Haki is a special spiritual power that is present within every individual that they can utilize to predict actions, protect themselves, subdue enemies, and at the same time fight with an added strength. Haki is the basic nower system in One Piece and is shown as a latent power that everybody has but only a select few can employ and use effectively during battles.
When is Haki introduced in One Piece?
The concept of Haki was first prominently seen in Episode 316 (Chapter 433) when Shanks uses Haki to knock out a few of Whitebeard’s crew members when he goes to visit him on his ship. However, Haki was initially introduced in the first few episodes when Shanks lost his arm. It was an emotional and profound feat that we can never forget. That time he used the conqueror’s Haki to scare off the Lord of the Coast to save Luffy.
The term Haki was introduced during the Sabaody Archipelago and Amazon Lily Arcs. In Episode 516 (Chapter 597) during Luffy’s training on Rusukaina Island, Rayleigh explained concepts to him.
What is Haki Mean?
Before answering this question let us first learn what Haki means. Haki when translated to English can have different meanings like ‘drive’, ‘willpower’, ‘spirit’, ‘ambition’, and so on. All these translations have some commonality among them, so Haki literally translates to having some kind of strength or willpower.
Types of Haki
There are three main types of Haki: Observational Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki/ 見聞色の覇気), Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki/ 武装色の覇気), and finally, Conqueror’s Haki (Haoshoku Haki/ 覇王色の覇) which only a few selective people can use, and that includes our favorite protagonist as well that is Luffy.
Observational Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki/ 見聞色の覇気):
Users are able to sense the strength, presence, and emotions of others through this sixth sense. Additionally, it grants the user limited precognitive abilities, allowing them to predict their opponents’ actions and attacks in advance.
An advanced level of Observational allows the user to actually foresee a short period into the future.
Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki/ 武装色の覇気):
In addition to defending against attacks, the user can make their own attacks more powerful and powerful by using their own spiritual energy as armor. Also, it can bypass Devil Fruit defenses, such as Logia intangibility. A person can apply the armament to a section of their body, over their entire body, and even imbue it onto their weapons.
Advanced Busoshoku allows the user to make the emitted armament flow into a target’s body and destroy it from the inside out.
Conqueror’s Haki (Haoshoku Haki/ 覇王色の覇)
A haoshoku user can unleash their own willpower to overpower the will of others. As a result, weak-willed foes become mentally overwhelmed by the user, instantly losing consciousness. One in several million people is born with the ability to use Haoshoku, a rare form of Haki.
- The advanced level of Conqueror haki empowers a user’s weapons and physical attacks with their conquering spirit. Only a small handful of the most powerful Haoshoku users are able to achieve this.
- Conqueror’s Haki, another advanced level of Haoshoku, negates an opponent’s ability to sense one’s aura or presence.
Can anyone learn Haki?
We have so far seen other Straw Hat crew members awaken Haki which obviously includes the other two in the ‘Monster Trio’ that is Zoro and Sanji. And in the Dressrosa saga, we finally see Usopp awaken Haki to bolster his sniping abilities.
Now, this rouses the question “Can anyone learn Haki?”
What we can understand from this is that everyone has Haki or is born with Haki. This ‘ambition’ is what drives people to accomplish things. While everyone has Haki, not everyone can avail it to fight with an opponent. In order to use this power or energy, one needs to awaken its potential and that is something not everyone can do. Therefore, this answers the question that was posed before.
In the One Piece world, not every character is capable of using Haki to fight as we can see not everyone has awakened Haki among the Straw Hat Pirates. This might be due to their willpower not being as strong as the others. We can even go further to speculate that characters who strongly feel about something and are ready to fight battles for their cause have a huge potential or predisposition to awaken Haki.
So, to conclude all of us have Haki and if you are planning on awakening Haki makes sure you are ready to go through some harsh and rough battles because it does not come easily!
All Haki Users in One Piece
All 3 types of Haki
Shanks | Monkey D. Luffy | Silvers Rayleigh | Boa Hancock |
Charlotte Katakuri | Sengoku | Donquixote Doflamingo | Chinjao |
Charlotte Linlin | Kaidou | Roronoa Zoro | Eustass Kid |
Yamato | Edward Newgate | Gol D. Roger | Kozuki Oden |
Kenbunshoku & Busoshoku
Boa Marigold | Boa Sandersonia | Marco | Jozu |
Vista | Sanji | Kin’emon | Issho |
Trafalgar D. Water Law | Dracule Mihawk | Sakazuki | Borsalino |
Sentomaru | Smoker | Tashigi | Jinbe |
Bellamy | Jesus Burgess | Monkey D. Garp | Marshall D. Teach |
Koby | Black Maria | Hyogoro | Kurozumi Kanjuro |
Kenbunshoku Only
Satori | Usopp | Helmeppo | Crocus |
Yasopp | Shirahoshi | Rebecca | Helmeppo |
Aisa | Enel | Gedatsu | Ohm |