Zoan Devil Fruits inOne Pieceare generally known for the massive boost in physical prowess they grant, as opposed to the elemental powers of the Logia type, and the more complex effects rendered by the Paramecia class. In addition, some also have their own unique traits, particularly in the case of Ancient and Mythical Zoan types, such asMarco’s Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix, or the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika (formerly known as the Gomu Gomu no Mi). One of the most prominently fruits from this category after the Straw Hats entered the Grand Line, is the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard, eaten by Rob Lucci, a former member of CP9 who is now affiliated with CP0, said to be the strongest intelligence organization under the banner of Cipher Pol.
Introduced at the time of the Enies Lobby Arc inOne Piece, Lucci’s use of the Devil Fruit took form in his greatly enhanced phsyique, which augmented his already towering figure into an intimidating form one that hulked over the Straw Hats. He also made use of his Devil Fruit powers tolevel up his use of Rokushiki techniques, developing his own variants and extensions of them based on his abilities. Despite being defeated by Luffy at the end of the story arc, Lucci returned to face him once more after the time skip on Egghead Island. For this confrontation, Lucci unveiled his new Awakened Form, which completely eclipses his base Devil Fruit powers, combined with his mastery of Armament and Observation Haki. However, Luffy’s overwhelming power with his recently Awakened Gear 5 state was still too much for Lucci to handle, and he was beaten in next to no time. All in all, Lucci’s use of the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard, combined with the techniques he learned at Cipher Pol is quite intriguing on a lot of fronts, and it is no surprise that he has risen up the ranks so swiftly.
RELATED:One Piece: The Mera Mera no Mi, Explained
What Is The Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard?
Resembling the head of a leopard, the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard is quite unique in its appearance compared to other Zoan fruits, quite literally embodying the animal it represents rather than abstracting an aspect of its appearance. A green T-shaped stem curls from the top of the fruit, which also has two ears that have swirls inside them. On consuming it,Rob Lucci’s already fearsome abilitieswere bolstered even further, as he was given a considerable increase in strength, agility, and sheer size. His full leopard form is quite large, towering over most of the Straw Hats, while the stature of his hybrid form lies somewhere between his base and full leopard form, but still quite imposing in size and strength. For the most part, the latter is Lucci’s preferred form.
Lucci gains powerful teeth and jaws, retractable claws, a heightened sense of smell, and he also becomes far more proficient and jumping and climbing after transforming. Additionally, as stated by Chopper, Zoan users who turn into carnivores also gain certain characteristics of the animals they embody, becoming are far more ferocious and deadly in combat. In Lucci’s case, this manifests as intense aggression and bloodlust, and his prowess in close quarters combat reaches new levels when he transforms. After Awakening his Devil Fruit between the Enies Lobby and Egghead Island Arcs, Lucci’s new form is even more devastating than before, and he is surrounded by black flames in a manner similar to the white ones that surround Luffy in his Gear 5 form. He is also much larger, and has somehow managed to retain his personality, which is quite rare in the case ofAwakened Zoan-type users.
How Does Rob Lucci Make Use Of The Fruit?
The most obvious power up Lucci obtained after transforming into either his full leopard or hybrid forms is the augmentation of his Rokushiki techniques. As these are essentially martial arts techniques taught to Cipher Pol and the Marines, Lucci’s mastery of them is far beyond anyone else seen in the series so far. His transformed states provide him with even more speed and strength to take these techniques to the next level, by virtue of the stronger legs, arms, sharp claws, and powerful jaws he possesses. The fruit also heightens Lucci’s bloodthirstiness and zeal for combat, as seen when he mauled Luffy, much like an actual leopard would do, while in his fully transformed state. Most Zoan fruits permit three types of transformations, but with Semei Kikan, Lucci can modify the build of his hybrid state to access a fourth one. In this form, his musculature takes on a more slender appearance, imparting a more human appearance to his leopard form, which greatly increases his speed and agility while confronting opponents who rely on speed, as inthe case of Luffy’s Gear 2 form. However, the downside is that he loses some of the raw strength of his leopard form, which is one of the fruit’s greatest benefits.
Lucci has been depicted using a number of his Rokushiki techniques in his hybrid form, albeit blended together or enhanced due to the Nek Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard. For instance, Kamisori combines Geppo and Soru for rapid three-dimensional zig-zagging movements, Rankyaku “Hobi” is a step ahead in the technique where Lucci launches a swirling wind blade with a powerful kick, Tekkai “Utsugi” transfers the shock of an attack back on to an opponent, and Tobu Shigan “Bachi” which launches bursts of power with a flick of the fingers.
Other techniques include Rankyaku “Gaicho” which creates an enormous air scythe in the shape of a bird which is capable of cleaving steel, Shigan “Madara” which is a barrage of Shigan attacks, and finally, the two forms of Rokuogan. Said to be the ultimate Rokushiki technique, Lucci has two variants of this technique named Rokushiki Ogi: Rokuogan and Sai Dai Rin: Rokuogan, each damaging an opponent internally with force that is equivalent to an Impact or Reject Dial. The latter technique is performed at a much closer range, with Lucci’s tail restraining the victim for maximum impact.Finally, in his Awakened form, Lucci has demonstrated an even more potent attack dubbed Shugan which uses his entire hand instead of just one finger, which grieviously injured Sentomaru instantly, as a testament to how powerful he has now become.
