The Wara Wara no Mi[2] is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to create and manipulate straw at will, with the straw having damage-redirecting properties. It was eaten by Basil Hawkins.
The fruit's main ability is the capacity to create and manipulate straw, which seems to have a broad variety of applications. At its most basic, the straw can serve as a holding device[4] as well as act as sharp weapon.[5] By producing a larger amount of straw, the user can cover themselves in it to enhance their fighting capabilities[6] or create a large straw monster with which to attack their foes.[7] When using these techniques, the user is also seemingly able to manifest nails and use them as accompanying weapons.[6][7]
Hawkins redirecting damage meant to himself.
As a more advanced technique, the user is also capable of creating small straw dolls and storing them inside their body. Each doll, through unknown means, can be linked to and represents another person akin to a voodoo doll. Consequently, if the user is injured in any way, the damage is instead transferred to a given doll and in turn whichever person it represents. This allows the user to easily survive and recover from multiple life-threatening injuries if they have enough dolls in store, making them difficult to defeat.[8] It was also shown that effects that do not directly hurt or injure the user, such as the effects of the Ope Ope no Mi, can be transferred to other people as well.[9] While the exact process is unclear, the user is capable of specifically choosing which person a straw doll is tied to. Thus, the user is capable of gaining a massive advantage in battle if they manage to connect their dolls to their opponents' allies, rendering the opponent unable to harm them without first killing one or more comrades.[10][11] The user can further take advantage of tying an enemy's body to a doll by inflicting harm on themselves.[12]
Weaknesses[]
In regard to the straw doll technique, the user can only carry a maximum of ten dolls in their body,[2] leaving the user vulnerable to taking damage once every doll is lost. Moreover, if the person the doll represents suffers damage through other means, the doll is damaged too, leaving it unusable.[8] Rapid consecutive attacks, in particular, can swiftly deplete an entire supply of Straw Men, as Kizaru proved.[6] Additionally, if damage inflicted on the fruit user cannot be applied to the person the doll is connected to, the damage will not transfer and the user will be wounded. This was shown when Killer managed to sever Hawkins' left arm while the latter was transferring damage to Eustass Kid, as Kid had already lost his own left arm during the timeskip and used a prosthetic made with his own Devil Fruit abilities, meaning the damage transfer was rendered void. Moreover, the straw dolls can be removed manually from the user's body should an enemy somehow manage to get ahold of them, thus cancelling the link between the user and their target.[13]
The straw created by the fruit's power does not appear to be very durable, as Roronoa Zoro could easily slice through it.[14] Aside from creating openings in their body to release the straw dolls, the user is incapable of turning their bodies into straw like a Logia, and thus cannot make attacks pass through them.[6] Other than that, it has all the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses.
Usage[]
Hawkins using straw to assist in his tarot readings.
Usually, Hawkins uses his fruit's powers in conjunction with his cartomancy and voodoo magic. When reading someone's fortune, he will sometimes summon thin straw threads to keep his cards at eye level. Post-timeskip, however, he has more or less dropped this practice, keeping his cards afloat in mid-air through unknown means instead.
Hawkins tends to keep straw dolls representing other people inside of him, as a form of general protection against sudden enemies. These dolls can redirect a single instance of damage that he receives towards the person they are linked to, regenerating the corresponding damage that Hawkins took and leaving him practically unscathed as though it never even happened. How exactly Hawkins manages to link his life with those of others is still a mystery. Thanks to the nature of Hawkins' straw dolls, he can use the lives of people his enemies care about as a bargaining chip in order to attain an advantageous deal or circumstance.[10] Hawkins also finds amusement in making his foes figure out ways to get around his powers, even if letting them unknowingly injure whomever he is linked to would be a more pragmatic and beneficial strategy.[11][1]
Hawkins summoning straw through his sword.
For offense, Hawkins can either transform into a large scarecrow-like creature with nail claws[6] or summon an even larger straw entity to fight on his behalf.[7] In both instances, the damage-redirecting effects of his ability remain active, diminishing the fact he creates a bigger or extra target to his own body. He may also turn his sword into straw for greater power and reach, using it akin to a whip.[5]
Techniques[]
Hawkins' Straw Man at work.
Straw Man (藁人形,Sutorōman?, literally meaning "Straw Doll"): Hawkins creates a small straw doll that represents another person and stores it within his body. These dolls are seemingly connected to both the person they represent and Hawkins himself, allowing him to use them to protect himself from injury and enemy attacks. Hawkins can store up to 10 dolls within his body at once,[2] although he is capable of replenishing them after use. Hawkins first showcased this ability during his battle with Kizaru,[1] though it was only named in his fight against Luffy and Zoro at Wano Country.[8] He can also release his victims by removing those dolls from his body. In the Viz Manga and Funimation adaptations, the technique is called Strawman.
"Life" Minus (「ライフ」マイナス,"Raifu" Mainasu?): When Hawkins suffers an injury, the damage gets redirected to one of the dolls inside his body, and in turn to the person the doll represents, damaging them and leaving Hawkins unharmed. The doll is then expelled out of his body. Normally, each doll can only be used once, and the effect works in reverse too, meaning that if someone who has been marked by a straw doll receives damage through other means, the doll will receive the damage too, leaving it useless. This ability was first shown during his battle with Admiral Kizaru at Sabaody Archipelago,[1] though it was only named in his fight against Luffy and Zoro at Wano Country.[8] For uncommonly strong individuals, however, dolls fashioned after them can stay valid for as long as the damage is amenable, as seen when Hawkins deliberately and repeatedly injured himself to transfer the damage to Kid, crippling the latter in his fight against Big Mom.
Hawkins using Goma no So.
Goma no So (降魔の相,Gōma no Sō?, literally meaning "Devil Conquering Phase"): Hawkins covers his body with a large amount of straw, giving him the appearance of a giant scarecrow-like monster with metal nails serving as claws, which he can use to attack his enemies. He first used this technique in his battle against Kizaru.[6] Despite his body becoming straw-like, it is noted that Hawkins is still vulnerable to attacks while in this form. The technique is called Demon Face in the Viz Manga and Funimation dub, and Demon Conquering Phase in the Funimation subs.
Hawkins using Straw Man's Card.
Straw Man's Card (藁人形ズカード,Sutorōmanzu Kādo?): By generating a large amount of straw from his sword, Hawkins creates a large straw monster that resembles his Goma no So technique. Once the entity detaches itself from his sword, Hawkins is able to remotely control it at will, with the Straw Man mimicking his movements.[7] The Straw Man wields a variety of weapons, including a large spike-covered club, which it can swing with enormous strength (enough to make the superhumanly strong Zoro struggle to hold it back), and can also spit nails at its targets. However, the Straw Man's behavior is seemingly governed by what tarot cards Hawkins draws, which do not always have advantageous results. However, according to Hawkins, drawing bad cards tends to give better results for later draws. The cards have effects on his giant straw monster, those linked to him via straw dolls and his target(s). Since the Straw Man is linked to Hawkins's body, damaging it will also damage Hawkins himself, although he can still use his straw dolls to transfer the damage to someone else. This technique was first used during Hawkins's battle with Luffy and Zoro at Wano Country.[14] In the Viz Manga and Funimation adaptations, the technique is called Strawman Cards.
The Fool, Reversed (「愚か者」逆位置,"Orokamono" Gyakuichi?): The card of infighting. Causes those linked to Hawkins to attack each other.
The Hierophant, Reversed (「法王」逆位置,"Hōō" Gyakuichi?): The card of pursuit. Prompts the straw monster to pursue its targets.
The Hierophant (「法王」,"Hōō"?): The card of reinforcements. Indicates that his targets will escape with someone's help.
Death, Upright (「死神」正位置,"Shinigami" Seiichi?): The card of destruction. Prompts the straw monster to strike its target with a scythe.[15]
The Tower (塔,Tawā?): The card symbolizing the collapse of the old with a hidden meaning of "a new path forward". It is unknown what effect this card entails on the straw monster, if any, since Hawkins was defeated by Killer before it could manifest again.[16]
Trivia[]
The voodoo-esque straw dolls created with this fruit are possibly based on "wara ningyō" (藁人形?, "Straw Doll/Effigy"), which are a popular kind of Japanese katashiro ("substitute") doll made of straw. Fittingly enough, Hawkins's Straw Man technique is given the same kanji that "wara ningyō" (藁人形?).
The main effect of Hawkins' Devil Fruit appears to be a based on a mix between stereotypical voodoo curses and the ritual known as ushi no toki mairi (丑の時参り?, "Ox-hour shrine-visit"), which involves practicioners inflicting imminent death on victims by nailing a wara ningyō representing them onto a tree during a specific night time.
Hawkins' Goma no So technique has slightly different designs between the manga and anime. In the former, this form does not have feet, instead moving around in straw tentacles. In the anime, however, Hawkins' retains his human feet, although turned into straw as the rest of his body.
Strangely, while Hawkins is shown receiving one of Zoro's attacks on his Straw Man's Card during Chapter 913 (which he manages to redirect to a nearby subordinate), he seemingly takes no damage from Killer's beheading of it during Chapter 1029, in spite of the redirection effect of his fruit and confirming himself that he had no more protecting Straw Men at that point. It is unknown if this contradiction has some other explanation or was an artistic oversight on Oda's part.
