The Straw Hat Pirates were officially established in One Piece Chapter 6, and since then, Luffy has come a long way. In the East Blue, Luffy acquired four powerful crewmates, but none of them held a Devil Fruit ability. That changed when Luffy and the Straw Hats headed into the Grand Line, where four more members were acquired, with three of them being Devil Fruit users.
In the New World, only Jinbe has joined so far in One Piece Chapter 976. Now, Eiichiro Oda is lining up a new Devil Fruit user for the Straw Hat Pirates to expand the strength and influence of this newly crowned Yonko crew. The climax of One Piece’s Elbaf arc has proven that the Straw Hat Pirates need more strength to compete at the top, and we are eagerly waiting to see how this crew develops from here onwards.
One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Sets Up The Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Zaza For The Straw Hats
The Straw Hat Pirates were crowned a Yonko crew in One Piece chapter 1053 on June 20, 2022, and since then, they have only grown in terms of power. That said, this crew is not at its peak potential yet. Its members are yet to hit their full level of strength, but more than that, there are also a couple of slots that need to be filled. When Luffy started his journey in One Piece Chapter 1 on July 18, 1997, published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #34, he made it quite clear that he was looking for at least 10 underlings. Right now, Luffy has only got 9 underlings, which leaves room for at least one more member to join the crew and potentially even more.
“Let’s see…I’ve got to get some crewmates first. I hope I can at least find 10 people!” — Luffy confirms he wants 10 crewmates, One Piece Chapter #1
With One Piece now deep into its Final Saga and close to the end, Eiichiro Oda has already done his work when it comes to lining up the perfect member of the Straw Hat Pirates who is going to complete the crew once and for all, and this person is going to be another Hito Hito no Mi user. In One Piece chapter 1182, which was officially released on May 10, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #24, Eiichiro Oda introduced us to Rain God Zaza through Killingham, one of the most powerful Holy Knights. Zaza was officially stated to be one of the three entities that the Celestial Dragons fear more than anyone else. The first is Sun God Nika, whose powers are currently wielded by Luffy. Then, there are the people of the D, who are scattered all over the One Piece world and exist in the shadows. Finally, there is Rain God Zaza.
“We were born in a place so high, it’s above all the rain clouds. Water coming down from the sky? It’s a mysterious terror! After the people of D and Nika, it was the most common boogeyman they warned us about…that in the lower world, there’s a monster called the Rain God that dumps water on top of your head!” — Killingham explains Zaza, One Piece Chapter #1182
So far, Zaza has only appeared as an MMA through the usage of the powerful Mythical Zoan Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Kirin. However, since it has been officially confirmed that Rain God Zaza exists as a godly entity, just like Nika, and that the Celestial Dragons feared it long ago, we can safely say that this Devil Fruit is somewhere out there in the One Piece world or has already been consumed by some mysterious character. It is highly likely that this person is going to be none other than Vivi, who will then complete the crew as their next Devil Fruit user.
Why Vivi Would Make The Perfect Straw Hat In The Final Saga
Vivi joining the Straw Hat Pirates does not come as a surprise to any fan of One Piece. At the moment, there are plenty of candidates for the position of the last Straw Hat, and these include the likes of Loki and Bonney. However, if there’s one thing that the Elbaf arc has made clear, it is that neither Loki nor Bonney is going to join the crew. Loki needs to stay put to defend Elbaf, and this is something he reiterated himself in One Piece Chapter 1180.
Similarly, Jewelry Bonney intends to stay behind with Vegapunk to heal Kuma, who just set up her new lab in the Sun World of Elbaf. With neither of them sailing with the Straw Hat Pirates, there are only two possibilities for the latest Straw Hat:
It is likely that both of these individuals could go on to join the crew. In the case of Vivi, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series, already set up a reunion back in One Piece Chapter 216 on January 28, 2002. Furthermore, in One Piece Chapter 1130, released on October 21, 2024, Eiichiro Oda set up a reunion for the Straw Hat Pirates with Vivi. With the conclusion of the Elbaf arc, this reunion is going to be closer than ever before. All things considered, Vivi is the perfect Straw Hat to fill the last position, and her importance to Nerona Imu makes her an even bigger asset for the last stretch of the story.
As to why Vivi will hold the power of the Hito Hito no Mi, the reason is quite simple. Nefertari Vivi comes from the desert kingdom of Arabasta. In One Piece Chapter 1182, Killingham officially confirmed that Rain God Zaza only comes to prayers for rain, just like the Sun God Nika comes to prayers for freedom from oppression. The power of Zaza can’t just go to any individual with no connection to rain. The only individual with a true connection to rain in One Piece that Oda has himself established in the overarching lore of the series is Vivi.
“Appearing to the rhythm of the prayers for rain…Rain God Zaza!” — Killingham confirms how Zaza appears, One Piece Chapter #1182
In fact, praying for rain was one of the biggest plot points in the Arabasta arc, which Vivi was central to. There is no other character who represents this better than Vivi, and in the Final Saga, it is highly likely that she will somehow come across this legendary Devil Fruit, consume it, and then become the Rain Goddess Zaza. The fact that Zaza appeared as a Goddess in the Elbaf arc further solidifies that it is going to be eaten by a woman, and this person is going to be none other than Vivi, who will then strengthen the Straw Hat crew with another god ability.
Vivi’s Return To The Crew Will Finally Complete The Straw Hat Pirates
Vivi’s return to the Straw Hat Pirates is essential for the story of One Piece to flow smoothly. She is one character that every single fan has been waiting to see return. Now that she is back to play an important role in the overarching narrative of the story, we are eagerly waiting to see her reunite with Luffy, Nami, and the other members of the crew. Given her importance to Nerona Imu as well as the Void Century, Vivi is going to be a crucial character from here onwards. It is only a matter of time before she comes to complete the Straw Hat Pirates, so they can go head-to-head against the other elites of the One Piece world, such as the remaining Yonko crew and, most importantly, the Celestial Dragons who seek to destroy the world once again.
All the latest One Piece manga chapters by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.