Haki

Haki (覇気) is a mysterious force that is found in every living being in the One Piece world. However, most people do not notice that they have the ability to channel it or know they have it but fail in awakening it. Broadly, there are two types of Haki common to everyone, given the proper training; however, there is a third type that only a certain group of "chosen ones" are said to possess.

About
Haki, unnamed at the time, was first seen when Shanks used it against the Lord of the Coast to save Luffy when he was a child from the wrath of the Sea King. The term "Haki" was first coined and used much later when Blackbeard was commenting on Luffy's bounty in Jaya, and hinted at during Shanks visit with Whitebeard.

The underlying concepts of Haki were introduced during the Sabaody Archipelago and Amazon Lily arcs. The concept was clearly explained by Rayleigh to Luffy before his training on Rusukaina Island.

Haki is innate to every living person, but rare for most to ever awaken. Intense training can awaken it, as can extreme shock, such as with Coby during the battle of Marineford or Aisa who seems to have developed it naturally under Enel's stern rule.

Known Users
So far the characters who have clearly shown the use of Haki are:


 * Coby
 * Edward Newgate
 * Enel and all other Mantra users
 * Jozu
 * Kuja tribe
 * Monkey D. Luffy
 * Marco
 * Marine Vice Admirals and higher ranks
 * Portgas D. Ace
 * Silvers Rayleigh
 * Sentoumaru
 * Shanks
 * Vista

Types of Haki
Haki is separated into three categories: Kenbunshoku Haki, which grants users a sixth sense of the world around them and limited precognitive abilities; Busōshoku Haki, which allows the user to use their spirit as armor to defend against attacks or to make their own attacks more potent; and Haōshoku Haki, a rare type of Haki only one in a million can use which grants the user the power of intimidation over others. Most people who can use Haki tend to prefer one type over the other two.

Kenbunshoku Haki
Kenbunshoku Haki (見聞色, Color of Observation; also known as Mantra (心綱 (マントラ), Mantora, translated as "Mind Rope") in Skypiea) is a form of Haki that allows the user to sense the presence of his opponents. When using this type of Haki, one can predict an opponent's moves shortly before they make them, thereby making them that much easier to evade. This prediction appears to the user as an image or brief "premonition" of what the opponent will do, manifested as a mental image in the user's mind's eye, and the damage the user will take if the attack "hit" for real. It appears that the more killer intent the enemy has the easier they are to predict, though more skilled users can predict future moves regardless whether there are ambient murderous intents or not.

It was first introduced under the name Mantra when Satori used it to fight Sanji, Luffy, and Usopp as they went through the Ordeal of Balls. Aisa is the only known Shandian who has this ability. It served as a plot point when she helped Luffy locate Enel.

The mantra in each priest and Enel was displayed in a different fashion. Enel's mantra was the strongest as the ability was enhanced when combined with his Devil Fruit, the Goro Goro no Mi. Enel explained that he could pick up electromagnetic waves allowing him to overhear conversations and everything around him, extending the range of his Mantra to cover roughly all of Skypiea. Satori's was much weaker, as shown when he could not tell that Luffy was behind him.

The first time it was seen being used and referred to as Haki was during Luffy's battle on Amazon Lilly with the Boa Sisters. Later, Rayleigh explained Haki to Luffy and confirmed that "Mantra" is the Skypiean name for the ability. During the Marineford war, Coby awakens his ability to use Kenbunshoku Haki as he starts to hear the voices of the dying marines disappearing like Aisa did during Enel's Survival Game.

Known Kenbunshoku Haki Users
So far, these are the only people confirmed to be able to use this type of Haki. The character in bold are those who have shown that they incline to use this type of Haki the most.


 * Mantra users
 * Aisa
 * Enel
 * Gedatsu
 * Ohm
 * Satori
 * Shura


 * Others
 * Boa Sandersonia
 * Coby
 * Edward Newgate
 * Silvers Rayleigh

Busōshoku Haki
Busōshoku Haki (武装色, Color of Armaments) is another form of Haki that allows the user to create an "invisible armor" around themselves. This armor can protect the user from attacks and push aggressors away. With training, it can be further honed into a weapon with which to strike others. It enhances the power of any attack, and also allows the user to bypass the powers of a Devil Fruit user, striking the user's human body beneath whatever protection the Fruit may provide, even in the case of body-altering Fruits such as Paramecia or Logia users. It can also be imparted to weapons, like the Kuja's arrows.

Known Busōshoku Haki Users
So far, these are the only people confirmed to be able to use this type of Haki. The character in bold are those who have shown that they are inclined to use this type of Haki the most.


 * Akainu
 * Aokiji
 * Boa Hancock
 * Boa Marigold
 * Edward Newgate
 * Jozu
 * Kizaru
 * Marco
 * Monkey D. Garp
 * Sentoumaru
 * Shanks
 * Silvers Rayleigh
 * Vista

Haōshoku Haki
Haōshoku Haki (覇王色, Color of the Conquering King) is a rare form of Haki that cannot be attained through training. Only one in a million people are born with. Luffy first displayed the effects of this type of Haki in combat with the Boa Sisters, knocking out a large portion of the audience observing the match despite all of them being accustomed to regular Haki usage.

This type of Haki grants the user the power of intimidation. The user can use it to knock those with weak wills unconscious. While inexperienced users are restricted to merely intimidating one being or blindly knocking out any with weak wills around them, those with more expertise can pick out weak-willed individuals in a large group and knock them out without affecting those around them. Those with stronger wills can resist or even ignore the effects of Haōshoku Haki. According to Rayleigh, this type of Haki cannot be trained as it is only based on the natural spirit of the owner.

Known Haōshoku Haki Users
So far, these are the only people confirmed to possess this level of Haki:
 * Monkey D. Luffy
 * Boa Hancock
 * Edward Newgate
 * Portgas D. Ace
 * Shanks
 * Silvers Rayleigh

Translation and Dub Issues
The term "Haki" is a word that has multiple meanings when translated into English. It can mean "ambition", "will power", "drive" and "aspiration" to name a few.

In the 4kids dub of the game One Piece: Pirates Carnival and edited FUNimation TV episodes, Mantra is known as Mantora. In the uncut versions of the Funi episodes, it is called Mantra.

Though Haōshoku is translatable to "king," it refers to a "warring king" or "conqueror", one who rules by power and conquest. The term "Overlord" has been used by some translators.

In the recent simulcast episodes by FUNimation, they have chosen to use the term "Haki energy" despite official FUNimation translators wanting to use the term "ambition". This was apparently Toei's decision perhaps based on what the Viz Manga has decided to use. In the video game, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure, which was dubbed by Funimation, "Haki" was translated as "Ambition". It is not clear what term will be used in the Funimation DVD releases, or if it will even contain this term, but "Haki energy" appears to be what they are currently using in the simulcast.

Trivia

 * Haki appears to be similar in principle to common types of Qi (Chi) found in various other anime and manga series.


 * Jinbei and some of Whitebeard's division commanders have shown the capability to strike Logia Devil Fruit users. One of Whitebeard's allies confirmed Whitebeard as a Haki user as explanation to him being able to do so. It is unknown if the rest of his crew and allies can utilize Haki also. Marco and Vista, both Whitebeard's division commanders, are confirmed Haki users, as stated by Akainu. And Jozu was able to damage both Aokiji and Crocodile, demonstrating his use of Haki as well.
 * Haki users can still utilize their Devil Fruit powers, despite Haki being able to affect Devil Fruit abilities. This is because Haki only allows the user to bypass defenses provided by Devil Fruit powers.
 * Not only is it a Japanese term, but Haki was also the name of a Scandinavian Sea-King (a name given for powerful pirates) in Norse mythology.
 * The concept of Kenbunshoku Haki, known to Skypieans as Mantra, is loosely based the style of thinking in the Hindu, which goes by the same name.

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