Joy Boy remains one of the most mysterious and pivotal figures in One Piece. Known as a living legend from the Void Century and considered the “first pirate,” Eiichiro Oda has yet to officially reveal his appearance or backstory. Fans only know about him through brief flashbacks and scattered mentions throughout the story.
Still, recent chapters have steadily dropped clues suggesting Joy Boy’s power may far surpass that of Monkey D. Luffy, even though both are linked to the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika Devil Fruit.
Here are three of the most compelling pieces of evidence.
1. Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki was strong enough to overwhelm the Five Elders
One of Joy Boy’s most impressive displays came during the Egghead arc.
Before his death, Joy Boy sealed his Conqueror’s Haki inside the giant robot Emeth, allowing allies to unleash it when necessary. Centuries later, Emeth activated this Haki to help Luffy escape the pursuit of the Five Elders.
Remarkably, even the residual Haki from Joy Boy alone was powerful enough to break the monstrous forms of four attacking Elders. Three members summoned to Egghead via teleportation, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, Topman Warcury, and Shepherd Ju Peter, were pushed back to Mary Geoise, leaving only Saint Jaygarcia Saturn behind, who arrived by ship.
Meanwhile, Luffy has mastered high-level Conqueror’s Haki since the timeskip but has never produced such an overwhelming effect against the Five Elders.
His greatest feat was helping repel Marcus Mars, but that required combined efforts from Jewelry Bonney, Sanji, and Franky, not just pure Haki.
2. Imu trembled upon sensing Joy Boy’s Haki
Another detail that caught fans’ attention is Imu’s reaction.
Recent chapters reveal that Imu has faced legendary figures like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, Edward Newgate (Whitebeard), Big Mom, and Kaido. Despite enduring the combined might of these icons, Imu rarely showed fear.
Yet at Egghead, Imu trembled upon sensing the lingering Haki of Joy Boy.
This reaction has led many readers to believe Imu harbors a deep-seated fear of Joy Boy. If just a fraction of Joy Boy’s Haki preserved for centuries can terrify the world’s ruler, then his true power in the past must have been far more formidable.
3. Joy Boy’s mastery over Haki surpasses all current characters
Luffy has reached an advanced level of Conqueror’s Haki, able to coat his Gear 5 attacks to defeat Kaido, one of the strongest Four Emperors in history.
However, One Piece has hinted multiple times that Luffy’s Haki usage still has room to grow. In chapter 1152, Scopper Gaban advised Luffy to rethink how he uses Haki if he wants to become stronger.
In contrast, Joy Boy demonstrated a completely different level of control. He was able to seal his Conqueror’s Haki into the robot Emeth, preserving that power for centuries until it was unleashed.
This level of Haki mastery has yet to be shown by renowned figures like Shanks or Silvers Rayleigh.
But even Joy Boy faced defeat
While these details show Joy Boy’s superiority over Luffy at present, One Piece’s history confirms he was once defeated.
According to revelations, Joy Boy was defeated by an alliance of 20 kingdoms, which led to the formation of the World Government.
This could lay the groundwork for Luffy to surpass this legend in the future. To defeat Imu and conclude the Final Saga, Luffy will likely need to reach a power level beyond Joy Boy’s or at least combine his strength with his allies to achieve what his predecessor could not.
Therefore, Luffy’s journey is not just about carrying on Joy Boy’s will but also an opportunity to forge an even greater legend in One Piece history.