Gear 5 is one of the strongest and most physique-changing powers Monkey D. Luffy has in the One Piece series. This article is going to be about the first time that Luffy used Gear 5 and its subsequent appearances on the storyline.
First Gear 5 Appearance
Luffy first unlocks and uses Gear 5 during the climax of the Wano Country Arc—precisely against Kaido, the King of Beasts. This momentus event happens in Chapter 1044 of the manga and Episode 1071 of the anime adaptation.
Anime Debut
For the anime-only watchers, one of the most awaited moments, that of Gear 5, arrived on August 6, 2023 JST in Episode 1071. The event was monumental to the One Piece anime and brought one of the most dramatic transformations ever seen in the series' history into life.
Significance in the Story
Gear 5 is literally the most basic stage of Luffy's adventure. It is described as the "peak" form of Luffy, where he has overwhelmingly exceeded his past powers and abilities. Such a transformation was important to how the Wano Country Arc would finally end and greatly altered the power scale in the One Piece world.
Frequency of Use After Initial Appearance
On the use of Gear 5 by Luffy, there have been relatively few cases since the Kaido fight. Manga readers have pointed out that by the time this information was published, Luffy had used Gear 5 twice after the initial Kaido fight. He may therefore prefer to save Gear 5 for cases where he cannot win without it since it isn't used very frequently.
Other Gears Compared
Worth noting, Gear 5 is just one in a long line of power-up techniques Luffy has worked on throughout the series. Other forms, however, like Gear 2, first shown in Episode 272 of the anime and Chapter 387 of the manga, have been used much more frequently. The limited use of Gear 5 shows its special nature, its drawbacks, and potential limitations.
Impact on Luffy's fighting style
Gear 5 is a gear that highly transforms Luffy's appearance and fighting ability. It is the ability to use his Devil Fruit, Gomu Gomu no Mi, as it truly is. Not only does he increase his actual abilities physically, but it also unlocks new powers, very often unpredictable, that relate to how his fruit acts like rubber.
Anticipation and Fan Reception
When Gear 5 was first introduced, the One Piece fandom went wild. Its reveal in the manga and anime had been long-awaited, much debated among the fans with regards to theories and expectations of its appearance and powers.
Future Implications
Given that One Piece is a series that progresses, it's not hard to imagine Gear 5 usage being integral in future fights or even the plot as a whole. Given how rarely it has happened thus far, it may be reserved solely for those most critical moments of Luffy's quest to become the Pirate King.