Every Zoan-type Devil Fruit in One Piece shares one thing in common and it may answer some of the biggest questions about Zoan Devil Fruit awakenings.
Among the many devil fruits introduced in One Piece so far, Zoan-type devil fruits are without a doubt among the strongest, even more so in the case of Mythical Zoans, whose potential is near immeasurable, and a certain mysterious connection between them proves it. Regardless of the sub-type, every Zoan devil fruit in One Piece shares one common feature when awakened, which could be the key to countless mysteries about devil fruit awakenings.
One Piece‘s Egghead Arc has finally revealed three more awakened Zoan users: Rob Lucci, who possesses the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard; Kaku, who ate the Ox-Ox Fruit, Model: Giraffe; and Saint Saturn, whose Devil Fruit’s name is yet to be revealed but appears to be a Mythical Zoan possibly modeled after a spider demon from Japanese mythology.
Lucci, Kaku, and Saturn sport a similar smoky scarf around their shoulders just like Luffy and Yamato, confirming this smoke scarf, better known as a hagoromo in Japanese, may actually be a common feature shared by awakened Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. Besides raising questions about other Zoan users like Kaido, whose awakening has been the topic of heated debate, the significance of the hagoromo could explain why it is exclusive to Zoan-type Devil Fruits, as well as several other mysteries.
The Smoke Scarf Accompanying Awakened Zoan Users Signifies Divinity
The smoke scarf seen on several awakened Zoan devil fruit users in One Piece is called a hagoromo in Japanese and is commonly worn by several deities and celestial maidens in Japanese Buddhism, especially in the Shinto region of Japan, and often takes the form of a silky scarf instead. The scarf is usually afloat, making it look like a halo and signifies divinity or godly status. The divine status associated with the hagoromo may explain the godly titles given to the mythical creatures and beings Zoan Devil Fruits are often modeled after, such as the wolf of Yamato’s devil fruit, who is worshiped as the guardian deity of Wano, or Sun God Nika.
Though his fruit is yet to be named, even Saint Saturn holds a hefty title as the God of Science and Defense, though his smoke scarf, like Lucci and Kaku, appears to be black instead of brilliant white like Luffy and Yamato. This difference in colors could possibly be explained by the morality of the Devil Fruit user. Traditionally, gods associated with destruction like Raijin, the god of thunder, don the hagoromo in darker colors in many traditional illustrations.
The Smoke Scarf Confirms Which Zoan Users Have Not Awakened
The biggest inconsistency that presents itself with this theory is the existence of the Jailer Beasts at Impel Down who were the first established awakened Zoan-type users in One Piece. The most plausible explanation for the absence of the smoke scarf in the case of the Jailer Beasts is that they did not truly awaken their fruits, as explained by Oda in the Road to Laugh Tale specials, but they were rather overcome by the will of their Devil Fruits and did not achieve that harmony between the body and mind that Kaido described Devil Fruit awakenings as.
This might also explain why the smoke scarf appears when Luffy uses Gear Fourth. Interestingly, Gear Fourth also appears to be inspired by another aspect of Japanese Buddhism, particularly Nio statues that guard temples that are a similar deep shade of red and strike a similar pose as Luffy does. Gear Fourth appears to be most likely a pseudo-awakening of sorts and might have been the point at which Oda decided to add the hagoromo to Zoan awakenings going forward, as Gear Fourth marked the first appearance of this design element.
Most importantly, the marked absence of the smoke scarf on Kaido confirms that Kaido never awakened his devil fruit. Though Kaido does possess some similar-looking flames around his arms in his dragon form, the flames simply circle around his arms instead of looping over his head like the typical floating sash. As Momonosuke also sports similar flames, this appears to be simply a feature of the Devil Fruit instead. Hence, despite possessing one of the most overpowered Devil Fruits in One Piece, it seems that Kaido did not bother to awaken his devil fruit due to his strong belief in the superiority of Haki as opposed to devil fruit powers.
Another Zoan Devil Fruit user who comes to mind is Chopper, who is also commonly speculated to have awakened his Devil Fruit. In Chopper’s case, it seems that, much like with the Jailer Beasts at Impel Down, he has not met the conditions for a true awakening. Chopper’s transformations are achieved solely due to the Rumble Balls and just like the Jailer Beasts, Chopper too struggled to maintain control over his Devil Fruit before the time skip. While he has overcome this weakness in the present, he still relies heavily on the Rumble Balls, having made them even more potent with Ceaser’s help, so while Chopper hasn’t truly awakened his fruit just yet, he is certainly very close.
All in all, whether the smoke scarf is simply a design choice or holds deeper significance, the element certainly adds a whimsical touch to character designs and helps solidify the otherworldly presence of Zoan-type Devil Fruits, especially when it comes to Mythical Zoans. Nonetheless, the fact that a detail so small is capable of connecting so many mysteries is proof that One Piece always has surprises in store for those keen-eyed enough to spot them.
