Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard

The Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows its user to transform into a leopard hybrid and a full leopard at will, making the user a Leopard Human (ヒョウ人間). It was eaten by Rob Lucci.

Etymology

 * Neko is Japanese for "cat".
 * While the kanji is written as 豹, the pronunciation remains as reoparudo, the Japanese way to pronounce the species' name.
 * It is called the Cat-Cat Fruit Leopard Model in the Viz Manga until its awakening in Chapter 1069.
 * It is called the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard in the Viz Manga as of Chapter 1069 and both Unlimited Adventure and the English dub of the anime series, which are both dubbed by Funimation.

Appearance
The Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard resembles the head of a leopard, including spots and ears. The insides of the ears have swirls. The fruit also has a green T-shaped stem that curls up at one end.

Strengths and Weaknesses
The fruit's major strength, as demonstrated by Lucci, is that its user gains a dramatic increase to their physical strength in their hybrid and full leopard forms, equivalent to that of an actual leopard and more. Indeed, in his hybrid form, Lucci was capable of hurling Luffy and Zoro through a building and across the city of Water 7, the latter instantly being knocked unconscious and sent flying off the island. Their half leopard form is extremely large, as the user's original height and mass are increased by a great degree. Fighting styles and abilities, like Rokushiki, are greatly enhanced by the power of the fruit. The fruit grants the user the abilities of a leopard, such as enhanced strength, durability, speed and agility, powerful teeth and jaws, retractable claws, stealth, enhanced senses, and enhanced climbing and jumping capabilities.



As stated by Tony Tony Chopper, Zoan that turn into carnivorous animals are more ferocious than others by nature. Users that turn into such animals are naturally more dangerous and powerful in physical combat, and may have useful features, such as claws, to aid in a fight. One of the most extreme examples of such a Zoan user is Rob Lucci, who went as far as to maul his opponent in full-leopard form. According to Lucci, those who have eaten fruits like it are highly specialized in physical strength and close combat.

The fruit so far does not seem to have any specific weaknesses outside the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses.

Awakening
Upon awakening, the user's Human-Beast form undergoes a physical transformation where their size increases, their body becomes more slim, a dark flame forms a "mane" down the user's back and arms, and a stream of floating fire wraps around the user's shoulders.

Unique among Zoan Fruits, most notable animal-based ones, according to Shaka, this "awakening" should have taken control of the user's personality, but Rob Lucci maintained his.

Usage
Regardless of the type of power, it all depends on how you use it. The chances of you weakening from it are very low. Besides, being a hammer isn't much of an inconvenience.

The powers of the fruit have been used mostly by Rob Lucci for combat purposes and to further fuel his lust for battle. Lucci notably uses the fruit's powers to make his Rokushiki techniques like Shigan and Rankyaku more powerful with the addition of claws on his fingers and the added strength in his legs respectively. Lucci, unlike other Zoan users so far, has also used the fruit's power in a more bestial manner, having used his full leopard form in battle to attack Luffy like a real leopard with claws and teeth.



While most Zoan Devil Fruits normally allow three forms of transformations under normal circumstances, Lucci is able to access a fourth form using Seimei Kikan. Through Seimei Kikan: Kami-e Bushin, Lucci's muscles shrink and compress, granting him a smaller and slightly more human half-leopard form. In this form, Lucci is apparently faster and capable of executing more hits than his normal half-leopard form. He also becomes a smaller target, especially compared to his normal hybrid form. However, in exchange for this increase of speed, his brute strength apparently lowers.

Having successfully awakened his powers without having his mind consumed by it, Lucci has access to a fifth form that enhances his speed and power further, surpassing even his aforementioned fourth form.

Techniques

 * Kamisori (剃刀): A combination of Geppo and Soru, where Lucci uses Soru in a zigzag motion in midair, allowing extremely fast movements in three dimensions, other CP9 agents have also shown to use this technique or a similar one allowing them to move through the air at great speed. In the Pirate Warriors series, Lucci can use Kamisori to cut through enemies while utilizing its high-speed movements, and he can use the attack in his human form in the third Pirate Warriors game (while ending it with a smashing dive). In the Viz Manga, this is called Razor. In One Piece: Burning Blood, it acts as Lucci's special movement in his beast form.




 * Rankyaku "Hyobi" (嵐脚「豹尾」): Rob Lucci creates a large, powerful Rankyaku in the shape of a swirl, which is launched at the enemy like a razor blade. When it hits the opponent, he/she is damaged and stunned, with an ability to send him/her flying if they get caught in mid-air by it. In the Pirate Warriors series, the attack can also suck in nearby targets not unlike a miniature high-speed spiraling wind. This is called Tempest Kick Leopard Tail in the Viz Manga and the Funimation dub and Rankyaku: Leopard Tail in One Piece: Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by Funimation).


 * Tekkai "Utsugi" (鉄塊「空木」): This form of Tekkai is used entirely as a counter instead, where the purpose is not to absorb damage from the attack, but to transfer the shock of the attack back to the attacker, which can lead to broken bones in a normal human body. In the Viz Manga and the Funimation dub, this is called Iron Body Empty Tree. The kanji for the deutzia literally means "air/sky tree", hence the Funimation dub's translation.




 * Tobu Shigan "Bachi" (飛ぶ指銃「撥」): Similar to "Rankyaku", this technique is able to pierce Luffy's rubber body. Unlike all other versions, this type of Shigan is launched by flicking instead of jabbing, though in the anime, Lucci and Jabra demonstrated a variant that involves jabbing. In the Viz Manga, this is called Flying Finger Pistol Sting. The attack's name is a possible play on the term hachi/bachi (蜂), hence the projectile nature of the attack and the Viz Manga translation.




 * Rankyaku "Gaicho" (嵐脚「凱鳥」): Lucci creates a large Rankyaku in the shape of a bird, but instead of using his legs, he uses his claws in his half-leopard form (though in some media like in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, Lucci can perform this technique in his human form). This Rankyaku has a much wider range, greater attack power, and is capable of cleaving steel - something not witnessed from other variations. The cut also seems more focused, instead of flickering and jagged like a normal Rankyaku. Gaichou can also mean "injurious bird", while the kanji 凱 is a kanji for "victory song". This is called Tempest Kick Victory Bird in the Viz Manga and the Funimation dub and Rankyaku: Gaicho in One Piece Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by Funimation).




 * Seimei Kikan: Kami-e Bushin (生命帰還 紙絵武身): Using Seimei Kikan, Lucci makes his half-leopard form smaller, lighter, and possibly increasing his speed. At any rate, he is much more agile in this form, and harder to hit—as opposed to his hulking normal half-leopard form. This is called Life Return Paper Art Fighting Form in the Viz Manga and Rebirth: Sketch Form in One Piece Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by Funimation).
 * Seimei Kikan: Kaijo (生命帰還 解除): Lucci uses this while in his smaller half-leopard form. It cancels his Seimei Kikan: Kami-e Bushin technique, and returns to his larger, stronger half-leopard form. This is called Life Return Release in the Viz Manga and Life Return: Terminate in the Funimation dub.




 * Shigan "Madara" (指銃「斑」): Appears as Oren, but is performed with both hands instead of one and in half-leopard form (meaning that his fingers are clawed), this makes for the ultimate Shigan barrage. This is called Finger Pistol Spots in the Viz Manga and the Funimation dub and Shigan: Spots in One Piece Unlimited Adventure (dubbed by Funimation) In One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, Lucci can only perform this in his human form. The kanji for 斑 also translates to "unevenness/inconsistency" if read as mura.


 * Rokushiki Ogi: Rokuogan (六式奥義 六王銃): This is the ultimate Rokushiki technique that can damage an opponent internally, similar to the Impact Dial, or of equal or more strength to the Reject Dial, but the technique is considered to be much more powerful, and can be performed without the side effect of great pain to the user. It appears to be two fists held at close range that can damage the opponent with a blast powerful enough to cause even Luffy to cough up blood and come close to death. While used only his "Shaved" half-leopard form, the proportions to his human body are roughly the same and can be assumed that he could use it otherwise. This is proven in Pirate Warriors 3, where he only performs it in his human form. This is called Six Powers Supreme Six King Pistol in the Viz Manga and Six Powers Extreme: Six King Gun in the Funimation dub.




 * Sai Dai Rin: Rokuogan (最大輪 六王銃): Used by Lucci in his leopard-human hybrid form. He wraps his tail around the target to restrain them from escaping before performing Rokuougan, except now with a larger attack radius and greater attack power than normal due to the enlarged fists of the hybrid form. Lucci's strongest attack, the move is so powerful that the shock wave it sends out can shatter rock even after going through its intended target, similar to Bartholomew Kuma's Pad Ho technique (in Episode of Merry, the shock wave even punched a hole in said wall). This is called Ultimate Radius: Six King Pistol in the Viz Manga and Ultimate Radius: Six King Gun in the Funimation dub.

Awakened Techniques

 * Shugan: While in his awakened form, Lucci keeps all five fingers extended and stabs the opponent with his whole hand. This was first used against Sentomaru. In the VIZ Manga, this is called Hand Pistol.

Anime-Only Techniques

 * Tobu Shigan "Mitsubachi" (飛ぶ指銃「三撥」): Lucci fires the Tobu Shigan: Bachi three times consecutively. This is called Rapid Fire Triple Sting in the Funimation dub. The kanji for "mitsubachi" is a play on 蜜蜂, which is the Japanese term for a honeybee.




 * Tobu Shigan "Hibachi" (飛ぶ指銃「火撥」): Same as Tobu Shigan: Bachi, except that the projectile is a fireball, possibly created through friction, that burns the victim upon impact. "Hibachi" is a type of Japanese grill, or a braizer (and is originally read with the kanji 火鉢). This is called Flying Finger Pistol Fire Sting in the Funimation dub and Finger Pistol: Fire Sting in the English localization of One Piece: Burning Blood.

History
Some time prior to his arrival at Egghead, Rob Lucci awakened the fruit's powers.

Anime and Manga Differences
In the anime, the half-leopard form Lucci turns to using the fruit's powers was originally colored all yellow. It was later shown as white at Enies Lobby.

However, on the cover of volume 44, it was shown that the form actually has some white fur underneath, with some bits of his original human skin sticking out. This coloring scheme of Lucci's half leopard form was incorporated into a later episode of the anime in order to match the volume cover.

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