Finally Revealed the Name of Kaido’s Devil Fruit

According to SBS Volume 98 Kaido ate Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu (Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon), a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into a hybrid and full version of an Azure Dragon at will.

• This fruit’s name is currently the only Devil Fruit name with both its double syllables as vowel sounds with no consonant: “Uo”. Thus, it is (minus the “Model” designation) one of the shortest romanized Devil Fruit names. The fruit’s name is reflected in Kaido’s signature laugh: “Worororo/Uorororo”. This quirk is shared with other characters: Whitebeard with the Gura Gura no Mi, Perona with the Horo Horo no Mi, and Streusen with the Kuku Kuku no Mi. Kaido’s case is still unique in that only the first part of his laughter references his Devil Fruit’s name.

• Ironically, despite a line of Zoan models being named after dragons (the Ryu Ryu no Mi) and this being the only known Devil Fruit ability to actually enable transformation into a dragon (the fruits of the Ryu Ryu no Mi series granting dinosaur transformations), this fruit is not named after dragons but fish, possibly to distinguish said two Devil Fruit series. Although the Model name can be translated into the word dragon.

• The Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu’s ability greatly resembles that of the “failed” Artificial Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk, which Kozuki Momonosuke has consumed and lets him become an Eastern dragon, with both powers entailing the ability to produce “Flame Clouds”. Whether the artificial fruit is related to the Uo Uo no Mi has yet to be revealed (though compared to Kaido’s blue dragon form, Momonosuke’s is pink).

• When Kaido first appeared in his dragon form, he did so by emerging through dark, swirling clouds in the sky. This may be a nod to Shenron, a magical, wish-granting, Eastern dragon god from the Dragon Ball franchise, as Shenron’s arrival is similarly accompanied by dark clouds covering the sky.

• In Chinese culture, the Azure Dragon (also “Blue Dragon”, “Green Dragon” or “Blue-Green Dragon”) is a Dragon God who, as one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations (next to the Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise) represents the East and spring season. In Japan, the Azure Dragon (Seiryū in Japanese) is one of the four guardian spirits of cities, said to protect the city of Kyoto on the east (and in eastern Kyoto is represented in the Kiyomizu Temple).
  • Corresponding to this may be the fact that Kaido lives on Onigashima, which is to the east of the Wano mainland.

• The Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu’s power, given its “fish” classification, may draw inspiration from the Chinese myth of the Dragon’s Gate, in which carp (lǐyú) transform into dragons after 100 years of swimming upstream a great waterfall to its top. Coincidentally, Wano, where Kaido resides, is located atop a waterfall that giant carp swim up.

• Further in relation to Asian/Chinese dragons or lóng:
  • Just as Kaido is said to be the world’s “Strongest Creature”, Eastern dragons are seen as symbolizing power and so are extremely powerful, especially Dragon Gods.
  • Eastern dragons were traditionally believed to be able to adopt human form, just like Kaido can shift between human and dragon form as a Zoan user.
  • Asian dragons are commonly depicted with hair: a flowing mane, long, tendril-like whiskers appended to the sides of their snout, and a beard. This matches Kaido’s wild mane, long and thin mustache, and beard that he retains in dragon form.
  • Kaido’s dragon form has four claws/toes: four-clawed dragons are customarily depicted in Mongolia and Korea (as opposed to the three claws common for Japanese dragons). In China during the imperial dynastic era, four-toed dragons symbolized imperial aristocracy (e.g., princes), denoting imperial ranking just below the emperor himself (who is symbolized by five-toed dragons).
  • Eastern dragons that breathe fire are minor in lore. Those who do were said to be rather violent individuals, or were sent from the heavens to earth as punishment. Kaido’s ability to breathe a fire blast (contrary to the Eastern dragon’s prevalent water association) is likely inspired by European conceptions of fire-breathing dragons or “firedrakes”.