As an aging anime fan, I’ve realized that Shonen has become a bit of a mixed bag. As you grow more experienced with a certain franchise or story, there is just so much more information being unveiled regarding new superpowers or ability lore that it gets overwhelming. And with something as long-running as One Piece, the number of new abilities being revealed with little to no backstory is an issue. For example, the case of the Conqueror’s Haki and why no Marine has obtained it. Or have they?
Welcome to Lore Analysis, a section where we explore the setting of various manga and anime and try to explain the more obscure factoids a fan might miss out on. I am not the most observant weeb, tending to forget information or secrets being revealed pretty easily. And I know I’m not alone in this so here we are!
One Piece is one of the most well-known media franchises in the world. With a runtime of over 2.5 decades, it’s no wonder a lot of fans might feel out of depth when it comes to remembering all the history so far. The sheer scope of the story that Eiichiro Oda, the mangaka, has unveiled to us is grand beyond compare. And he loves to surprise us, as observed recently when it was revealed that the Marines might not be excluded from being Conqueror Haki users after all, as evidenced by a certain Admiral.
But who are the Marines? What even is a Haki? Why is it so exclusive? And why is Oda-san only revealing all of this now? These are questions that I might be able to answer. So, let’s dive in!
Meet The Illustrious Marines!
After the World Government took over the world, they established the Marines – a sea-faring military corps whose main goal was law enforcement in the lawless ocean expanse.
They were made to oversee matters in both international security and tactical operations. And, of course, that includes the monitoring and elimination of any pirate troupes or uprising that could threaten the security and sanctity of the global regime.
However, just because the cause that started them out was noble, didn’t mean it would remain so forever. The Marines are a highly corrupt organization, practically the main antagonists of many arcs in the ongoing story. And while there is an official requirement to join the military, pirates are strictly not allowed unless they’ve been through a trial and pardoned.
All officers are skilled in combat, and some can even utilize the mystical Devil Fruit powers. Though most of them rely on either physical fighting or using their inherent Haki powers. But the latter is usually reserved for high-ranking admirals.
Haki: Harnessing The Power Of Kings
Contrary to popular belief, the Devil Fruit is not the only thing that you can use to obtain supernatural abilities. Sure, it might be the main source of power for many important characters including Monkey D. Luffy with the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit. But for some, harnessing Haki suffices.
The best way to describe Haki is to imagine it being adjacent to Chakra. It is an individual’s spiritual energy that can be manifested into different types of acute abilities. But while it lies dormant in all living things, it is only awakened by some rare few. Haki itself can be divided into three main types.
First is Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki). This Haki can grant users a sort of premonition and foresight. Their observational skills are heightened, being hypersensitive to those around them. Some are so attuned to this ability; they can even predict the future.
Second is Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki). Think of this Haki being able to grant you the ability to become a human shield. A layer of power that can even be stretched to a certain distance.
The third is arguably the rarest type, Conqueror’s Haki (Haoshoku Haki). Very few can harness this type of Haki, which is being able to take over the willpower of others. Essentially, taking control of their opponents and then overwhelm them into giving up or fainting.
Do The Marines Have The Conqueror’s Haki Or Not?
They didn’t, until very recently. Haki is very rare in general, with the Conqueror’s Haki users being rumored to be one in several million. It’s simply unheard of to find anyone that has manifested any of them, so it’s not unlikely for the Marines to go about never recruiting someone with the ability. Which explains why we’ve never seen an officer with the Conqueror’s Haki before.
But recently Oda-san unveiled some new characters, including one Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral of the entire Marine force. And he is rumored to be the only known Marine that has the Conquerors Haki. Of course, there is still so much we don’t know about the Admirals so we will likely meet more as the World Government arc gets expanded on.
