One Piece: Will Momonosuke surpass his dad, Kozoki Oden?

Chapter 1051 revealed that Kozuki Momonosuke will be the new shogun of Wano Kuni.

Momo is the talk of the fandom this week, what with his historic speech to the citizens of Wano, and, well, his surprisingly handsome adult form.

But it looks like Momo got more than just his dad’s physique.  His mature and assertive address as the rightful shogun has many fans wondering whether Momonosuke will actually surpass his dad Oden. 

This is something no one could have even imagined. I mean, Kozuki Oden is a literal legend, and Momo, until the past couple of chapters, has been nothing but a whiny underconfident kid.

But Oda has been setting this unlikely character up for a major shining since the very beginning.

Momonosuke will surpass his dad, Kozuki Oden, and become one of the greatest leaders Wano has ever seen. Due to his immense character development, his will to live up to his name, and his connection to Zunesha, Momo’s future achievements will be greater than his father’s.

How strong was Kozuki Oden? Will Momo be stronger than him?

There’s no question here: Kozuki Oden was a true beast. He’s not a legend for nothing. I know I said Momo will be greater than Oden, but greater does not necessarily imply stronger.

In terms of plain strength, Momo might not become as strong as Oden.

At the same time, it is too soon to tell, since Momo only just transformed into his grown-up body. And he is still mentally 8-years-old.

At the end of chapter 1051, Oda, in the form of the narrator, tells us explicitly that Momo “will one day be known far and wide as one of Wano’s greatest leaders.”

Oda also points to the distinct difference between physical and mental/emotional strength and that Momo currently possesses one and not the other.

“He may lack physical strength, but he compensates with his devotion to duty and boundless compassion.”

Of course, physical strength is one of the topmost criteria of being a legend. If Momo were simply strong since the start, he would instantly have gained the respect of the fandom. No one would even have doubted him for a second, despite his sometimes-obnoxious personality.

But the fact is, that Momo was never really a badass. Having Oden as your dad doesn’t help.

1. Oden’s Strengths:

Oden has done way more impressive things when he was even younger than Momo.

Oden was born almost superhuman. As an infant, Oden picked up his wet nurse and flung her across the room. At 2, he could catch rabbits with just his hands. At 4, he threw a huge boulder at a bear and killed it. At 8 he was already fighting Yakuza bosses.

He gained mastery over swordsmanship at the remarkable age of 9, creating his own sword style. He owned 2 of the most legendary swords in the One Piece universe, namely, the Enma and the Ame no Habakiri, the latter of which he gave to Momo.

At 18 years of age, Oden defeated the notorious beast known as the Mountain God and bisects him with his swords.

Oden’s durability is not a joke either. He is known to endure burning temperatures and pressing pain. Kaido’s Boro Breath did nothing to him. Forget Kaido, even Roger’s Divine Departure only caused him minor injuries.

Even when he was past his prime, towards the end of his life, Oden lifted 9 of his retainers while being boiled alive in oil.

Oden was also highly proficient at Haki, being able to wield all 3 types of Haki. He and Whitebeard’s clash of Conqueror’s Haki caused lightning and shockwaves throughout the realm.

2. Momo’s Strengths:

Momonosuke didn’t have any feats until the recent chapters of the manga. True, he never had a normal childhood, but hardly anyone in One Piece had one. True, he’s only 8 years of age, but look at what his own father achieved at that age.

The only strengths Momo has to speak of, are his Devil Fruit abilities and the fact that he developed Observation Haki at the age of 8.

Even though he inherited his father’s sword, he never learned how to master it. He never even wielded his sword until the latest chapter, where we finally see the Ame no Habakiri making his appearance.

Momo has had no training, no combat experience. Oden was a master samurai as a kid and has fought the strongest pirates in existence.

But Momonosuke has potential. The moment someone believed in him – Luffy, Yamato, Hiyori – when they didn’t give up on him, Momo was able to create his own Flame Clouds. He lifted Onigashima island on his own might and landed it safely near the Flower Capital.

Momo knew he had big shoes to fill, and even though he wasn’t physically capable, he used his inner strength to push himself beyond his limits.

He never gave up. He sacrificed his childhood and told Shinobu to age his body so he could help Luffy and the others during the Raid.

Now that the war is over, he will get stronger by honing his sword technique with the help of Kinemon and Denjiro. He will also have time to get more practice out of his Devil Fruit abilities.

This doesn’t mean that he will get stronger than his dad. But Momonosuke doesn’t have to be stronger than Oden to be able to surpass him.

How will Momo surpass his father?

1. Will and Inner Strength

Momo has great drive to live up to the insanely large legacy of the Kozuki clan. Until recently, he never even accepted his name, never wielded his father’s sword. He had no trust or faith in himself, and was filled with fear because of the power of Kaido and Orochi.

Beneath the superfluous layers of Momo’s royal pride in his samurai lineage, Momo worried about how he would ever reach the heights of his ancestors. He lost his mom, dad, and country, and was in a state of inner turmoil for most of his life.

When his country and his allies needed him most, Momo did come through. Just like Oden lifted the Scabbards, Momo lifts the entire island. Without him, the entire country would have been obliterated.

Ever since the start of the Wano arc, it has been apparent that everything has been leading up to the moment that Momo rightfully reclaims the throne. This is the culmination of Momo’s physical, mental, and emotional journey, the moment he accepts his destiny.

“My name was given to me by my father! It means second to none! I swear to live up to that by restoring this country’s barren lands to the paradise they once were! […] Wano will be led by me, Kozuki Momonosuke!”

Momo wishes to keep his promise to his mother and his father, to continue along the path that Oden began, become the king his people need him to be.

He traveled 20 years into the future, was forced to grow up faster than anyone, but he did so willingly, in order to save his people.

Momo’s determination to make his parents, his people, and his friends proud of him will likely be the reason he will exceed Oden in terms of greatness, if not necessarily strength.

2. Momo Will Be a Better Ruler than Oden

First off, Oden never became the shogun of Wano. He was the daimyo of Kuri. Although his father, Kozuki Sukiyaki was the former shogun, Oden, decided to choose a life of adventure on the seas and joined the Roger Pirates.

Only after the crew was disbanded did Oden return home. He wanted to take his father’s place as shogun, but discovered that, in his absence, Wano had been invaded, and the shogun’s position usurped by Kurozumi Orochi.

So, in a way, Oden failed his people. That might seem too harsh, but it’s a fact. He let Wano Country be taken over by the tyrants Kaido and Orochi, and let its people get oppressed and fall into poverty.

Momo, on the other hand, is already shogun at the age of 8. He has already saved the entire country once with the help of his Flame Clouds and dragon form.

He frees his country from a 20-year-long tyrannical regime and promises the citizens clean water and fresh food that they had so long gone without. He abolishes slavery.

These are the feats of a great ruler. This proves that Momo is the rightful heir to the throne. Although Wano’s borders are still sealed, it will be Momo who, for the first time in history, reopens them, ending its isolation from the new world.

3. Zunesha Connection

Momonosuke is the only one who can hear and communicate with the giant elephant, Zunesha, who was Joy Boy’s companion 800 years ago.

Zunesha has the Voice of All Things, which allows him to telepathically communicate with those who have this ability. This indicates that Momo, too, has the Voice of All Things, which is something Oden didn’t have.

Zunesha’s exact role hasn’t been revealed yet but the fact that Momo can command him, means Momo can achieve great things.

4. New Generation > Old Generation

A general rule of thumb in One Piece is that the young, new generation will become more powerful than the previous one.

Oda has been hammering in the fact that Luffy will become more powerful than the established Yonkos, than even the late Pirate King. Him being able to defeat Kaido means that Luffy has already surpassed his boundaries.

Similarly, Kid and Law, members of the Worst Generation, were able to take down Big Mom. Zoro will undoubtedly one day win against Dracule Mihawk and become the greatest swordsman in the world.

It’s not much of a stretch to believe that Momonosuke, who has already shown so much improvement in terms of maturity, character, strength, and spirit, will one day surpass his father, Kozuki Oden.

As Oda said, Momo will be known throughout history as one of the greatest leaders of Wano Kuni.

About One Piece

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.