A few months ago, I made a topic in which I discussed the theory that as an Eastern Style Dragon, Kaido’s inability to be killed is in part derived from incredibly good fortunate, afforded to him by his mythical zoan fruit. I’d like to revisit that theory now that Kaido’s devil fruit has been officially confirmed in chapter 999.
Although Kaido has proven to be incredibly powerful, we have also seen him nearly defeated by Kozuki Oden and wounded by the Nine Scabbards. Although the text box which appears in the final panel of chapter 795 describes Kaido as the ‘strongest creature alive,’ his introduction also makes it clear that he is not unbeatable. I believe Oda has thus set up an intentional misdirect
Kaido has suffered defeat as a pirate seven times. He has been captured by Marines or enemy ships 18 times. He has been tortured and lived as a prisoner. He was sentenced to death forty times. When he was hanged, the rope snapped. When he was put under the guillotine, the blade cracked. His hobby has been attempting suicide. Kaido is not undefeatable, but he is unkillable. And I think there is a very clear and important distinction between the two.
We finally got a clue as to why Kaido can’t be killed in chapter 970. Oden is about to deliver a finishing blow when Higarushi, without Kaido’s knowledge or authority, imitates Momonosuke, thus diverting Oden’s attention. Pure, dumb luck saves Kaido from what would seem to be certain death.
In East Asian folklore, Chinese style dragons (like Kaido) may often represent good fortune. Accordingly, I believe his power bestows upon him incredible good fortune in battle. If there is a remote chance, diving from a sky island, that one can collide with the Earth and survive, that a rope will snap or a guillotine will crack in an attempted execution, the odds are always in Kaido’s favor.
In my original video, I posited that Kaido possesses a mythical Dragon Zoan fruit, but we learned in chapter 999 that Kaido in fact possesses a mythical Fish fruit – and though this initially came as a shock, it also makes perfect sense.
Of course the hints were there all along for readers more well versed in the Japanese language as well as Japanese folklore and mythology. There is a Japanese folktale of a Koi or a Carp which swims upstream and against all odds passes through the Dragon Gate, and is thus rewarded by the gods for its perseverance by transforming into a Dragon.
When the Straw Hat Pirates first arrive on Wano, they are greeted by a school of giant Koi fish swimming up the waterfalls surrounding the island and Kaido’s mustache in both human and dragon form closely matches the facial structure of a koi.
Uo Uo, the name of Kaido’s fruit is also contained in the Japanese characters for his distinctive laugh pattern Worororo.
I didn’t catch the fish connection, but I believe this revelation only further reinforces the notion that the good fortune factor is in part responsible for Kaido’s inability to be killed. Kaido, specifically, is themed on an Eastern style Dragon as is, seemingly, Momonosuke.
Like eastern style dragons, Koi Fish are similarly associated with good luck or good fortune in Japanese folklore. Kaido’s power is derived not from an ordinary fish fruit, but a legendary or mythical model.
We actually have good reason to believe that Mythical Zoan are not simple transformation powers like regular Zoan fruit. Marco’s phoenix flames have a healing, restorative property, matching the fabled powers of a phoenix in real world myths and folklore. The Kitsune fruit possessed by Catalina Devon similarly affords her the ability to transform. Though his powers have yet to be explained in full, Kurozumi Orochi possesses a mythical zoan which is seemingly based on the tale of the Yamata no Orocihi.
It thus would make sense for a mythical Fish, turned Dragon fruit to grant its users additional powers which correlate to real world folklore. Kaido possesses the ability to fly using flame clouds and the nature of his transformation is seemingly based on the folktale by which his powers were inspired and his character arc seems rooted in the symbolism associated with koi turned dragons.
Kaido was described as a rookie during his time with the legendary Rocks Pirates. We learned in 999 that Big Mom gave Kaido his mythical Fish fruit on the day Rocks collapsed following the incident on God Valley. Koi are not only associated with good luck, but are also a symbol of strength and perseverance, the traits for which the fish turned dragon was rewarded in the story of the dragon gate.
These qualities may certainly be attributed to Kaido whose character arc seems to be centered on achieving the pinnacle of strength. We gained insight into his motivation through his recent battle with the Nine Scabbards. We have known for some time that Kaido’s intent is to start a global war, but his motivating desire remained unclear. Kaido tells the scabbards that a brilliant death is the mark of a great warrior, a completion of their life or their journey.
During his introduction, Kaido admired the brilliant manner in which Whitebeard exited this mortal plane. Yet Kaido has proven himself time and again incapable of achieving that which he most desires – a brilliant warrior’s death.
His crew is named the Beast or Animal Kingdom Pirates and his subordinates are all powered by zoan fruit – his commanders, the Tobi Roppo and the Calamaties are specifically based on ancient model zoan fruit – creatures long extinct in the real world. This would seem to be an intentional allusion to the natural world where survival of the fittest holds sway.
Kaido started from the bottom on Rocks (I guess you could call it Rocks Bottom) and worked his way to the top of the food chain as one of the most powerful pirates in the world of One Piece – the strongest creature alive. His narrative and thematic arc seems centered on the principle of strength and perseverance, beginning as a small koi fish, but persevering, climbing the waterfall, and against all odds emerging as a dragon, the most powerful creature to have ever lived in the world of One Piece. Kaido has walked the warrior’s path and now all that remains, all that he hopes to achieve is a brilliant death to complete his journey to the top.
In designing Kaido’s mythical zoan powers, Oda is clearly drawing not only on the fabled powers of a dragon, but also the symbolism associated with dragons in real world Japanese folklore. As we have established, Kaido’s narrative arc, his motivating desire are certainly rooted in the symbols of strength and perseverance.
When Big Mom first pitched teaming up to Kaido, she said he owes her a lifelong debt. As we have recently learned, this debt was incurred when Big Mom gifted Kaido his devil fruit on God Valley. She says Kaido owes her a lifelong debt, which likely implies that his possessing the Fish Fruit is somehow responsible for his survival.
And this is where good fortune provides an ironic twist.
As I said, I believe Kaido’s dragon form affords him good fortune and is in part responsible for his winning streak, yet his inability to be killed has also deprived him of that which he desires – a glorious warrior’s death. And so, Big Mom granted Kaido both his greatest gift and his greatest curse. In 999,
His devil fruit has allowed Kaido to become a great warrior, evolving from koi to dragon as he fought his way to the top – and to be clear, I do believe Kaido is incredibly powerful. Now that he has reached the apex of strength, Kaido wants to exit the stage in brilliant fashion, but fails to do so time and again because of the good luck or good fortune afforded to him by the same devil fruit power which made him such a powerful warrior.
Interestingly, I think we were given a hint by Oda during Kaido’s introduction that this is the case. The narration box reads, ‘In a one on one fight, always bet on Kaido.’ The Beast Pirates and the upper echelon of the subsidiary Donquixote Family have names themed after card games or, in other words, games of chance.
Basil Hawkins agrees to join Kaido when his tarot card reading shows the odds are overwhelmingly in Kaido’s favor.
Koi Koi is a Japanese game played with Hanafuda cards. The phrase koi-koi translates to ‘come-come’ in Japanese, signaling a player’s intent to continue the hand – perhaps referenced in the opening of this story saga when Fujitora says he keeps placing the same bet on Luffy. I’m going off of the Wikipedia page for Koi-Koi here, so forgive me if there are any inaccuracies here – I’m not familiar with the game beyond the film Summer Wars in which it featured prominently.
It’s worth noting that Momonosuke has a ‘special’ artificial Zoan which seems to be very similar to that of Kaido’s. If, in addition to its transformative power, the artificial zoan fruit imbues Momo with the same good fortune that has kept Kaido alive for all these years, Momo could be the key to finally ending Kaido’s winning streak.
To lend a bit more weight to this theory, there may be evidence that Momo has also been imbued with good fortune. The Scabbards arrive on the scene at the exact moment Momo is to be executed by Kaido, thus sparing his life. Kaido’s introduction into the story is accompanied with narration boxes describing forty failed attempts at capital punishment. Thus, Momo’s survival may parallel Kaido’s providing further evidence that Wano’s future Shogun may be the true key to its liberation.
The story saga began on Dressrosa with Fujitora placing a bet on Luffy – and perhaps with Momo’s good fortune on his side, the House will finally lose as the curtains close on Wano.