Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of One Piece and the promised King of Pirates, is bound to have the coolest manga panels in the show. And if I were to list them all, it would be a long list, much like the Long Island on the Grand Line.
So instead, I’ll list the Luffy manga panels that show Luffy using every Gear for the first time.
Best Luffy Manga Panels – Gear 2 to 5
Gear 1 – Rubber Man Luffy
Since Luffy’s normal form is Gear 1, every Luffy manga panel is technically a Luffy Gear 1 manga panel, except for the ones where he powers up.
So, for Gear 1, I’m using Luffy and Ace standing side-by-side during the Marineford War. I’ll admit, it’s a pretty basic manga panel. But, considering what happens moments later, this a manga panel One Piece fans cherish.
2. Gear 2 – Jet Mode
Chapter 378 of the manga (episode 273) introduced us to Luffy’s Gear 2.
In Gear 2, Luffy speeds up his blood pressure which causes a massive surge in his power levels. But, this form is not sustainable because it increases his metabolism, and he starts feeling hungry and drained after prolonged use.
3. Gear 3 – Giant Mode
Luffy bites into his thumb, makes a small hole, and blows air into his bones to inflate his limbs. With those inflated limbs, Luffy becomes a giant- of sorts.
The catch is that it’s the bones that are inflating and getting bigger. So, he gains immense raw strength in Gear 3- enough to deal massive damage to a Marine Warship.
But it all comes at the cost of mobility.
4. Gear 4 – Boundman, Tankman, Snakeman
Boundman
Just like he inflates his bones in Gear 3, Luffy can also inflate his muscles. However, what makes Gear 4 Boundman stronger than Gear 3 is that Luffy covers his limbs with Busoshoku Haki, which further strengthens this form.
And the increase in his speed and strength was enough to defeat a Warlord of the Sea.
Tankman
The second form of Luffy’s Gear 4 was revealed during his fight with Charlotte Cracker. Seemingly from the images, all it does is inflate Luffy’s torso. But, in reality, the Tankman form enhances Luffy’s Busoshoku Haki effect, making it a lot more attack-resistant than the Boundman form.
Snakeman
Luffy’s third and final form in Gear 4 is called Snakeman. This was unlocked during Luffy’s fight with Charlotte Katakuri, and it’s one of his strongest power-ups.
In Gear 4 Snakeman, Luffy loses the inflated limbs and torso and gains speed, agility, and strength. While it adds to his attacking abilities, his defense gets weakened due to a decrease in Busoshoku Haki’s cover.
5. Gear 5 – Awakening
This is the first Luffy Gear 5 manga panel and shows Luffy’s peak- the so-called ‘Sun God’ form.
Luffy used Gear 5 during his final fight with Kaidou when he finally awakened the Gomu Gomu no Mi Devil Fruit. And as you would expect, the final form makes Luffy nearly invincible. He not only uses his rubbery attributes to the fullest, but with Gear 5, he can extend those attributes to his surroundings as well.
But fans were furious when Gear 5 debuted in a filler movie (One Piece Film: Red) instead of the anime series.
Those are the first Luffy manga panels for every Luffy Gear, along with how they appeared in the anime. Of course, the colored versions from the anime look much better, but Oda’s drawings are too cool to snub.
Related Read: 30 Best Manga Covers Of All Time
