Highlights
- Zoan types are the most powerful subclass of Devil Fruits in One Piece, capable of transforming users into animals or mythical beings.
- Mythical Zoan types give users magical powers from myth or legend, often rivaling Paramecia or Logia types in strength.
- Ancient Zoan types transform users into extinct animals with unique traits and advantages not seen in modern animals.
The power system of One Piece is as interesting as it is expansive and though it comprises of many different aspects, Devil Fruits have always been the most recognizable and iconic paths to power that one can achieve. These fruits come in various shapes and sizes, with each giving the person who eats them a fantastical ability that ranges from incredibly weak to strong enough to destroy the world.
These fruits are broken up into 3 categories; Paramecia, Logia, and Zoan types. The latter category is one of the most fascinating, as the powers that these specific fruits give are very different from what one would find with the other 2. When looking at Zoan types compared to the others, they may initially be seen as weak, but in truth, this category houses the strongest subclass of Devil Fruits in the entire series, so let’s take a look at Zoan types and what makes them so important in One Piece.
What Are Zoan Type Devil Fruits?
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First Appearance |
One Piece, Episode 1, “I’m Luffy! The Man Who Will Become the Pirate King!” |
|---|---|
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Debut Date |
October 20, 1999 |
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Notable Users |
Luffy, Chopper, Rob Lucci, Sengoku, Kaido, Marco |
Technically, Zoan type Devil Fruits were the first ones ever introduced within the story with Luffy’s Gomu Gomu no Mi. Though it was largely seen as a Paramecia for the longest time, it was eventually revealed to be the strongest kind of Zoan. The identifying power of these fruits is that, after consumption, they allow the users to transform into a certain species of animal or a hybrid form between themselves and said animal.
It’s as though the Devil Fruit is trying to escape our grasp!
Though they may seem weak at first glance compared to some Paramecia and Logia types that allow their wielders to control elements or gain some crazy abilities, there exists a subclass of Zoan Devil Fruits called the Mythical Zoans, which are not only the rarest of these fruits in the world, but also the strongest ones by far. Zoans are also different in the sense that they are said to have an otherworldly presence to them, one which Kaku said was akin to gravity. These fruits give their users 3 forms:
- Human Form: This is the default state that the user had before they consumed the Devil Fruit and there’s nothing special about it, only that they can revert to this form whenever they like.
- Human-Animal Hybrid Form: Since the main ability of Zoan types is to transform the user into an animal, it also gives them a ‘mid-way’ transformation which is a mixture of their human and animal form. This allows them to use the characteristics of both their human and their beast form at once.
- Animal Form: The state in which the user fully realizes the strength bestowed upon them by the Devil Fruit. This form has the user transforming into their respective animal species completely.
The Different Categories Of Zoan Types
Zoan types are also some of the most varied Devil Fruits out of them all. While they are fairly common on the Grand Line, within the class exist some sub-categories that consist of rarer kinds of Zoan types that are far stronger than the regular ones. For these Devil Fruits, a clear explanation is that the rarer the fruit, the stronger it will be than the other ones in this category.
Regular Zoan Types:
These are the most common of the Zoan type fruits found in the world. As clear-cut as it gets, the person who eats one of these Devil Fruits can transform into an animal upon command and can use all 3 of the forms that are commonly associated with Zoan types. Some examples of this are the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard, that allows Rob Lucci to turn into a Leopard, or the Ushi Ushi no Mi, Model: Bison, that lets Dalton turn into a Bison.
Ancient Zoan Types:
These Devil Fruits are Zoan types that are much rarer than regular ones, and they allow the user to transform into an extinct animal species that is no longer found in modern ecosystems or anywhere on the planet. These are also far stronger than regular Zoans as they give the user traits and advantages that are not seen in animals of today, such as the incredibly powerful skull of a Pachycephalosaurus or the tusk of a Mammoth. Examples of this type are Ryu Ru no Mi, Model: Allosaurus belonging to X Drake, and Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon belonging to King.
Mythical Zoan Types:
The most powerful Devil Fruits in the entire One Piece franchise, Mythical Zoans give the user the ability to transform into a being from myth or legend. This gives the users magical powers that are not seen anywhere else on the planet and, quite often, these fruits also give abilities resembling those of Paramecia or Logia types while in their most powerful forms. Examples of this are Marco’s Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix, which can heal using blue flames, or Kaido’s Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, allowing him to control fire, lightning, and wind, as well as flying.
Artificial Zoan Types:
Artificial Zoans are, as the name suggests, not naturally found as they are created through unnatural means. As such, they lack the famous swirling pattern of traditional fruits and have rings instead. It’s revealed that Dr. Vegapunk tried to create his own Devil Fruit, but it ended up failing. These fruits have a possibility of getting the user stuck in the hybrid form or even creating a separate, sentient being that is also housed within the same body.
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