In Gear Fourth form, Luffy can rapidly bounce on air to stay aloft, similar to Geppo. He can effectively skywalk in this form.
Rankyaku
While Luffy hasn’t shown this ability directly, in Gear Third form he can launch powerful compressed air blasts from his fists, somewhat similar to Rankyaku.
So Luffy has already shown potential with Soru, Geppo and Rankyaku. As for the remaining powers:
Shigan
With his rubber body, Luffy can stretch his fingers out to stab opponents from a distance, mimicking Shigan. However, it lacks the penetrative power of a true Shigan.
Tekkai
Luffy has not showcased any body hardening techniques yet. But as a rubber man, his body is already highly resistant to blunt attacks. Haki armament can further increase his defenses.
Kamie
While Luffy has no limp body techniques, his rubber construction already grants him considerable immunity against attacks by dispersing force across his body.
So while Luffy cannot utilize the true versions of some Rokushiki techniques, he makes up for it with the unique properties of his rubber body. With training, he can come close to replicating the powers.
Can Luffy’s Devil Fruit Awakening Unlock the 6 Powers?
As Luffy’s devil fruit abilities awaken, he may gain access to new rubber-based techniques that essentially mimic the 6 powers:
| 6 Powers | Luffy’s Potential Awakened Technique |
|---|---|
| Soru | Rubber Rocket – Luffy turns his legs into rocket boosters via rubber powers |
| Geppo | Rubber Moonwalk – Luffy bounces off the air using rubber legs |
| Rankyaku | Rubber Cutter – Luffy launches compressed air blades by whipping stretched legs |
| Shigan | Rubber Spear – Luffy stretches fingers into a rubber spear to pierce opponents |
| Tekkai | Rubber Guard – Luffy hardens rubber body into an impervious shield |
| Kamie | Rubber Relax – Luffy loosens his body to a near liquid state |
As we can see, awakening Luffy’s rubber powers can potentially grant him equivalent techniques to the 6 powers. Luffy has already shown the beginnings of Gear Fifth in the manga, so such awakened techniques may soon become a reality.
Conclusion
While Luffy cannot utilize the 6 powers exactly as CP9 did, his rubber body grants him natural advantages that mimic some of the abilities. With further training and especially upon awakening, Luffy can utilize rubber-based techniques that essentially replicate the potency of the 6 powers. He may not be a true master of Rokushiki – but with his Devil Fruit, Luffy can match or even exceed the 6 powers in his own unique way.