The Yami Yami no Mi is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to create, control, and transform into darkness at will, making the user a Darkness Human (闇人間,Yami Ningen?).[3] It was eaten by Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, who stole it from Commander Thatch of the Whitebeard Pirates' 4th division after murdering him.
This fruit is considered "unique" even for a Logia-type,[1] and the ability it grants is said to be the "most evil".[3]
In the VIZ manga and Funimation adaptations, it is called the Dark-Dark Fruit.
Appearance
The Yami Yami no Mi is a large, round, light purple fruit made up of many small teardrop-shaped components with swirl patterns, and green leaves sprouting from the top. Its overall shape and appearance closely resembles a pineapple or a bunch of oversized and teardrop-shaped grapes.[1] It mildly resembles the Mera Mera no Mi.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
“
Darkness is gravity! It swallows everything around it... even light itself can't escape!... Its power is infinite!
”
— Marshall D. Teach
The Yami Yami no Mi in use by Blackbeard.
The first and foremost strength, as demonstrated by Blackbeard, is that it allows the user to control darkness and its unique property of gravity. The darkness is visually demonstrated by a black smoke-like substance spreading out from the user's body. The darkness is a void that devours and crushes everything. Due to this, the user can absorb physical matter and attacks of any type by sucking it into the darkness. The user can also use this ability to irresistibly pull the opponent to them, regardless of their current state.
Similar to a black hole, the user can absorb things inside a vortex. It seems that it does not completely compress and annihilate that which is sucked in as an actual black hole would do, but rather creates some form of space where things are stored. Blackbeard was able to suck an entire town into himself, and when he eventually regurgitated, everything that was expelled was reduced to scraps but not completely destroyed. Living beings who are absorbed seem to be able to survive being absorbed and expelled, but become heavily wounded and left in shock by the experience.[4]
Teach using his Devil Fruit powers to nullify Ace's own Devil Fruit powers.
In addition to the previous abilities, this fruit somehow has one unique and frightening ability that separates it from all other Devil Fruits: the ability to absorb and completely nullify the powers of other Devil Fruit users by simply touching them. All types, be it Paramecia, Zoan, or Logia, are affected by this, though Logias are the most affected as they can no longer become intangible by transforming into their respective element. Unlike seawater and seastone being only able to prevent Devil Fruit users from properly controlling their powers, and Busoshoku Haki users being only able to bypass the defensive aspects such as a Logia's intangibility, the Yami Yami no Mi's nullification of Devil Fruit abilities seems to be truly absolute, as if the Devil Fruit users had never gained their powers in the first place. This was shown when Luffy's stretching powers were completely canceled on touch, allowing Blackbeard to injure the rubber-man simply by throwing him into the ground,[5] while it was shown earlier when Luffy was stuck underwater that his neck could still be stretched above the water's surface,[6] and that Busoshoku Haki can allow blunt attacks such as Garp's punches and a flick from Rayleigh's finger to cause him pain despite still being rubber. This essentially makes the user a natural enemy to all other Devil Fruit users.
With all of the above, this makes the Yami Yami no Mi one of the most powerful and dangerous Devil Fruits of all.
Weaknesses
The major strength of this particular fruit, the darkness that the user turns into which swallows up everything, is also its major weakness. Since the darkness also absorbs attacks, the user of the fruit is still vulnerable in battle, which does not pass through the darkness they turn into. If they fail to absorb an attack in time, the user can be hurt like any other normal human being or even more, as stated by Teach.[7] Unlike other Logia fruits, the Yami Yami no Mi does not seem to give Blackbeard access to an elemental state where he can disperse, reform, or regenerate his body.
While the fruit's ability to nullify Devil Fruit abilities is very powerful, it does not seem to be perfect. The user must actually touch and remain in contact with the victim for the effects to remain constant, meaning that if the victim is somehow separated from the user's physical touch, they will quickly regain their Devil Fruit abilities. However, it seems this power can be overcome in certain situations. It appears as if the Devil Fruit nullification aspect of the fruit requires the conscious activation of the user, as seen when Whitebeard managed to activate his powers despite having his hand wrapped around Blackbeard's neck, with the latter noticeably being too panic-stricken at the time after receiving a slash wound from the Emperor earlier.[8] It is also possible that Blackbeard is required to touch the other user with his hands, and his hands only, in order to nullify their abilities (as with the case of other hand activated Devil Fruits). However, it seems that touching bare skin is not required, as Blackbeard was capable of nullifying Luffy's powers at Impel Down by touching his clothes, overall suggesting that his hand must be touching the person or material on the person for it to work. This seems to be a non-issue, considering the aforementioned attraction ability due to his powers, if the opponent is strong enough to break his grip without the aid of their Devil Fruit, they will regain their respective Devil Fruit powers.
Other than that, the user is also affected by the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses.
Usage
The fruit's bestowed powers, as used by Teach, have been used so far for mostly combat purposes. With it, he was able to defeat Ace, his former commander, in battle, despite Ace possessing the extremely powerful Mera Mera no Mi.[9]
Blackbeard has two main methods of usage of this fruit's power. The first is to spread his darkness throughout the ground, entrapping his targets and everything else within the vicinity, and then absorb them into the darkness, with extreme crushing force, and finally regurgitating the remaining debris with equal force. The second is the focus of the Devil Fruit nullification aspect, to which he combines with the gravity's attraction force, pulling in his long-ranged targets into his grasp and then punching them with his immense strength. And while Blackbeard is forced to deal with even more damage than usual due to the fruit's drawback, his sheer durability and tolerance for pain seem to make up for it.
Blackbeard, wielding the powers of both the Yami Yami no Mi and the Gura Gura no Mi.
When Blackbeard took the Gura Gura no Mi from Whitebeard's corpse via an unknown method, he claimed that, with the power of darkness that "reduces anything to nothingness" combined with the power of quakes which "brings destruction to all", he was truly invincible and the strongest.[10] It is currently unknown if this was achieved through the Yami Yami no Mi or through other means.
Techniques
Blackbeard using Black Hole on a group of Marines.
Black Hole (闇穴道,Burakku Hōru?, literally meaning "Dark Hole Path"): Blackbeard spreads his darkness over a large area and, much like an actual black hole, swallows up anything he chooses. When swallowed, the person or object is subjected to a large amount of gravity and crushed, such as an entire village on Banaro Island. This technique was first seen as it was demonstrated in front of Ace.[11] When the kanji of this technique is read as "Anketsudō", it refers to a road taken by a Chinese ajari Buddhist monk when he incurred the wrath of Emperor Gensō (685-762).
Liberation (解放,Ribereishon?): Used following Black Hole, Blackbeard expels all of the destroyed remains of what his darkness had swallowed up at once. This is especially good at demonstrating his power. This was first seen being demonstrated before Ace.[12] In the anime, Teach foreshadowed that this attack can possibly be used to launch cannonballs and swords like projectiles. In One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, this technique's name is localized as "Revelation".
Kurouzu.
Kurouzu (闇水,Kurōzu?, literally meaning "Dark Water"; phonetically read as "Black Spiral"): Extending one arm towards his opponent, Blackbeard activates the gravity power of his darkness to pull them into his grasp. Blackbeard can then attack them with his massive strength. This move is particularly useful when used in conjunction with the fruit's power-nullifying abilities, since the target could easily avoid it by fighting at a distance from Blackbeard, as Ace attempted. This was first seen being used on Ace in order to grab him.[13] However, this technique has also proven to be a great weakness, as most opponents he draws near him have attacked him while at close range, such as Ace launching two fiery spears into Blackbeard's chest, or Whitebeard slamming his bisento into Blackbeard's shoulder.[14][15] This is called Black Vortex in the VIZ manga and Funimation dub, and simply Vortex in the Funimation subs. The name of the attack is also a pun on the English word "close", and it can also mean "black vinegar", a vinegar commonly used in Chinese cooking.
Yami ni Shine (闇に死ね,Yami ni shine?, literally meaning "Die in the Dark"): Blackbeard throws a big ball of darkness at the opponent, dealing massive knockback. It was first time seen used against Ace's Dai Enkai Entei. This attack was named in Jump Force.
Non-Canon Techniques
Video Game Techniques
Black World (ブラック･ワールド,Burakku Wārudo?): Blackbeard covers the area surrounding his opponent in darkness, blocking their vision. This attack was shown and named in One Piece: Pirate Warriors.
Yamiagari (闇開,Yamiagari?, literally meaning "Dark Opening"): Similar to a combination of Black Hole and Liberation, Blackbeard draws surrounding enemies into a pool of darkness in front of him before ejecting them, causing heavy damage in the process. The attack first appeared in Pirate Warriors 2 and is also in Pirate Warriors 3. In the game's English release, the technique is called Black Opening.[16]
Dark Matter (闇黒星,Dāku Matā?, literally meaning "Dark Star"): Blackbeard creates a big ball of darkness and throws it at his opponent, forcing the target apart dealing massive knockback. This attack was shown and named in Pirate Warriors 2 and is also in Pirate Warriors 3. This attack is very similar to the unnamed one Teach used against Ace's Entei at the end of their battle. In the game's English release, the technique is called Pitch Black Star.[16]
Black Road (ブラック･ロード,Burakku Rōdo?): An attack similar to Black Hole, Blackbeard creates a pool of darkness on the ground. However, the size of the pool is smaller than Black Hole and can be moved around to target specific enemies. This attack was shown and named in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4.
History
Past
Teach setting his eyes on the Yami Yami no Mi.
Years ago, Blackbeard read about the Yami Yami no Mi in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, and hunted for it. He joined the Whitebeard Pirates as he believed his chances of finding the fruit would greatly increase alongside such an infamous crew.
One day, Thatch, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' fourth division, found a Devil Fruit. Recognizing it as the Yami Yami no Mi, the very reason he joined the Whitebeard Pirates for, Blackbeard killed Thatch to get the fruit and fled.[1]
Trivia
This is the first Logia-type Devil Fruit that was seen before consumption.
The Numa Numa no Mi is very similar to this fruit, as both of them create a limitless space where things can be stored.
All other Logia are divided between two types of elements: matter, such as ice and sand, and energy, such as light and electricity. This fruit is the only one shown so far that does not fall into either category, as darkness is abstract.
In the Japanese version, Teach describes the fruit's power as "最も凶悪" that, apart from "most evil", it can be translated as the most "vicious", "dangerous", "heinous" or "deadly".
