Kaido is one of the most powerful characters in the One Piece universe. He is the captain of the Beasts Pirates and ruler of Wano Country. Kaido’s most notable ability is that he can transform into an enormous, Eastern dragon. This has led many fans to wonder – why can Kaido transform into a dragon? In this 5000 word article, we will explore the potential reasons behind Kaido’s shapeshifting powers.
Kaido’s Devil Fruit
The most straightforward explanation is that Kaido’s dragon transformation is thanks to his Devil Fruit. Devil Fruits are mysterious fruits found in the One Piece world that give the eater a special power, at the cost of losing the ability to swim. Kaido has an immensely powerful Mythical Zoan type Devil Fruit that allows him to become a dragon.
Mythical Zoan fruits give the user the ability to transform into a specific mythical creature. Previous Mythical Zoans we’ve seen in One Piece allow the user to become a phoenix, Buddha, or nine-tailed fox. Kaido’s Mythical Zoan gives him the power to become a massive, flying dragon. This matches up with Momonosuke’s artificial Devil Fruit that also allows him to become a tiny dragon.
While no official name has been given, fans often refer to Kaido’s fruit as the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu. Seiryu is the Japanese name for the Azure Dragon, one of the four symbols of Chinese constellations. The Azure Dragon represents the east and the spring season, matching Kaido’s Wano origins.
Characteristics of Kaido’s Dragon Form
When Kaido transforms into a dragon, he becomes absolutely massive in size, even dwarfing the largest giant. He has blue scales over his body and large horns coming from his head. Kaido’s dragon form has four legs, making it more akin to Chinese or Eastern dragons than the typical western designs.
As expected of a dragon, Kaido’s transformation allows him to fly and breath fire. His dragon fire breath is powerful enough to easily decimate towns. Kaido can also create heat-based clouds in his dragon form, allowing him to levitate objects or attack enemies from above.
Kaido has shown immense strength in his dragon form, able to smash through buildings and lift entire ships. His dragon scales are also highly durable, protecting him from most attacks. Only the strongest Haki-imbued strikes from the likes of Luffy’s Gear Fourth have managed to pierce through Kaido’s defenses.
Origins of Eastern Dragons
To better understand Kaido’s dragon form, it helps to examine dragons in Eastern mythology compared to Western dragons. In the West, dragons are usually depicted as scary, fire-breathing monsters who hoard riches and are slain by brave knights. They are threats that need to be overcome.
Eastern dragons like Kaido have a much more positive image. They are seen as powerful, benevolent symbols of strength and good fortune. Chinese and other Asian cultures revered dragons as creatures that controlled water and rainfall, representing life and renewal.
Dragons play a major role in Japanese mythology, protectors that would bring good tidings. Some origin stories say the first emperor of Japan was even descended from a dragon. Wano Country in One Piece draws heavy inspiration from feudal Japan, so having their ruler able to transform into an Eastern style dragon fits the themes.
Possible Symbolic Meaning
Beyond just having a powerful ability, Kaido’s dragon form may have additional meaning symbolically. As the leader of Wano Country, becoming a dragon could represent Kaido’s desire for strength and domination over others.
Eastern dragons are forces of nature, capable of whipping up tempests. By transforming into a mythical dragon, Kaido demonstrates his ability to wreak havoc through his sheer power. Additionally, only the brave protagonists like Luffy are able to confront a terrifying dragon, adding to Kaido’s image as a villainous figure.
There may also be a deeper meaning with Kaido’s captivation with dragons. Momonosuke’s artificial dragon fruit was created and named by the scientist Dr. Vegapunk. We know Vegapunk had an interest in Kaido, even naming one of his failed experiments after him. Kaido may have a deeper history tied to the World Government and Dr. Vegapunk that explains how he obtained his own version of the dragon fruit.
Kaido’s Reputation as the Strongest
A major reason Kaido values having such a formidable dragon form is that it bolsters his reputation as being virtually invincible. Kaido has declared that only Joyboy would be able to defeat him, and he craves a grand death in battle. By having the power to become an enormous dragon, it cements Kaido’s status as the strongest creature in the world.
Kaido’s near impervious defenses and ability to rain down destruction from the sky does make him live up to that title. Both the samurai of Wano and the Marines acknowledge that Kaido is not someone that can be taken down through ordinary means. Only the top figures in the One Piece world like the Four Emperors and Admirals can even hope to fight against Kaido.
This desire for intimidation through power lines up with Kaido’s rule over Wano Country. He occupies the role of shogun, so having the ability to become a mythical dragon inspires awe and fear in anyone who would dare oppose his reign. It takes removing Kaido from that position of power for the samurai rebels to finally make their move.
Parallels to Yamata no Orochi
There also appear to be deliberate parallels between Kaido and the mythical eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi. Orochi was a dragon killed by the Shinto storm god Susanoo, which allowed the sun goddess Amaterasu to leave her cave. The Orochi story is found in Japanese mythology dating back to the 8th century.
The parallels are easy to see. Like Orochi, Kaido occupies Wano and prevents it from being a prosperous, sunny country. Kaido keeps Amaterasu’s equivalent, the Kozuki clan, locked away from power. Susanoo’s role is filled by Luffy, the stormy bringer of liberation who arrives in Wano to take down the powerful dragon.
Orochi was said to control the tides with his multiple heads, corresponding to how Kaido creates dragonic tempests. Yamata no Orochi was also known as a tyrant who demanded human sacrifices, much like how Kaido enslaves the people of Wano. Kaido sitting on a throne in his castle continues the mythological motif.
Kaido’s Possible Origins
While Kaido’s dragon powers most likely originate from his Devil Fruit, some fans have speculated on other possible explanations related to Kaido’s origins. Since we know little about Kaido’s early life, there are many theories about where his dragon abilities could stem from.
One theory is that Kaido may actually be an ancient creature related to the race of giants. We know giants in One Piece come in many shapes and sizes, so Kaido could be a unique type of gargantuan dragon that ate a Devil Fruit for extra power. This might explain his enormous base size separate from just transforming.
Other theorists propose Kaido may be part member of the extinct race of Oni demons. There are hints that horns and other Oni features indicate a demonic lineage, which could apply to Kaido. His toughness and use of a kanabo club also mirrors the Oni warrior archetype.
Additionally, some suggest Kaido has ties to the lost kingdom of Punk Hazard. We know Dr. Vegapunk was active there, and Kaido’s interest in artificial Devil Fruits may involve Punk Hazard’s experiments. Kaido having ancestry from Punk Hazard’s fiery dragon mythology could grant him his powers.
Kaido’s Awakened Devil Fruit
While Kaido’s base form dragon powers are fearsome already, he may gain even greater mastery over his fruit by “awakening” it. For Zoan fruits, awakening grants the user much greater control and mastery over their transformations.
For example, the Awakened Zoans in Impel Down had full control to transform selective parts into their animal forms. Kaido’s awakened dragon fruit could allow him to utilize his dragon features and abilities even in human form.
We’ve potentially already seen hints of this type of partial dragon awakening. During his fight against Luffy, Kaido created flame clouds to levitate Onigashima without fully transforming. He also used flaming wind breath attacks reminiscent of his dragon form.
Full awakening would allow Kaido to maintain the power and defenses of his dragon body while retaining the intelligence and maneuverability of a human. If Kaido does reveal complete mastery over his fruit before the arc concludes, it will make defeating him all the more difficult.
Kaido’s Hybrid Form
A related transformation Kaido may have access to is a dragon-human hybrid form. Typical Zoan users can create a hybrid between their animal and human shape, giving them enhanced abilities. We’ve already seen Kaido’s right-hand man Queen transform into a half-brachiosaurus state.
Based on this, fans speculate Kaido could use his Awakened powers to shift into a hybrid human-dragon form. This may grant him the size, wings, and attributes of his dragon but with humanoid mobility. A dragonman hybrid would combine the best of both forms.
This type of hybrid mode is common in Eastern fiction, seen in creatures like the Chinese Lun’an dragonman. A Kaido human-dragon hybrid would certainly look and feel different from Momonosuke’s more diminutive dragon mode. A Kaido hybrid form remains unconfirmed but would push his powers even further.
Comparison to Other Mythical Zoans
It’s also informative to compare Kaido’s dragon transformation to the few other Mythical Zoan fruits we’ve seen in the One Piece story. Marco’s Phoenix fruit allows him to become a mythical flaming bird capable of regeneration and flight. Sengoku’s Buddha fruit lets him turn into a giant divine humanoid that can deliver devastating shockwave attacks.
On paper, Kaido’s dragon form seems to outclass both of these other fruits in combat potential. His sheer size and defenses eclipse Marco’s phoenix style, while Sengoku’s shockwaves don’t pack as much raw power as Kaido’s fiery breath.
Of course, direct matchups aren’t everything, and the other Mythical fruits likely have special properties we’ve yet to see. But within the bounds of what’s been revealed, Kaido’s dragon form stands above other Mythical Zoans.
More Mythical Zoans
There are likely even more incredible Mythical Zoan fruits that have yet to appear in One Piece. When they do surface, it will be interesting to see how their powers compare and contrast to Kaido’s dragon shape.
For example, a Kirin fruit modeled after the mythical chimera would offer control over lightning, contrasting Kaido’s fire. A Leviathan fruit could allow transformation into a massive sea beast, ruling the ocean instead of the sky.
We may even see further dragons like Japanese Ryujin, the master of seas. Or the Naga, a multi-headed cobra divine serpent. Each Mythical fruit presents unique possibilities.
Kaido’s Hybrid Form
A related transformation Kaido may have access to is a dragon-human hybrid form. Typical Zoan users can create a hybrid between their animal and human shape, giving them enhanced abilities. We’ve already seen Kaido’s right-hand man Queen transform into a half-brachiosaurus state.
Based on this, fans speculate Kaido could use his Awakened powers to shift into a hybrid human-dragon form. This may grant him the size, wings, and attributes of his dragon but with humanoid mobility. A dragonman hybrid would combine the best of both forms.
This type of hybrid mode is common in Eastern fiction, seen in creatures like the Chinese lung dragons. A Kaido human-dragon hybrid would certainly look and feel different from Momonosuke’s more diminutive dragon mode. A Kaido hybrid form remains unconfirmed but would push his powers even further.
Kaido’s Future
Looking to the future, Kaido’s dragon form will likely continue to play a pivotal role as the Onigashima raid reaches its climax. Both Big Mom and Kaido have yet to display their full power, so dragon Kaido may unveil new techniques.
His Awakened dragon form could provide the key to defeating the Supernovas pinning him down. However, this battle has been built up as Luffy’s long-awaited showdown against Kaido one-on-one. Thematic parallels to the Orochi myth dictate that Kaido should be beaten in his full dragon form.
If Luffy unlocks a new Gear Fifth or Awakening of his own, he may be able to overpower even Kaido’s ultimate dragon shape in a final counters between the New Gen and Emperor. Their duel will determine the fate of Wano Country.
Defeating Kaido’s dragon will be the capstone to Luffy’s rise to Yonko status. Kaido serves as the ultimate obstacle on Luffy’s journey toward becoming King of the Pirates and the world’s strongest warrior. Only by prevailing over the Strongest Creature can Luffy cement his ascendance.
Conclusion
Kaido’s mythical Eastern dragon transformation remains one of the most fearsome abilities revealed so far in the One Piece story. By unlocking this power through his Devil Fruit, Kaido has declared himself the Strongest Creature alive. Only the series’ top figures like the Yonko and Admirals can hope to clash against such a beast.
Within the bounds of what’s been revealed in both the manga and anime up to this point, Kaido’s dragon form overshadows any other single power we’ve seen. Defeating such a titan has required the entirety of the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai alliance in a massive war, working together with the Worst Generation pirates.
Yet Kaido has hinted there is more to unlock, with his Awakened dragon state or rumored hybrid form. Uncovering the full origins of Kaido’s powers and any hidden connections may have to wait until a proper flashback. For now, the Straw Hats and their allies have their hands full contending with just Kaido’s base dragon shape wreaking havoc in the skies above Wano.
References
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| One Piece Wiki – Kaido | https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Kaido |
| One Piece Wiki – Uo Uo no Mi | https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Uo_Uo_no_Mi |
| One Piece Wiki – Mythical Zoan | https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Mythical_Zoan |
| Yamata no Orochi Mythology | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamata_no_Orochi |
