One Piece: Is Killingham a Fish-Man? Explored

In the currently unfolding One Piece storyline, chaos engulfs Elbaph as the Holy Knights—the World Government’s law enforcers—bring terror to the island to subjugate it. Among the villainous Holy Knights is Saint Rimoshifu Killingham, the wielder of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit Model: Qilin. Killingham and his comrades have turned their mission to subdue Elbaph and abduct the children of the Giants into a sadistic game.

Owing to his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, Killingham can partially or fully morph into a Qilin, a legendary guardian deity from Eastern folklore. This power grants him the surreal ability to put people to sleep from afar and materialize things from their dreams. As of One Piece chapter 1151, Saint Killingham has only appeared in a partial human-Qilin state that concealed his face.

The latest One Piece chapter finally disclosed Killingham’s human features, a revelation that sparked debate among fans. His somatic traits resemble those of a Fish-Man, which may suggest that Killingham is a member of the famous aquatic race. This would be a staggering twist, given Killingham’s status as a Celestial Dragon and Holy Knight, especially considering the World Government’s well-known disdain for Fish-Men.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1151.

Saint Killingham might be the first Fish-Man Celestial Dragon ever seen in One Piece

One Piece chapter 1151 unveiled Killingham’s face

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Summoned to Elbaph through a sinister magic circle, like the other Holy Knights, Saint Killingham burst onto the scene with his Devil Fruit transformation already active. He appeared as a dragon-like humanoid with equine characteristics, such as a long, sinuous serpentine neck—vaguely resembling a seahorse’s—and a horse-like head adorned with antlers and huge whiskers.

Killingham exuded style in his fancy uniform, consisting of fine gloves, polished boots, a cape with epaulets, and a high-collared trench coat enriched by a cravat. Unlike the other Holy Knights, he had his head encased in a transparent bubble, akin to the ones typically used by non-fighting Celestial Dragons to avoid breathing the same air as others.

Alongside his colleagues Gunko and Sommers, Killingham unleashed his Devil Fruit abilities to torment the inhabitants of Elbaph and kidnap the children Giants. In particular, he used his Dragon-Dragon Fruit Model: Qilin—a Devil Fruit with truly mesmerizing powers—to turn the children’s nightmares into reality, conjuring colossal, terrifying monsters that ravaged the surroundings.

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While earlier One Piece chapters showcased glimpses of Killingham’s Devil Fruit, hinting at its awe-inspiring potential, his face remained a mystery. Chapter 1151 lifted the veil by showing Saint Killingham in his hybrid Qilin-human transformation, enabling fans to finally see his face.

In this form, Killingham resembles a centaur, having the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse, vaguely resembling Saint V. Nusjuro of the Five Elders in his formidable Bakotsu transformation. Killingham’s human half reflects a young adult, boasting dark hair and a lean, athletic torso.

Some distinctive features—such as pronounced eyelashes and sharp, pointed teeth—give him an eerie yet captivating elegance, almost an otherworldly charm that makes his presence enigmatic. That said, Killingham’s teeth and eyelashes are strikingly similar to those of Fish-Men and Mermaids seen in One Piece, like Dellinger, Jack, and Charlotte Praline.

He also has sharp, pointed teeth and pronounced eyelashes. Interestingly, Killingham also seems to have gills on his body. These traits add fuel to a bold theory: this Holy Knight may have origins as a Fish-Man.

A Fish-Man Celestial Dragon would be unprecedented in One Piece

Some Fish-Men and half-Fish-Men in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Another subtle clue to Killingham’s possible Fish-Man lineage is the bubble encasing his head—a trait not seen in the other Holy Knights. In addition to the bubble, he dons a breathing device over the snout of his Qilin-like head. If Killingham is indeed a Fish-Man, the bubble might be filled with water to enhance his innate abilities, like water manipulation—an advantage that becomes a liability as he couldn’t swim due to being a Devil Fruit user.

Killingham wields a trident, a weapon frequently associated with Fish-Men. The royals of Fish-Man Island’s Ryugu Kingdom—including Hody Jones, King Neptune, and Prince Fukaboshi—use tridents as their weapons of choice. A young Jinbe also wielded a trident in his days as a soldier for the kingdom.

In One Piece, Fish-Men are a race of humanoids equipped with lungs and gills, allowing them to thrive underwater like aquatic creatures. They can also manipulate surrounding water to perform powerful techniques. Each Fish-Man’s appearance varies based on the fish species they resemble. When fighting underwater, they gain an insane boost to their combat prowess.

In One Piece, tridents are often associated with Fish-Men (Image via Shueisha)

For Saint Killingham, a revered Celestial Dragon and Holy Knight, to be revealed as a Fish-Man would be jaw-dropping. The World Government has long oppressed and discriminated against this race, with Celestial Dragons enslaving Fish-Men or kidnapping Mermaids to force them into unwanted marriages.

In his official introduction, Killingham was given the prestigious “Saint” title and a full name as a member of the Rimoshifu Family. Based on this, there should be no doubt that Saint Rimoshifu Killingham was born as a Celestial Dragon. These nobles are the descendants of the royal households that established the World Government.

It’s possible that one of these households consisted of Fish-Men—perhaps the original rulers of Ryugu Kingdom. Like the other founding families, they abandoned their homeland to reside in Mary Geoise. Killingham would now stand as the heir of that household. The deep-seated racism among most Celestial Dragons may explain why Killingham is mostly seen in his Zoan transformation, as if to conceal his Fish-Man traits from the disdain of his peers.

Killingham is an official Celestial Dragon (Image via Shueisha)

Under exceptional circumstances—such as York’s utility with the Mother Flame or Loki’s immense power—a “commoner” may ascend to Celestial Dragon status. Yet, the World Government’s prejudice against Fish-Men makes it difficult to imagine a member of this race achieving this.

There’s also the possibility that Killingham was born to a mermaid coerced into union with a member of the Rimoshifu family. For some reason, the family accepted the child, granting him the Rimoshifu name and the title of Celestial Dragon.

Alternatively, Killingham’s Celestial Dragon status as a Fish-Man may stem from an alliance forged two hundred years before the present narration, when the World Government decided to secure ties with Fish-Man Island. As part of the pact, Fish-Man Island agreed to send some of its people to serve as soldiers for Mary Geoise—much like when the ruler of Vodka Kingdom sold a young Kaido to the Marines in return for a seat among the World Government’s allied nations.

Killingham promises to be an intriguing character

Killingham in his initial transformation (Image via Shueisha)

In any case, Killingham promises to be an interesting character in One Piece. The latest chapter also showed him wielding a black horn—this sinister tool evokes parallels with the shofar, an ancient biblical instrument, or the horn of Heimdall, a legendary figure from Norse folklore. In both cases, the horn marks Killingham as a harbinger of war, foreshadowing his role in major upheavals.

Killingham stands as a genuine threat, his Devil Fruit allowing him to turn other people’s dreams and traumas into tangible weapons. This haunting power disorients his enemies and may be just the tip of his capabilities.

His initial Zoan transformation painted him as calm and quiet, even portraying him as a funny character with clumsy behavior and narcoleptic tendencies. When Killingham entered his hybrid form in chapter 1151, however, he suddenly became more aggressive and malicious.

It’s as if his early transformation mitigated his malevolence, thanks to the gentle nature of the Qilin that was predominant at the time, while the hybrid form—rooted more in his inherent human nature—unleashed his true, darker personality.

Bartolomeo, Katakuri, Magellan, and Moria have pointy teeth, yet aren't Fish-Men (Image via Toei Animation)

This may also explain the ribbon of white smoke and flames surrounding Killingham’s body, in contrast to the dark smoke and flames that have characterized the “evil” Awakened Zoan users associated with the World Government so far, such as Kaku, Rob Lucci, and the Five Elders. This unique trait is likely due to the mystical properties of the Qilin.

Knowing the Celestial Dragons and their racism, they would likely never want to have a child with someone from a race they deem inferior. In general, they would never allow a member of such a race—or their offspring—to join their ranks. So perhaps Killingham’s sharp teeth are just a stylistic choice with no particular reason behind it.

After all, several One Piece characters like Bartolomeo, Charlotte Katakuri, Magellan, and Gecko Moria also have pointed teeth, yet they aren’t Fish-Men. However, the bubble, the trident, and—above all—the alleged gills still remain as potential cues to Killingham’s shocking Fish-Man lineage. Only the forthcoming One Piece chapters will solve the enigma.

One Piece: Is Killingham a Fish-Man? Explored

Saint Killingham might be the first Fish-Man Celestial Dragon ever seen in One Piece

One Piece chapter 1151 unveiled Killingham’s face

A Fish-Man Celestial Dragon would be unprecedented in One Piece

Killingham promises to be an intriguing character

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