One Piece: Kuma's Nikyu Nikyu no Mi Has Key Strengths & Weaknesses

Jul 03, 2023

Kuma is a former Warlord and a high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Army, making him one of the strongest characters in One Piece.

One Piece is a world with hundreds of mysterious powers still waiting to be found. Although a many characters possess the powers of a Devil Fruit, only a few are powerful and complex enough for human comprehension. Bartholomew Kuma, an ex-warlord and a revolutionary, has one such power with a lot of impressive techniques. He is introduced in the "Thriller Bark Arc," where he comes to kill Luffy under orders from the World Government. He then meets the Straw Hats again in the Sabaody Archipelago and is responsible for separating them for two years.

It was only after the time skip that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda revealed Kuma was a very important ally to the Straw Hats. Now, with him being turned into a Pacifista and his consciousness erased, there's no telling what the series has in store for this mysterious character. Although fans know about the name and basic information of his Devil Fruit, the anime does not go into a lot of detail to explain such a complex thing.

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Kuma has the powers of "Nikyu Nikyu no Mi," a paramecia-type Devil Fruit which translates to "Paw Paw Fruit." The wielder of this power becomes a "Paw Human," permanently having paws engraved on their hands. Even the shape of the Devil Fruit itself resembles a paw. These "paws" are able to repel any living being or inanimate object that comes into contact with them. This Devil Fruit grants its users absolute defense, allowing them to protect themselves from all kinds of physical attacks.

Kuma's paws can directly stop a sword without getting a scratch, but his offensive powers are also great. Kuma can deal significant damage to his enemies with a simple strike from his paws. He can also use a cannon-like shockwave, strong enough to create a deep hole through a giant rock. Furthermore, he can heal a person by repelling their pain, injury and exhaustion out of their body, making them as good as new in an instant. All the injuries that are damaged are then transformed into a paw-shaped bubble, and it is up to Kuma to decide how to use it.

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The most common technique Kuma uses with his Devil Fruit's abilities is "Pad Ho," or "Pressure Cannon" in English. Whenever he repels the air around him, he is able to create a destructive high-speed shockwave, rendering his targets with almost no means to counterattack. What makes this technique truly terrifying is that it can travel directly through the body of Kuma's target, leaving paw imprints and giving them serious damage. Kuma can use this technique on a whole other level by continuously repelling the surrounding air with incredible speed, able to fire a vast number of pressure shots. This technique is called "Tsuppari Pad Ho," meaning "Slapping Thrust Pressure Cannon".

Kuma can also directly counter and repel his opponents' attack using a technique called "Puni," which literally means "Squish." In the Sabaody Archipelago, he uses a technique called "Ryoko suru nara, Doko ni ikitai?" (Translation: "If you were to travel, where would you like to go?") to separate the Straw Hat Pirates. This technique allows Kuma to send his target to a designated location at the speed of light. The targets travel for three days and nights inside a paw-shaped bubble that serves as a protective membrane and keeps them safe from any obstacle they might face.

Once the targets arrive at a designated location, the bubble vanishes, leaving a paw-shaped mark on the ground. The technique is so fast that in the eyes of a bystander, the target would seem to have disappeared. Some believe it is a teleportation ability, however, the fundamental characteristics are completely different. Kuma's technique "Ursus Shock" allows him to gather air with his palms and transform it into a giant bubble. Once the bubble comes into contact with an object, it creates a massive explosion in the form of a bear paw.

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The most important strength of Kuma's Devil Fruit is the ability to push anything, whether it's tangible or intangible, for both offensive and defensive purposes. On top of that, the ability to draw out the pain and injuries from a person makes it an extremely powerful Devil Fruit. By transforming others' suffering into something tangible, Kuma is free to use it against any opponent he faces. It is quite rare for a Devil Fruit to excel in offense and defense, but Kuma can use all forms of abilities, making him truly worthy of the title "Warlord."

A major weakness of this Devil Fruit, however, is that the user can only repel objects using their bare hands. That is why Kuma always wears gloves when he is not fighting. If his hands are occupied, he will be at risk of not being able to deflect his opponent's attacks. Kuma overcomes this weakness after becoming a Pacifista, making his body stronger than steel. Furthermore, his technique of transporting people at a remote distance has a fatal weakness.

Although the target has a protective membrane surrounding them, it is not invincible. The paw-shaped protection will break if the obstacle has sufficient density, and the target will suffer severe damage from the impact. In the past, this technique was unable to break past the Red Line and inflicted heavy damage on Kuma, who was traveling using this technique. Apart from these weaknesses, the user also suffers from weaknesses of seawater and sea prism stone, just like any other Devil Fruit user in One Piece.

Tulisha is an anime features writer for CBR. She has been an anime fan since childhood and aspires to share what she knows with readers worldwide.