Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu

The Mythical Zoan-type of the Uo Uo no Mi is a Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into a hybrid and full version of an Eastern dragon (龍) at will. It was eaten by Kaido.

Etymology

 * Uo (魚) is Japanese for "fish".

Strengths and Weaknesses


This fruit enables the user to transform into a massive, serpent-like dragon; with his transformation, Kaido grew to rival a small town in size. In addition, the user is granted multiple supernatural abilities. The most prominent of them is the ability to create flame-shaped clouds to travel airborne, using them as footholds.

Additionally, the user gains access to multiple varieties of elemental attacks they can perform with their mouth. The most common of these is a concentrated blast of fire which can travel many kilometers in the span of seconds and instantly destroy entire structures and landmasses that it hits. Additionally, the user can generate small lightning bolts while roaring and launch blades of wind while blowing. With these attacks being able to travel great distances, the user can overwhelm opponents in battle by hovering in the air out of their reach and assaulting them with attacks.

Due to the user's massive size, their body is capable of causing severe damage to entire structures just by coming into contact with them; when Kaido flew around Okobore Town in a drunken state, the onlookers believed he would very likely destroy it quickly. The scales on the user's transformed body have been stated to be very hard, although in Kaido's case the transformation's durability is compounded by his immensely tough normal body.

Due to the massive amount of space the user takes up after transforming, being in an enclosed space greatly hinders their ability to use this power, and depending on how much they care about their surroundings, their transformed body's propensity for collateral damage may be a liability for them and their allies. Additionally, their massive body leaves more openings, making the user an easy target for attacks. Otherwise, the user is affected by the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses.

Usage
Kaido uses this fruit frequently in battle; unlike the majority of Zoan users seen so far, he typically starts out battles in his full transformation and transforms back into human form when he gets serious, with his non-powered form being seemingly more suited for intense one-on-one combat. When engaging opponents in his dragon transformation, Kaido frequently hovers a considerable distance from them and assaults them with his powerful elemental strikes, most frequently his fire breath.

Named Techniques

 * Homuragumo (焔雲): Kaido generates flame-shaped clouds he can use as footholds in the air, giving the appearance of flight; he can also use them to lift other objects, including entire islands, into the air. Once lifted with the Homuragumo, Kaido can move through the air quite quickly. There is not an apparent a need to transform in order to use this technique. It was first seen used when Kaido appears in Kuri in his dragon form looking for Luffy and Law. This is called Flame Clouds in the Viz Manga.




 * Bolo Breath: Kaido's most frequently used attack. Kaido releases a massive heat blast of fire from his mouth towards a target. It travels very quickly and is extremely powerful, being capable of instantly decimating large structures like the ruins of Oden Castle, and surrounding terrain like mountainscapes are left thoroughly shattered, flattened, and scorched. When Raizo redirected this attack, it was strong enough to damage Kaido's dragon form. Bolo is a term used in Central America and Mexico meaning "drunk". It was first This is called Blast Breath in the Viz Manga.
 * Kamaitachi (かまいたち): Kaido blows strongly enough to generate powerful wind blades capable of cutting through solid stone. It was first seen used in his fight against the Nine Red Scabbards, severing Kikunojo's left arm and sword, with Denjiro naming the technique. The kamaitachi is a type Japanese folkloric monster (yokai), thought to be a trio of weasels who appear in a whirlwind to cut their victim, and because of that, is also a word used to describe a wind so strong that can cut through things.

History
On the day of the God Valley Incident 38 years ago at God Valley, Charlotte Linlin gave this fruit to Kaido, who at the time was her crewmate on the Rocks Pirates. Big Mom considers this to be a life debt that Kaido can never escape from.

Trivia

 * This fruit's transformation and abilities greatly resemble that of the "failed" Artificial Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk that Kozuki Momonosuke has consumed.
 * Ironically, despite a series of Zoans (the Ryu Ryu no Mi) being named after dragons, and this being the only Devil Fruit seen so far that actually enables transformation into a dragon (with the fruits seen so far in the Ryu Ryu series granting dinosaur transformations), this fruit is not named after dragons but after fish.
 * This is currently the only known Zoan fruit named after an aquatic species, although any potential underwater abilities it may grant are canceled out due to being deactivated by water.
 * Though this fruit is classified as Mythical Zoan, dragons have notably been a real, natural existence in the One Piece world, namely the dragon killed by Shimotsuki Ryuma in Monsters (confirmed in the Thriller Bark Arc to have canonically occurred). However, said dragon more so resembled a Western-style dragon as opposed to the East Asian-style dragon form of Kaido. The other dragons seen so far also were more Western-like, and were artificial lifeforms created by Vegapunk. Regardless, this power is still undoubtedly mythical since it is a fish-type Zoan.
 * The Uo Uo no Mi is currently the only Devil Fruit name with both of its syllables as vowel sounds (ウオ), lacking any consonant sound. Thus, it is one of the shortest Devil Fruit names when transliterated into romanized text.
 * Due to this fruit being named for fish, its transformation is possibly based on the mythical dragon-fish hybrid Chiwen, although Kaido's transformed body more resembles a typical serpent-like Eastern dragon.
 * The fruit's power could also potentially be based on the Chinese myth of the Dragon's Gate, in which carp transform into dragons upon swimming up to the top of a great waterfall. Wano, where Kaido resides, is located atop a waterfall which giant carp swim up.
 * The fruit's power and Kaido's usage of it have many connections to East Asian mythology.
 * Just as Kaido is said to be the world's "Strongest Creature", Eastern dragons are seen as symbolizing power and so are extremely powerful; either semi-divine or literal gods.
 * Eastern dragons were traditionally believed to be able to adopt human form, just like Kaido can shift between human and dragon form as a Zoan user.
 * Kaido's dragon form is blue: in Chinese culture, the Azure Dragon (also "Blue Dragon", "Green Dragon" or "Blue-Green Dragon") is a Dragon God who (as one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations) represents the East and spring season. In Japanese, the dragon is called "Seiryū".
 * Corresponding to this may be the fact that Kaido lives on Onigashima, which is to the east of the Wano mainland.
 * Eastern dragons are commonly depicted with hair, including a wild mane, long, tendril-like whiskers appended to each side of their snout, and beard hair. This matches Kaido's wild mane, long and thin mustache, and beard that he retains in his dragon form.
 * His dragon form's colors, as well as those of the clouds he creates, may be inspired by Utagawa Kuniyoshi's paintings.
 * Kaido's dragon form has four claws/toes: four-clawed dragons are customarily depicted in Mongolia and Korea (as opposed to the three claws common for Japanese dragons). In China during the imperial dynastic era, four-toed dragons had symbolized imperial aristocracy (e.g. princes), denoting imperial ranking just below the emperor himself (who is symbolized by five-toed dragons). Normally the dragon motifs were displayed on the robes. During the Ming Dynasty there were also creatures resembling dragons called feiyu ("flying fish") and douniu ("Dipper Capricorn"). The feiyu, had four claws; it also had fin-like wings on its torso and a fish-like tail. The douniu also had four claws, or in some cases, three claws, and a horn that curved outward like a water buffalo. Both of these dragon-like beasts became motifs on robes that the emperor presented to his retainers. Dragons were ultimately exclusive to the emperor and the Imperial princes while the feiyu, and douniu, which resembled dragons, were made to look different, in order to differentiate the status of the wearer.
 * Eastern dragons that breathe fire are rather minor in lore. Those who do were said to be rather violent individuals, or were sent from the heavens to earth as punishment. Kaido's ability to breathe a fire blast (contrary to the Eastern dragon's water association) could be more inspired by European conceptions of fire-breathing dragons or "firedrakes".
 * Kaido being able to transform into a dragon was first hinted at in the Punk Hazard Arc, as Kin'emon expressed deep resentment against one of Vegapunk's artificial dragons while fighting it, and when Brook commented that the samurai's hatred was reminiscent of someone trying to avenge their dead parents, Kin'emon replied that it was "nothing less", referring to Kaido being responsible for his master Oden's death.
 * In the video game One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, Kaido has shown the ability to unleash ice attacks.
 * Kaido's dragon form is reminiscent of Shenron, a magical, wish-granting dragon god from the Dragon Ball franchise. Notably, dark, swirling clouds accompany the arrival of either character.
 * This Devil Fruit's name is actually reflected through Kaido's Laughter Style "Worororo/Uorororo" (ウォロロロ). This particular character quirk is shared with Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi, Perona's Horo Horo no Mi and Streusen's Kuku Kuku no Mi, although Kaido's case is still unique in that only the first part of his laughter is referenced in the Uo Uo no Mi.

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