One Piece: The Hidden Link Between the Sun God and the Giant Race

Why does Gear 5 always go Giant? Discover the ancient relationship between the Sun God Nika and the Giants of Elbaph. We dive deep into Nika, Elbaph and the secret of the Giant Straw Hat!

After the awakening of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, Luffy is now able to transform into Gear 5 anytime, anywhere. Throughout the One Piece Wano Country and Egghead Island arcs, it has become clear that Gear 5 is far stronger than Gear 4, including both Boundman and Snakeman. When comparing the power of these forms, it is obvious that Gear 5 can handle tougher battles; however, the form consumes a massive amount of Luffy’s energy. After using Gear 5, Luffy temporarily transforms into an old man.

Through the Wano Country and Egghead Island arcs, it isn't difficult to understand the logic behind Gear 5, as it is essentially an expansion of Luffy’s imagination. Having believed in and used the Gomu Gomu no Mi for so many years, Luffy likely built up a vast imagination that he can finally fulfill, resulting in the unique battle scenes we see now. While many fans may not enjoy the style of "Nika Luffy" battles, the logic behind them is easy to understand.

It is easy for us to understand Gear 5’s battle logic, but the question remains: why does Luffy love transforming into a giant so much? While the reason may simply be that it is Luffy’s favorite race, if he can use his imagination to become anything, why not transform into something else? Having encountered so many different races during his journey, it feels strange that he keeps turning into a giant. Furthermore, through the Egghead Island arc, we’ve learned that the Giants know about the legendary Sun God, and that Nika is a deity to them.

These small facts make me feel there is a deep connection between the Sun God and the Giant race. Perhaps Nika is the origin of the Giants, or perhaps the Giants are the ones who influenced the legend of Nika. Let’s dive deep into these theories. Before we go any further, please note that this post only covers the One Piece anime. Although the manga is incredibly popular and I am a hardcore fan myself, this post is manga-spoiler-free, though it does contain episodic spoilers for the anime. If you haven't watched the latest episodes or want to avoid spoilers entirely, stop scrolling now!

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

What is Nika? – The Relationship Between Nika and Luffy

Since this post is about the Sun God, let’s first share some background on Nika. Nika is the legendary Sun God and the "Warrior of Liberation." According to legend, Nika was one who always laughed and danced a peculiar dance while freeing those in captivity. He possessed a special ability that made everyone laugh whenever he appeared. Although Nika was long considered a mythical character, Dr. Vegapunk’s theory suggests that human imagination is the power that creates Devil Fruits. Because people never stopped longing for Nika, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika eventually manifested in the world of One Piece.

The Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika is a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into the "Sun God," Nika. Like other Devil Fruit categories, the Hito Hito no Mi belongs to a large group that allows the user to transform into a specific type of human or human-like being. This group includes Chopper’s original Hito Hito no Mi, former Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Daibutsu (Human-Human Fruit, Model: Giant Buddha), and the fox Onimaru’s fruit from the Wano Country arc, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Onyudo.

Originally, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika seemed to have nothing to do with Luffy; even Luffy himself once said he wasn't a Zoan-type user, as he didn't know how to transform. However, following the incident with Joy Boy, the World Government decided to cover up the true history by renaming the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika as the Gomu Gomu no Mi. While Nika didn't seem closely related to Luffy at first, the story changed dramatically once the fruit's "true" name was revealed.

Although the Model: Nika belongs to the Hito Hito no Mi group and is a Zoan-type, it is quite unique compared to other fruits. While Luffy can now transform into Nika anytime and anywhere, before his awakening, he couldn't undergo a full transformation. He could only transform specific parts of his body, which is very different from other Zoan-type fruits. The primary characteristic of a Zoan-type is the ability to transform regardless of whether the fruit is awakened—take Momonosuke, for example; even though he ate a replica fruit, he could still transform into a dragon immediately. Luffy, however, could not transform into Nika until he awakened the fruit. Considering the sheer power of Nika, it seems the user must undergo an awakening to truly unleash the fruit's full potential, unlike any other fruit we've seen.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

How Do Giants Know About Nika? – The Legendary Stories of Nika and the Giants

Thanks to the Five Elders and the World Government, the legendary stories of Nika and Joy Boy were nearly wiped from history. They wanted to create a world where no one remembered Nika or Joy Boy, but fortunately, some still do. Because of those who kept these stories alive, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika was able to continually manifest, avoiding the grasp of the World Government until it was ultimately eaten by Monkey D. Luffy.

As we discuss these legends, it is important to understand that Nika’s story is distinct from Joy Boy’s, as they are two different characters. Throughout Luffy’s journey, we have heard tales of the world from 800 years ago and a mysterious man named Joy Boy; those belong specifically to Joy Boy’s history. While most of the lore we encounter centers on Joy Boy, there are also separate legendary stories that belong to the "real" Sun God, Nika.

Based on the information from the Egghead Island arc, we now know that despite the passage of centuries, the image of Nika has been passed down regardless of everything the Five Elders and Imu have done. We see this through Dr. Vegapunk, the Giant race, Who's-Who in the Wano Country arc, and Bartholomew Kuma’s family. While it may seem like many people are familiar with Nika’s legend, those who truly understand the history are primarily Dr. Vegapunk and the Giants.

Dr. Vegapunk is aware of the existence of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, and the fact that Nika was the god of the Giants. From Vegapunk’s knowledge and the statements made by Dorry and Brogy, we know the Giants are deeply familiar with Nika’s legend and revere him as a deity. Returning to the present, we see Luffy—the one who inherited Nika's name—constantly choosing to become a giant in battle. You may not realize it yet, but there are far too many coincidences here. In the world of One Piece, when so many coincidences align, there is usually a significant reason behind them.

Source: ONE PIECE スタッフ【公式】/ Official X account

Is Nika the Origin of the Giants? – The Relationship Between Nika and the Giants

You may think it’s just a coincidence that Nika looks so similar to the Giants, but we must remember that the Giants also know the Nika dance! While we know from Bartholomew Kuma’s history that the dance was passed down through his family, the Giants have preserved it on a much larger scale. From what we’ve seen, the entire Giant tribe is familiar with the dance, which is why they all joined in when "Nika Luffy" started dancing. In One Piece anime Episode 1152, it was truly amazing to see them all dancing together.

If Nika was truly the deity of the Giant tribe, it raises an important question: does this mean the original Nika was also a Giant? While we don’t yet know the exact meaning behind Nika being the "God of the Giants," it is only natural to wonder if Nika is the origin of the race, or if the Giants were simply heavily influenced by him. Whether through bloodline or legend, the connection between them feels too strong to ignore.

Let’s start with the theory that Nika was actually a Giant. Although it might be hard to imagine someone as free-spirited as Luffy being a massive Giant, it actually makes a lot of sense. While the history of the previous user of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika—Joy Boy has been wiped out, we can find hints in the Fishman Island arc. When you look at the Noah, Emet (the Iron Giant), Zunesha, and the sheer scale of the Ancient Weapons, it’s clear that the world is used to things of incredible size. Based on these facts, even if Nika truly was a massive Giant, his movements and presence wouldn't have shocked or scared the world as much as one might think.

The next thing we should notice, alongside these hints and facts, is the joyful Nika dance. It is truly amazing and fun to see the Giants dancing for us, but the fact that everyone in their tribe knows it and dances with such joy suggests that the dance may have originally been created by them. It remains a big question for me: why is it that almost no other tribes (except for a few rare races) know this dance, yet the massive Giant tribe knows the steps, the rhythm, and has passed it down through generations? This is incredibly striking. We still don't know the true origin of the dance, but if Nika were a Giant who created it, it would make perfect sense why the Giants love it so much and continue to pass it down as a traditional festival dance.

Regarding the Nika dance, it could also be the other way around. If Nika were a member of the Giant tribe, he might have learned that special dance from ancient Giants and then spread it around the world as he freed suffering people in the past. Given that every Giant seems to know the joyful Nika dance, the chances that Nika had a deep relationship with the Giant race are incredibly high.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Did Nika Save the Giants? – The Relationship Between Nika and the World

Many may have forgotten, but in One Piece Episode 885, titled "In the Dark Recesses of the Holyland – A Mysterious Giant Straw Hat," the true antagonist of the story, Imu, was seen looking at a massive straw hat. This giant straw hat has always left fans with a major question: did it belong to Nika or Joy Boy?

From the memory of Emet in Episode 1153, we see that Joy Boy had his own straw hat, which appears similar in size to Luffy’s. This indirectly suggests that the giant straw hat in Mary Geoise might have belonged to Nika. If that massive hat did belong to Nika, and considering he is the "God of the Giants," we can form a bold hypothesis: perhaps Nika was the one who saved the people of Elbaph, or even protected the Giant race from some ancient force that sought to change them.

It is difficult to guess exactly what heroic deeds Nika achieved to make every Giant view him as a god, but given how the world has changed, we can make a bold prediction. The exact reasons remain unknown, but according to Dr. Vegapunk’s theory, we know that the sea levels have risen and the amount of available land has decreased over time. Although this may be a result of Joy Boy’s eventual defeat, there is a possibility that the world was already suffering from these effects during Joy Boy’s era.

In the world of One Piece, the Giants are the strongest tribe in existence; no other race can truly match them in terms of raw power. Considering that Dorry and Brogy terrified the world with the Giant Warrior Pirates—even without the use of powerful Devil Fruits—it is obvious that few could ever stand in their way. It is hard to imagine any tribe defeating the Giants, and equally hard to imagine someone from a different race being able to "save" them in a traditional fight. Therefore, the most likely reason the Giants revere Nika is not necessarily because he was stronger than them, but because he led them through an ancient disaster and ensured their homeland, Elbaph, remained protected.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Is Luffy’s Reunion with the Giants a Coincidence or Fate? – The Future of the Straw Hat Pirates and Elbaph

After Dorry and Brogy reached Egghead Island and saved Luffy from those five incredibly strong monsters, I felt moved and amazed to witness Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates reuniting with the Giants. As many may have forgotten, shortly after the Straw Hats started their journey, they met and helped save Dorry and Brogy. Now, two years later in the present timeline, it is Dorry and Brogy who have traveled to save Luffy and his crew. This reunion is truly touching, but it once again makes us wonder: is this just a coincidence, or is it fate?

While Dorry and Brogy stated they went to Egghead for their friends, it is a massive coincidence that they arrived to help Luffy specifically after the awakening of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. Before this awakening, Luffy had faced many nightmares, yet none of those battles moved Dorry and Brogy to act. Only now have they departed from Elbaph to intervene. While it is wonderful to see the Giants move for Luffy, these episodes also highlight how deeply Nika is connected to Elbaph. Much like how Luffy helped Dorry and Brogy and they returned the favor, it feels as though Nika once helped the ancient Giants, and now the Giants are helping the current Nika overcome this crisis.

Given how deeply Nika is connected to the Giants, we can even say it was fate that the current Nika has reunited with them, and they are now fighting side-by-side. Although the Giants haven't officially declared an alliance yet, the fact that they traveled to Egghead to save Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates proves they have joined forces. While the whole world is hyped about this union, for Imu and the World Government, their worst nightmare has officially begun.

The Giants didn't reunite with the current Nika for no reason. After the defeat of Joy Boy, the world became corrupted, and a living hell emerged. Now, with the Giants joining forces with the Straw Hats, the chances that "The Dawn of the World" will truly arrive are higher than ever. We don’t know for sure if the Giants fought alongside Nika in the past, but since the World Government and Imu never carried out a full massacre against them, it is possible they didn't join the previous war. Regardless, the Giants are an incredibly strong tribe; with them joining the Straw Hats, even if the enemy is the darkness of the entire world, Luffy and his crew can still win.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

The One Piece anime Elbaph arc is almost here, with an official air date of April 5, 2026. Unlike previous seasons, the anime is moving to a new seasonal format, airing 26 episodes per year. Furthermore, the adaptation will follow a strict "one chapter per episode" pace, ensuring the Elbaph arc contains no fillers or original anime-only episodes.

Based on the facts and hints found in previous arcs, we know there is a deep, hidden relationship between the current Nika and the Giants. The airing of the Elbaph arc provides a perfect opportunity for us to investigate these theories and uncover those connections through the journey of Luffy and the Straw Hats. Believe me, the Elbaph arc will be incredible, as it promises to reveal a massive amount of history to us all.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Thank you for reading! I will be publishing more content soon, including plot explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned. While you wait for my next post, feel free to leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are plenty of challenges waiting for you on AnimeOshi! Plus, AnimeOshi has just launched a new Dropkick on My Devil! campaign , so everyone is welcome to join!

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.