The Ito Ito no Mi or String-String Fruit is one of the most famous sources of power in One Piece.
One Piece’s Devil Fruits have more diversity than a university pamphlet or Bertie Botts’ Every Flavor Beans. There are so many to review. It’s honestly dizzying after a while. But somebody has to wade through the ball pit of varietal fruits to discover those worthy of a shout-out. Anyway, like any source of power, the person wielding it often determines its power. Today we’re diving into what makes the Ito Ito no Mi so coveted in the world of One Piece. Try not to get tied up.
The Basics: What Power Does The Ito Ito no Mi Hold?
For Starters, the Ito Ito no Mi is classified as a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, one of the three main types of Devil Fruits in the One Piece world. For those new to the series (if you insist on spoiling everything), Paramecia fruits grant their users superhuman abilities. Without altering their physical characteristics. In the case of the Ito Ito no Mi, these abilities revolve around the manipulation of strings.
Upon consuming the Ito Ito no Mi, the user gains the ability to create and control incredibly strong, nearly invisible strings made of an unknown material. These strings can be as thin as spider silk or as thick as ropes. Also, they are under the complete command of the user’s will. The user’s body also undergoes a physical transformation. Allowing them to produce strings from their fingertips, making it seem like they can effortlessly conjure them. So, what does it look like
Grey But Not Dull
The Ito Ito no Mi is a fruit with a sort of summer squash shape, displaying a pale lilac hue. It features the characteristic swirl pattern commonly found on Devil Fruits, spread about all across its surface. On the top of the fruit, there is a distinctive, curly stem with a vibrant fuchsia coloration. So, who’s the lucky guy or gal who ate this puppy? Most of you already know.
The String-String Fruit Villain: Who Is Donquixote Flamingo From One Piece?
The Ito Ito no Mi holds great significance in the One Piece world, primarily due to its association with Donquixote Doflamingo, arguably the most evil figure in the anime and manga. Doflamingo used his powers to establish himself as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a group of powerful pirates who work under the World Government in exchange for various privileges and protections.
Impact On The Story
Doflamingo’s mastery of the fruit’s powers has allowed him to become a major player in the world of pirates, underworld dealings, and politics. The Ito Ito no Mi played a pivotal role in his involvement in the Dressrosa Arc, where he manipulated the country’s political landscape through puppet rulers and controlled its citizens with his strings.
Doflamingo and his Ito Ito no Mi powers posed a significant challenge to the Straw Hat Pirates and their allies during their encounter on Dressrosa. Overcoming his formidable abilities required immense teamwork, creativity, and the revelation of hidden strengths among the crew. Speaking of strength, let’s get into why this fruit scares fully grown men.
How Strong Is The String-String Fruit?
The possessor of this fruit gains the ability to create and manipulate ultra-thin, razor-sharp white strings. These strings can be on almost any surface, originating from any part of the user’s body. Doflamingo, the user of the Ito Ito no Mi, has demonstrated exceptional precision and control over his strings. He can manipulate them at the molecular level, allowing him to reattach severed body parts, control the movements of puppets made from other people’s bodies, and even control the actions of individuals by attaching threads to their limbs without them realizing it. More in a second. We’ll address a couple of his famous uses of the Ito Ito no Mi.
Parasite: Something Out of A Horror Movie
Doflamingo employs his strings to attach to the base of his targets’ spines, effectively controlling their movements akin to marionettes. This technique was initially witnessed when he compelled Vice Admiral Mozambia to assault Vice Admiral Stainless during the Jaya Arc. While under Doflamingo’s influence, those controlled retain command of their head, allowing them to speak and exhibit their own facial expressions. This paradoxically contrasts with the actions imposed upon them by Doflamingo.
Black Knight: Thread Clones
Doflamingo crafts a duplicate of himself by compressing strings into an identical form. It’s surprisingly sophisticated work for someone so unhinged. In Dressrosa, he exhibits remarkable proficiency in maneuvering this clone, allowing for coordinated assaults in tandem with his actual body. This tactic proved crucial for his survival when facing Kyros’ attempted decapitation. Importantly, because the clone is comprised solely of strings, it remains impervious to pain and does not transmit physical sensations back to Doflamingo, distinguishing it from other Devil Fruit duplicates. An example of the inverse would be Nico Robin, who feels pain if her extensions are struck in a particular way.
Does The Ito Ito no Mi Have Any Weaknesses?
It may seem like all is lost for anyone facing the String-String Fruit, but there are chinks in the armor so-to-speak. The strings created by the Ito Ito no Mi are not inherently imbued with Haki, a power that can harm Devil Fruit users. Skilled Haki users can bypass Doflamingo’s strings and strike him directly, making Haki an effective countermeasure against his powers. Plus, despite his impressive abilities, Doflamingo is not invulnerable. He can still face forms of injury through physical means, provided the attacker can get past his strings or land a powerful enough blow. Finally, the manipulation of strings requires a certain level of concentration. If Doflamingo is sufficiently distracted or incapacitated, his control over the strings may weaken or falter.
What Donquixote Doflamingo Teaches Us About The Ito Ito no Mi
With a wide range of applications, from offense and defense to control and transportation, this Devil Fruit is one of the most versatile and powerful abilities in the series. It’s user is so proficient, that Vegapunk made efforts to clone him. One cannot deny that, without this Paramecia-style Devil Fruit, Donquixote would have had a lot of trouble reaching so high above rank. It wouldn’t be bold to say that – without the String-String fruit – he could have just faded into obscurity. Devil Fruits still have an important place in the world of One Piece. We plan on proving that in future segments as well.
