Another arc down, another major power-up for Luffy in his quest to become King of the Pirates. Just when things began to look hopeless in his fight with Kaido, Luffy managed to awaken the true power (and name) of his Devil Fruit and along with a new title to uphold- “Joyboy”.
While it’s not a new concept in One Piece lore, first being mentioned back in the Fishman Island arc almost four hundred chapters before its appearance, Joyboy has been a mysterious figure in the manga and anime thanks to the secrecy around it and hatred from the World Government. As with everything nearing the end though, One Piece is wrapping up loose ends by weaving them together from the past.
The Void Century and Joyboy
- A 100-year gap in history over 800 years before the main story begins.
- No trace of history left other than the Ponegliffs- ancient, indestructible stones written in a language few understand.
- The ancient elephant Zunesha, who carries the land of Zou on his back, was a friend and servant of Joyboy during the Void Century.
- Joyboy made a promise to Fishman Island involving Noah and Poseidon, the Ancient Weapons, but was unable to fulfill it.
- Joyboy originally left the One Piece at Raftel during this time, which Gol D Roger found 25 years before the story begins.
- When the Celestial Dragons came to be, moving to Marijoa on top of the Red Line.
This is only the briefest rundown on the important points of the Void Century, with much more happening that even manga readers have yet to find out. The story is speeding up though, and more is bound to come out now that the title of Joyboy has been passed on to Luffy with Gear 5.
Joyboy’s Power
- World Government will do anything to stop Joyboy’s return.
- Title granted to Awakened Hito Hito no Me: Nika Type Devil Fruit users.
- Was Awakened during Luffy’s battle with Kaido, announced by Zunesha as it neared Wano.
- As the name suggests, it spreads infectious joy and laughter to everyone, including enemies.
- World Government went as far as changing the name and type of the Fruit from Zoan to Paramythia.
Joyboy has been spoken about since Robin read the Ponegliff on Fishman Island, itself an apology note from Joyboy to the Fishmen Kingdom. While it was unclear why he didn’t fulfill his promise, to raise Fishmen to the surface using the powers of Pluton and the vehicle Noah. Currently, the power of Poseidon resides in Shirahoshi, the Mermaid princess of Fishman Island. Luffy took up Joyboy’s promise to the Fishmen after defeating Hody Jones, who attempted to kill anyone sympathetic to humans.
Luffy Becomes Joyboy
When Luffy awakened his fruit during the battle with Kaido, it was only after his heart briefly stopped beating. When it restarts, Zunesha mentions hearing the “Drums of Liberation” beating along with it, signaling that Joyboy is alive once more. Luffy’s constant laughter upon awakening, giggling at everything as he resumes his fight with Kaido just reinforces this second coming of the Sun God Nika of his Mythical Zoan Fruit in the form of Joyboy, which Luffy renames Gear 5.
This new power granted by Awakening his Devil Fruit allows Luffy to alter anything and everything about himself and even his surroundings, with no limit other than his boundless imagination. Of course, Luffy has proved over the years to have more than enough imagination and takes out Kaido in the most cartoonishly ridiculous way possible as he brings laughter to the people of Wano, in turn bringing fear to the World Government.
The final, crucial point that cemented Luffy as the successor of Joyboy was Kaido admitting it. Kaido, who had tried desperately to become Joyboy by raising an army of rip-off Devil Fruit users. The fake SMILE Fruits that Kaido used either gave a ridiculous, permanent animal transformation or permanent, unending laughter depending on the person. Kaido attempted to become Joyboy by force-feeding these Fruits to the people of Wano and the prisoners, forcing them to laugh even while wishing for death. Luffy, meanwhile shows the will of Joyboy by taking down the Tyrant and bringing genuine laughter and joy to the people of Wano, after years of hardship.
Now, in the final saga of One Piece as the Straw Hats finally begin to reach the end of the New World, the title of Joyboy and the mission it carries has become more clear. The crew landing at Reftel will no doubt be just the start of a massive final showdown between the Straw Hats and World Government, with plenty of wildcards still in play on both sides. There’s no doubt now though that both Joyboys, both Luffy and the original during the Void Century, had the same dream for everyone in the Grand Line and the world beyond- freedom!
