One Piece: Is Luffy the reincarnation of Joy Boy, explained

One Piece episode 1071 is scheduled to release on August 6, and it is no secret that this episode will animate one of the most anticipated events of the Wano Arc and the One Piece manga as a whole. In the previous episode, fans witnessed Monkey D. Luffy undergoing a transformation with steam emitting from his body and his hair changing color. Fans have been waiting to see Luffy's Gear 5 for ages and finally it is here.

In the previous episode, fans also heard Zunesha talk about Joy Boy being at Wano and his drums of liberation being heard, which was juxtaposed with the sound of Luffy's own heartbeat. However, this does not mean that Luffy is the reincarnation of Joy Boy; instead, it is more accurate to say that he is the successor of the latter.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from One Piece.

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What is One Piece protagonist Luffy's relationship with the mysterious Joy Boy?

The preview for One Piece episode 1071, titled Luffy's Peak - Attained! Gear Five, shows Luffy's body undergoing a remarkable transformation. His hair turns white, smoke starts bouncing out from his body, and sparks fly as he bounces back on his feet with a huge grin on his face. This newfound power will put Kaido against an opponent who has unimaginable freedom.

Although there might be reasons to believe that Luffy might be Joy Boy, such as the former's entire appearance changing, it is important to clarify that it is not a case of reincarnation.

Joy Boy lived around 900 years ago, during the mysterious Void Century, and hence there is almost no information on him. This is because the World Government has gone to great lengths to erase nearly all historical records from that period and has strictly prohibited any research or investigation into it. In recent times, mentions of Joy Boy have appeared in both the anime and manga.

Very recently in the anime, the Five Elders revealed that Luffy's Devil Fruit, previously known as the Gomu Gomu no Mi, is actually named Hito Hito No Mi, Model: Nika, and it belongs to the mythical zoan devil fruit category.

It is likely that Joy Boy had also consumed the same Devil Fruit and awakened it 900 years ago. However, since the end of the Void Century, the Gorosei and Imu have sought this Mythical Zoan fruit. Unfortunately for them, it has continued to elude them and has not awakened once.

This implies that by awakening his Devil Fruit, Luffy is on his way to becoming someone like Joy Boy, a liberator of the world, though that destiny is yet to be fully realized. Zunesha, however, has already felt his presence.

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Final thoughts

In summary, there are currently no indications suggesting that Luffy is the reincarnation of Joy Boy. In fact, the concept of reincarnation, where one's soul is reborn into another body, is not present in the world of One Piece. Even Imu is an actual living individual who has lived for centuries and not someone's reincarnation.

In the world of One Piece, the closest idea to reincarnation is the passing on of the Will, but even that is fundamentally different from true reincarnation. With Luffy, fans are witnessing a form of inheritance rather than reincarnation.