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Featured Article Ahoy! This here is the 172nd Featured Article.
"Haki" has been featured, meaning it was chosen as an article of interest.

Haki is a mysterious power that allows the user to utilize their own spiritual energy for various purposes.

It can be used to sense people's spiritual energy and predict their actions, give the user a protective coating of spiritual energy, and, for a certain group of "chosen ones", overpower the willpower of others.[2][3]

All living beings in the world are capable of learning Haki, however, most people do not notice it or fail to awaken it.

Overview

"Haki" is a power that lies dormant in all the world's creatures... "Presence", "fighting spirit" and "intimidation"... It is not different from the things that humans can naturally sense such as these... 'The act of not doubting'. That is strength!
— Silvers Rayleigh explaining Haki to Luffy at the start of his training.[3]


Haki, unnamed at the time, was first seen when Shanks used it to scare off the Lord of the Coast to save Luffy when he was a child from the wrath of the Sea King.[1] The term "Haki" was first coined and used much later when Blackbeard was commenting on Luffy's bounty in Jaya,[4] and was hinted at during Shanks' visit with Whitebeard.[5] The underlying concepts of Haki were introduced during the Sabaody Archipelago and Amazon Lily Arcs.[6] The concept was clearly explained later on by Rayleigh to Luffy at the start of the latter's training on Rusukaina Island.[3]

Haki is dormant in every living person, but for most people, it's rare to ever awaken the ability. Intense training can awaken it, as can extreme shock, such as with Koby during the Battle of Marineford[7]. Two known people (Aisa and Otohime) were born with the ability awakened, with no known training.[8][9]

Haki is apparently quite difficult to master, as Rayleigh stated that two years was not enough time to learn the basics, though several characters managed to master it within the time-skip, including Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Tashigi, Smoker, Koby, Bellamy and the former CP9 agents.[10] Haki can also become stronger, especially when a Haki user pushes themselves and their Haki to the limit and beyond in battles against stronger opponents.[11]

Due to the fact that Haki originates from an individual's spirit and not their physical body, users are still capable of using it even if their spirit is transferred into another body.[12] It is also possible to maintain and use Haki while unconscious, as seen when Newgate used Kenbunshoku Haki in his sleep to defend himself from Ace;[13] when Chinjao was defeated and he still maintained Busoshoku Haki on his head after he fainted;[14] and when Luffy released a burst of Haoshoku Haki after being knocked unconscious by Kaido.[15]

Despite its great capabilities, Haki is not limitless as it can be depleted from overuse, rendering the user unable to use it for a set period while it regenerates.[16][17][18]

Types of Haki

Haki is separated into three categories, or "types" (, shoku?). The three types of Haki are:

  • Kenbunshoku Haki, which grants users a sixth sense of the world around them and limited precognitive abilities.[3] Users of this Haki can sense people's presence, strength, emotions, and intentions.
  • Busoshoku Haki, which allows the user to use their own spiritual energy as armor to defend against attacks, as well as make their own attacks more potent.[3] A person can apply the armament to a section of their body, over their entire body, and even apply it to their weapons.[21][3]
    • An advanced level of Busoshoku allows the user to emit the armament a short distance without a medium.[22]
      • A higher grade of advanced Busoshoku allows the user to make the emitted armament flow into a target's body and destroy it from the inside out.
  • Haoshoku Haki, which grants the user the ability to overpower the will of others.[3] This results in the victims being knocked unconscious or becoming temporarily subservient of the Haki user. Haoshoku is a rare form of Haki that only one in several million people are born with the ability to use.

Most people who can use Haki tend to have one type that they are better at, and, as a result, focus on training and fighting with that type primarily. However, a person can improve their abilities with all the types of Haki, it just requires more work.[3]

Each type of Haki has levels of usage, so even two proficient users might not be of equal strength. Furthermore, it is possible to use at least two types of Haki simultaneously.[23]

Haki Users

See also the associated category: Haki Users.

It was mentioned that all Marines with the rank of vice admiral and above, are capable of using Haki.[24] So far the characters who have clearly shown the use of Haki or have been stated to be able to use it are:



Anime and Manga Differences

  • In the manga, those hit with Haoshoku Haki foam at the mouth after or while losing consciousness, whereas, in the anime, they simply faint.
  • In the anime, the use of Haoshoku and Busoshoku Haki creates a rippling or shockwave-like effect, similar to the Gura Gura no Mi, while in the manga, it is completely invisible. Also, in recent episodes, the use of Haoshoku Haki causes the affected area, excluding the user, to gain a dark blue tint. However, this could just be for dramatic effect. In the One Piece Film: Z, the Haoshoku Haki's use creates a circular purple wave.
  • In the anime, some Haki users are shown surrounded by different color auras, (such as red for Luffy, purple for Doflamingo or pink for Big Mom) even if they are not using Haki at that moment.

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", "spirit", "vigor" and "aspiration" to name a few. The term itself, however, literally translates to "Supreme Qi".
  • In the simulcast episodes by FUNimation, the subs provided have chosen to use the term "Haki".
  • Regarding the video games of One Piece: One Piece: Unlimited Adventure and One Piece: Unlimited Cruise, which was localized by Namco-Bandai, "Haki" was translated as "Ambition". But beginning with One Piece: Pirate Warriors, also localized by Namco-Bandai, it was left as "Haki". 

Trivia

  • Haki appears to be similar in principle to common types of Qi (Chi) found in various other anime and manga series; which is based on the concept of "qi" (or "life-force") in Chinese philosophy.
    • Coincidentally, the kanji for the "ki" in Haki is the same as the same character/hanzi used for qi/chi (気). By this proxy, the pinyin reading of Haki would be Baqi ("bah-chee").
  • Not only is it a Japanese term but Haki was also the name of a Scandinavian Sea-King (a name given to powerful pirates) in Norse mythology.
  • In the anime, some animals seem to be able to learn to competently use Haki (particularly Busoshoku Haki). This has so far happened twice:

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 1 Chapter 1 (p. 42) and Episode 4, Lord of the Coast flees from Shanks.
  2. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 53 Chapter 519 (p. 18) and Episode 413, One of the Kuja tribe members notes Luffy used Haoshoku Haki while fighting Sandersonia and Marigold.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 61 Chapter 597 (p. 12-15) and Episode 516, Rayleigh explains Haki.
  4. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 25 Chapter 234 (p. 17-19) and Episode 151, Blackbeard is surprised at Luffy's bounty.
  5. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 45 Chapter 434 (p. 4-5) and Episode 316, Shanks knocks out various members of the Whitebeard Pirates.
  6. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 52 Chapter 503 (p. 18-19) and Episode 397, Silvers Rayleigh knocks out a large group of people in the Human Auction House.
  7. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 59 Chapter 579 (p. 7) and Episode 488, Koby is hearing the voices of the dying people
  8. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 29 Chapter 265 (p. 3) and Episode 174, Aisa reveals she was born with Mantra, a name given to Kenbunshoku Haki.
  9. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 63 Chapter 621 (p. 10) and Episode 540, Otohime is revealed by Minister of the Right to have Kenbunshoku Haki from birth.
  10. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 61 Chapter 597 (p. 18) and Episode 516, Rayleigh states how hard it is to master Haki.
  11. One Piece Manga — Vol. 88 Chapter 886 (p. 19), Luffy recalls Rayleigh telling him how Haki increases
  12. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 68 Chapter 672 (p. 10) and Episode 598, Sanji is capable of using Haki in Nami's body despite the latter being unable to use it.
  13. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 57 Chapter 552 (p. 11) and Episode 461, Whitebeard uses Kenbunshoku Haki while sleeping.
  14. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 72 Chapter 719 (p. 17) and Episode 649, Chinjao uses Busoshoku Haki unconsciously.
  15. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 92 Chapter 924 (p. 4) and Episode 915, Luffy uses Haoshoku Haki against some Beasts Pirates unconsciously.
  16. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 78 Chapter 785 (p. 3) and Episode 727, Law notes that Luffy's Gear Fourth technique is overusing his Haki
  17. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 79 Chapter 786 (p. 7) and Episode 728, Luffy lost his Haki after using Boundman and had to wait ten minutes for it to regenerate
  18. One Piece Manga — Vol. 88 Chapter 886 (p. 18), Luffy mentions that Katakuri's Kenbunshou Haki can be depleted if their fight drags out long enough
  19. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 86 Chapter 860 (p. 14) and Episode 830, Bege comment about Katakuri's ability.
  20. One Piece Manga — Vol. 93 Chapter 939 (p. 11-13).
  21. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 78 Chapter 779 (p. 3) and Episode 720, Zoro remembers his training with Mihawk.
  22. One Piece Manga — Vol. 93 Chapter 937 (p. 4), Luffy thinks about Rayleigh's level of Haki.
  23. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 72 Chapter 716 (p. 16-19) and Episode 646, Luffy and Don Chinjao use both Busoshoku and Haoshoku Haki simultaneously.
  24. One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 60 Chapter 594 (p. 7) and Episode 511, Dr. Fishbonen states Haki is a power all vice admirals use.

External Links

  • Qi – Wikipedia article on the principle that Haki and other similar principles are derived from.
  • Battle Aura - TV tropes wiki article on the Battle Aura trope.
  • Ki Attacks - TV tropes wiki article on the Ki Attacks trope.
  • Ki - Dragon Ball Wiki article about Ki which Haki resembles in principle.

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