What is the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit?
Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit is one of the rarest types of Zoan devil fruits. These fruits grant the user the power to transform into extinct animals from prehistoric times. Compared to other Zoan types, they provide much stronger physical advantages and elevate the user's endurance and attack capabilities to extraordinary levels. Those who consume these fruits are typically high-ranking warriors or powerful criminals. Throughout the story, characters who use these fruits leave a lasting impression on the audience not only through their strength but also through their strategic impact.
Ancient Zoan types do not only stand out for their muscle power; some have special abilities, while others have natural armor-like body structures. For example, the type provided by the fruit can give the user enormous size or regeneration in some cases. This makes them deadly in both one-on-one fights and on the battlefield.
The Unknown Defenses of Dinosaur Forms
One of the most common types of Ancient Zoan fruits is the dinosaur form. However, these forms stand out not only for their attack power but also for their extraordinary durability. Queen's Brachiosaurus form demonstrated that he could continue fighting even if her neck was severed. This completely shatters the classic notion that “dinosaurs are only used for attack.”
King's Artificial Acceleration in His Pteranodon Form
King's Ancient Zoan type, the Pteranodon fruit, can actually do more than just fly with its wings. King's ability to use his wings like flexible catapults to launch himself toward his target was a detail that went unnoticed by fans for a long time. This shows that Zoan types can not only transform, but also gain strategic movement.
Jack's Semi-Mammoth Form That Doesn't Drown
Normally, Devil Fruit users lose consciousness when they fall into water. However, the scene where Jack's Ancient Zoan type Mammoth form was able to move consciously even in water was a serious exception to this rule. In particular, his ability to still move while sinking with his ship in the Zou Arc showcased the natural power and physical will of the fruit.
Psychological Pressure in Hybrid Form with the Onyudo Model
The Onyudo Model fruit, which can be likened to the Mythical Zoan fruits that feature Oni, creates not only a physical threat but also a psychological one. The user does not instill fear in enemies through their daibutsu form but rather through this intermediate form resembling a giant priest. This demonstrates that Ancient Zoan fruits can also be effective in terms of “visual pressure.”
Brachiosnake: Physical Evolution Deception
Queen's transformation, during which she extracts a snake-like structure from her body, is not merely a “joke” but also showcases the creative form flexibility of Ancient Zoan. The Brachiosnake form reminds viewers that Ancient Zoan fruits can evolve into not only historical animals but also hybrid creatures.
Artificial Ancient Zoan: SMILE Failures
Among the artificial Zoan created using SMILE fruits, no example has ever achieved the power of Ancient Zoan. This is not merely due to technical limitations but also because the complex biological structure inherent in ancient species cannot be replicated. This further demonstrates that Ancient Zoan fruits lie beyond the realm of even geniuses like Vegapunk.
On Air King: Queen's Combined Power with Technology
Queen has transformed into a completely different monster on the battlefield by combining her Ancient Zoan ability with technological enhancements. The laser systems, mechanical tails, and poison emissions integrated into her body prove that Ancient Zoan fruits are not only advantageous in their organic form, but also deadly when used in a hybrid form.
Sleeping Forms: What Happens When Complete Control Cannot Be Maintained?
Some Ancient Zoan users can only control the surface of their transformation. Especially Zoan with low-level animal intelligence can take control when the user's mental balance is disrupted. This is a significant danger, especially for inexperienced users. Zoan users losing consciousness during the “sleeping form” stage is more common when their animal nature takes over.
Unstoppable Momentum on the Battlefield
Ancient Zoan users gain not only power but also momentum during their transformations. Scenes such as Jack charging into a large army in his Mammoth form demonstrate that these fruits can control their destructive momentum. Users not only gain mass but also experience a natural increase in speed that amplifies the impact of collisions.
Kaido's Crew: The Ancient Zoan Army's Fictional Level of Discipline
Kaido's Beast Pirates crew almost systematically includes Ancient Zoan users. In particular, the Tobiroppo members are associated with ancient dinosaur species. This is a rare example showing that Ancient Zoan fruits are not just individual power tools but also strategic building blocks.
Thickening of Skin Tissue in Page One's Spinosaurus Transformation
During Page One's transformation, a noticeable thickening of the skin tissue is observed. This reveals that Ancient Zoan fruits not only alter organs but can also grant the user natural armor. Its ability to withstand attacks from the same type of fruit further solidifies this claim.
Ulti's Headbutt Attack in Pachycephalosaurus Form
Ulti's headbutt attack is far more than a simple physical strike. The Pachycephalosaurus form generates significant impact force due to the bony structure at the back of its skull. The fact that it can knock back a durable character like Luffy with a single blow demonstrates just how physically deadly the Ancient Zoan fruit can be.
Is Kaido's “Flying Dragon” Form Ancient?
Although Kaido's Azure Dragon form technically belongs to the Mythical Zoan class, many fans argue that this form contains structures belonging to the Ancient Zoan physique. Body durability, massive size, and animal-like agility show that this form shares many common features with the classic Ancient Zoan.
Hyogoro's Words: The Elder Generation's View of Ancient Zoan
Elderly characters like Hyogoro in Wano emphasize the “respect-based fear” shown toward Ancient Zoan users. The fact that these fruits are viewed as sacred or cursed by ancient warriors suggests they also serve as historical symbols of fear.
Establishing a Hierarchy Among Animals
It is striking that Ancient Zoan users within the Beast Pirates hold a much higher status than ordinary Zoan users. This is not only based on power but also on the “superior species” feeling created by the fruit. By their very nature, these users are positioned at the top of the animal hierarchy.
Behavioral Codes of Dinosaur Species
Even in Ulti's communication with his brother Page One, details about the behavioral instincts of dinosaurs can be sensed. Characteristics such as aggression, territorial reflexes, and sudden outbursts of anger show that Ancient Zoan fruit users also undergo mental transformations.
Why Are There No Ancient Zoans in Vegapunk's Replicas?
Although Vegapunk has successfully replicated Dragon-type or Mythical Zoan models, he has yet to create a fruit that mimics Ancient Zoan. This is believed to be due to the biological complexity of ancient animals and the absence of their traces in nature. This suggests that Ancient Zoan fruits represent the pure inheritance directly from nature.
Age Adaptation of Fruit Users
Ancient Zoan fruit users achieve greater harmony with the fruit as they age. A middle-aged character like Queen has a higher level of physical synchronization with the fruit than even young Tobiroppo members. This is a rare example showing that the fruit “evolves” with the user over time.
The Erosion of the User's Soul by Ancient Zoan Fruits
It is known that some Zoan types can influence the user's personality over time. However, Ancient Zoan fruits are more dangerous in this regard. The user's aggression may increase, and animalistic instincts may emerge more frequently. Queen and Jack's sudden outbursts of anger can be explained not only by their personal characters but also by the long-term effects of the fruit.
Low-Intelligence Ancient Forms: Ability to Understand Commands
In Zoan fruits, the “nature of the animal” can affect the user's control. Some species represented by Ancient Zoan fruits were low-intelligence herd animals in prehistoric times. This can cause fruit users to experience difficulties in areas such as following orders and strategic thinking. Jack's tendency to wait for direct orders is an example of this.
Real Ancient DNA? Or Myth?
Some fans argue that Ancient Zoan fruits actually carry the DNA of real animals from ancient times. These fruits can be seen as biological treasures that carry the genetic legacy of the past into the present. This theory has gained more traction following Vegapunk's DNA decoding research.
Weight Gain from Transformation: A Strategic Weakness
Although Ancient Zoan transformations grant physical strength, they also come with a major disadvantage: increased weight. Users who take on massive forms are forced to limit their mobility. Queen's difficulty moving in tight spaces and Jack's sinking in water are direct results of this weakness.
Survival Time: Beyond Physical Endurance
Ancient Zoan fruits grant users not only defense but also “sustainability.” Ulti’s ability to withstand multiple severe blows while maintaining consciousness proves that the regenerative properties of Zoan-type fruits operate at a much higher level in the Ancient class. This resilience makes the fruits indispensable in prolonged battles.
The Beast Pirates' Worship of Ancient Forms
Kaido's crew does not merely view those who possess Ancient Zoan fruits as individuals; they regard these forms as “superior beings.” The respect shown to Tobiroppo is not merely a matter of rank but stems from the perception of “holiness” gained through transformation. This suggests that the fruit has become a tool for establishing hierarchy even within the social structure.
Oda's Silent Hint: Chapter 999 Cover Art
Eiichiro Oda may have hidden the most subtle detail related to the Ancient Zoan fruits on the cover page of Chapter 999. On that page, symbolic objects referring to the animal forms of Queen, Jack, and King were carefully placed. Such symbolic narratives show that Oda also works with the Ancient Zoan theme on a visual level.
Combination with Other Races: King's Lunarian Genetics
The fact that King belongs to the Lunarian race and possesses the Ancient Zoan fruit serves as a striking example of how deadly these powers can be when combined. Not just a powerful fruit, but a being fused with genetic differences… This combination creates a threat that transcends traditional fruit users.
Why Are There No Ancient Zoan in Vegapunk's Clones?
In the Seraphim project, Vegapunk used Lunarian DNA but did not include Ancient Zoan fruits. This was a deliberate choice because Ancient Zoan fruits inherently possess a structure that is difficult to control. Even in the production of artificial intelligence soldiers, the risk of “character imbalance” associated with these fruits is taken into consideration.
The Ancient Kingdom Connection Theory
According to some theories, the Ancient Zoan fruits carry the legacy of creatures from the Ancient Kingdom, which was destroyed centuries ago. The traditional structure of Wano and the historical connection of Zoan users to those lands further strengthen this connection. Perhaps these fruits are the silenced cries of history.