‘One Piece’: Director Reveals Capoeira Inspiration for Luffy’s Gear 5th Form

It’s well-known that One Piece and its main character, Luffy, have strong influences from Brazil. However, the revelation that Capoeira played a role in Luffy’s new Gear 5th form surprised many fans.

Animation director Vincent Chansard, who worked on various episodes, openings, and specials of the One Piece franchise, shared that he drew inspiration from Capoeira for Luffy’s Gear 5th transformation, also known as the Fifth Gear.

Chansard took to Twitter to explain his thought process: “Over time, in the manga, Luffy feels like a pretty all-rounded MMA fighter with boxing at his core, using punches, kicks, some grabs, but not many open-hand techniques.” he wrote.

“With Gear 5, though, there’s a twist. I thought it would make sense to mix in a couple of other styles: Capoeira — because of its connection to Brazil (where Oda took inspiration from) and its ties to the idea of freedom. Plus, it gives Luffy that bouncy, aerial and grounded playful motion that fits Gear 5.”

Luffy’s connection to Brazil is something that many fans of One Piece might not fully realize, but it’s an important part of the character’s design and inspiration.

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has mentioned in interviews that Luffy’s personality and some of his traits are inspired by Brazilian culture. Now we have even more connections.

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