Sabo became the Revolutionary Army’s second in command thanks to his unique fighting style in One Piece. Here’s a look at how Ryusoken works.
One Piece‘s Revolutionary Army members are considered even more dangerous than its pirates. After the time skip, fans learned that Luffy’s brother Sabo was not only alive, but also the second in command of said army. Indeed, his return has been one of the most shocking moments in the series thus far. Believing both his brothers were deceased, Luffy was truly in the depths of despair — that is, until Sabo appeared in Dressrosa and fans learned about his life in the Revolutionary Army.
All three brothers are exceptional fighters who made a name for themselves across the world, but after losing his memories and joining the Revolutionary Army, Sabo underwent extensive training and learned Haki. Even without a Devil Fruit, he’s been able to get this far thanks to his own unique fighting style called Ryusoken, which translates to “Dragon Claw Fist”. Sabo is the only One Piece character known to use this ability and even incorporated it into his Devil Fruit abilities. Here’s a look at the fighting styles and techniques that made him such an exceptional warrior.
What Is Sabo’s Ryusoken in One Piece?
Sabo’s Ryusoken requires the use of Armament Haki, fingers and fists. It is a hand-based martial art where the user shapes their hands in the form of a dragon’s claw. The manner in which he positions his fingers together mirrors Japanese Dragons, which are generally depicted as having three claws. Using this technique, Sabo forms a powerful grip around his enemies or objects and crushes them. Ryusoken is first seen in the “Dressrosa” arc, where Sabo used it to crush the battleground in the Corrida Colosseum. He first tried to find a mid-point in the arena and then crushed it completely, opening an entryway toward the basement in order to expose Doflamingo’s smuggling and other illegal activities.
This technique was again demonstrated when Sabo crushed Vice Admiral Bastille’s steel helmet and caused incredible damage to his head. Sabo can also use his entire fists for these attacks, which cause even an more brutal impact as compared to those that solely depend on his fingers.
One important aspect of Ryusoken is that it focuses on the “core” of the target. For example, when Sabo was looking for the best place to use it in the Corrida Colosseum, he needed to ensure his attack would have the maximum impact; thus, he understandably chose the center of the arena. By exerting force on the core of structures, he can easily destroy them with a single blow. During One Piece‘s time skip, Sabo also taught the importance of visualizing an opponent’s core to Nico Robin when helping her train palm strikes.
The Known Techniques of Sabo’s Ryusoken
Sabo has yet to demonstrate all his techniques in One Piece, but there’s enough evidence to see nearly endless potential. His “Ryu no Kagizume”, translating to “Dragon’s Talon”, is an extremely powerful attack with a three-fingered claw hand strike that uses Haki to enhance its power. This ability is very similar to the ones used in real Chinese martial arts. Sabo first showed this technique against Jesus Burgess during the final round of the competition in the Corrida Colosseum.
Burgess was known worldwide for his superior fighting skills, but Sabo easily countered the former’s elbow strike and destroyed his Armament Haki-infused armor. Another Ryusoken technique seen in the “Dressrosa” arc was “Ryu no Ibuki,” meaning “Dragon’s Breath”. It requires Sabo to put his dragon-shaped fists into the ground while imbuing them with Haki. He then needs to push his fist into the floor, which creates a devastating impact and centered all-directional fissure. Sabo explains that the basis for this is to send the force of an attack “through all the way to the target’s core.”
When Sabo Combines Ryusoken and Mera Mera no Mi
Sabo was strong enough to become the Revolutionary Army’s second in command even before consuming Mera Mera no Mi, which goes to show how powerful his fighting style really is. After winning Ace’s Devil Fruit, Sabo didn’t take long to get used to it and soon displayed Ace’s signature attack, the “Fire Fist”. Unlike Ace, who relied mostly on his Devil Fruit instead of Haki, Sabo was already a seasoned fighter even without it. Therefore, Sabo is able to incorporate his fighting style with his Devil Fruit abilities to further boost his powers.
Once he started getting the hang of his new abilities, he developed a new technique mid-battle that combined the Fire Fist and Ryusoken: the “Moeru Ryusoken: Kaen Ryou”, which literally translates to “Burning Dragon Claw Fist: Fire Flame Dragon King”. Sabo used this technique for the first time during his brief clash against Jesus Burgess, where he easily overpowered his opponent. However, Sabo can only use it after forming his Dragon’s Talon — imbued with Haki — and igniting it with his Mera Mera no Mi powers.
Once the preparations are done, he slams his fist into his opponent and spins them around before blasting them away with a massive explosion of fire. This is Sabo’s most offensive technique shown in One Piece thus far. He was also able to hold back Fujitora with his Devil Fruit abilities, but considering neither one used their full power in that bout, Sabo’s fight with Jesus remains his most notable in the series. The manga has yet to reveal Sabo’s current situation after the Lulusia Kingdom blew up, but judging by his superior powers, fans can keep hope that he somehow evaded the explosion.
