One Piecehas multiple great power systems, butDevil Fruitwill always be held with special regard, which puts it above thelikes of Haki. Eiichiro Oda’s concept allows him to incorporate virtually any type of ability he can think of, with the main limitation being that each Devil Fruit is unique and singular. Unless its user dies (or Black Beard gets greedy), a DF has to be directly tied to a single character and cannot be deployed elsewhere. Consequently, there have been times when a DF with great potential was largely wasted, either due to being owned by an idiot or because it was not utilized all that much by the story.
For the most part,One Piecetakes full advantage of each power, so there are very few instances when one truly feels underused. However, I do believe there are some Devil Fruits that could have achieved greatness, but they had to settle for mediocrity, irrelevance, or just one-use showcases.
6Nico Robin’s Hana Hana no Mi
As Robin’s Importance Declined, So Did Her Awesome Devil Fruit Moments
Let’s get started with probably the most controversial pick. Just to be clear, Nico Robin is one of my favoriteOne Piececharacters, and her presence is always welcome in pretty much any scenario. However, after the Water 7 saga, Robin developed a habit of slipping into the background, with her contributions typically not amounting to all that much. For roughly a decade of the manga’s run, Robin barely received any attention beyond just acting as a tertiary supporting character, and she pretty much never got into major fights that demonstrated her Devil Fruit’s overwhelming power.
To be fair, things have improved in the last few arcs, and Robin has a couple of fantastic moments in Wano Country and the Final Saga. Even then, her most impressive Devil Fruit development in recent years,the Demonio Fleur, came out of nowhere and was not particularly well-explained. She just kind of created a monster using her limbs, which was an admittedly cool sight. Whenever she gets to use her DF in creative ways, be it activating Hangasa or Gigantesco Mano, Robin demonstrates that she should be an absolute powerhouse who stands alongside Sanji and Zoro, if not necessarily Luffy. However, she rarely gets to do that.
5Buggy’s Bara Bara no Mi
The Curse Of A Comedy Character
Ah, Buggy, the most incompetentOne Piececharacter who keeps on accidentally succeeding. Buffooning his way into becoming one of the Four Emperors, Buggy is the definition of a comedy figure who is just not meant to be taken all that seriously. That’s not to say that he does not contribute to the story, as he is technically one of the more important characters, but he can never really be allowed to become a legitimate force. He is just not meant for that.
Due to Buggy’s role and personality, there is a low ceiling on the Bara Bara no Mi’s potential, which is a shame, as it could be one of the most versatile and powerful Devil Fruits if it were in the hands of somebody willing to put in the work to master it. Seriously, he is invulnerable to certain types of physical attacks, to the point that he is essentially invincible against things like swords. He can split his body and control his parts from a distance, granting him the possibility to be one of the most capable spies in this universe. Buggy can even basically fly, and he is pretty strong as well.
The fact that Buggy is a comedy character is not the issue, as that is perfectly fine and fitsOne Piece; however, he also has little imagination or creativity, so he tends to just do the same stuff with his Devil Fruit. Still, maybe,Buggy will one day become a god. He is on that trajectory, somehow.
4Kurozumi Orochi’s Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Yamata no Orochi
A Legendary Devil Fruit Wasted On An Awful, Awful Person
One Piecehas no shortage of superb villains who make expert use of their Devil Fruit. Orochi is not one of them. Wano Country’s Shogun is a contender for the most detestable character in the series, and that goes beyond justhis tyrannyand bloody history with the Kouzukis. He is just kind of designed to be infuriating and a prime example of somebody who mostly got to his position by piggybacking on other people, although he showed some tactical know-how in his younger days. He is obnoxious, lazy, greedy, and self-centered; he also has an incredible Devil Fruit that lets him transform into a legendary dragon (or snake). He can even create up to eight heads, each of which shows some degree of individuality.
In even average hands, Hebi Hebi no Mi would be one of the most dangerous Devil Fruits inOne Piece. However, Orochi falls well short of even that low standard, and he does nothing impressive with this god-like ability. Sure, he transforms a few times to scare some people, but that is pretty much the extent of his demonstrations.
3Foxy the Silver Fox’s Noro Noro no Mi
Time Manipulation In The Hands Of A Barely Relevant Character
Foxy is, basically, Buggy but without any real story importance. Even though some of his appearances are canon, his arcs tend to feel like filler that are mostly designed to provide some lighthearted silliness between heavier sagas. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and his crew’s antics are amusing. However,Foxy cannot be anything more than a minor nuisancefor the Straw Hats, and he feels less significant with every new appearance.
Foxy uses the Noro Noro no Mi well enough for a d-list villain who mostly wants to bother Luffy for an episode or two. He causes a few light scares (and laughs) and shows some slightly creative usage. However, considering he can slow down somebody for 30 seconds, leaving them completely vulnerable to attacks, he should be able to win nearly all encounters easily, especially if he catches them unaware. Ultimately, Foxy is a route-one user who has a Devil Fruit that could be incredible if it were used more ambitiously.
2Shu’s Sabi Sabi no Mi
Zoro’s Greatest Rival…Who Shows Up For Less Than 5 Minutes
Shu is not even really a character. He is just a plot device. During Enies Lobby, he has a single-panel encounter with Zoro, and his reason for existing is to destroy thelatter’s Yubashiri sword. Once that happens, Shu disappears immediately in the manga, but he gets a longer fight in the anime. Now, it is not unusual for the adaptation to stretch out a fight or add a bit more action to a scenario, but the anime usually avoids expanding on the Devil Fruit’s ability.
However, Shu is a pretty notable exception. The anime version can also rust people by just touching them, which he demonstrates on Zoro. This change transforms Shu from a situational Marine who is only useful against pirates with swords, to a walking grim reaper who could realistically kill most people with a long touch. Like, this OP version of the Rust-Rust Fruit would be perfect for an assassin.
1Alvida’s Sube Sube no Mi
A Brilliant Defensive Devil Fruit Reduced To A Weight Loss Shortcut
Alvida has been effectively Buggy’s sidekick for most ofOne Piece’s run, and she has done surprisingly little. More often than not, she comes across as a face in the crowd who might get a quote or two every 100 episodes or so. Introduced as an early solo villain, Alvida was initially presented as a hulking powerhouse with no Devil Fruit. However, later on, she eats the Sube Sube no Mi, which makes her skin slippery and removes all the fat from her body. The latter is spoken about as a side effect, but it is the only noteworthy thing Alvida does with her Devil Fruit.
The thing is, the Sube Sube no Mi is amazing, if not straight-up powerful. The Devil Fruit essentially makes her immune to physical attacks, as they just slip off her skin without leaving a mark. She can even use it to slide around and move at a quick pace (like a certainMy Hero Academiavigilante). Like, this ability is extraordinary and could be very useful in the right hands. Honestly, someone like Nami would probably love to have this Devil Fruit. Unfortunately, it is just completely wasted on Alvida.
