The world of one piece built upon the fantasticism of one man and a team that changes with the times. This world mirrors our world in many ways from basics of navigation politics and even cooking. For over 20 years one piece continues to be shaped by an initial idea and story Oda has and wants to tell along with the melding of the truth of our world being ever-present. I think this is a key component for a good story, being able to take the real world and create an entirely unique world from the structure found around us. In the context of this article I just want to touch on martial arts and how I believe Oda is incorporating real world discipline into haki and the martial arts of the one piece world.
Like all other martial arts mental strength is a foundation. The mentality is just as important, if not more so, than the “real” training. Some forms of karate and other martial arts in our world have a system where there is no first strike to learn since you must first learn how to think. To say this in a more direct way you must cultivate your mind before you can cultivate your body. This is no different in one piece for we see (in volume 21) where Zoro fought Mr. 1 he looks back at his training and at a very young age Zoro learned the basics of the mentality a sword that can cut anything and simultaneously not cut anything. A weapon is just an extension of the body. Similarly in the book of five rings the author learns different schools of thought and how at all molds your mind and allows you a greater combat ability.
But where does this one point intersect with the overall topic of this? well we see fishman karate not being used exclusively by fishmen because in volume 73 we are reintroduced to the child saved by Fisher tiger koala a user of fishman karate. So if it isn’t a genetic difference that fishmen have that allows them to use fishman karate what could it be and why does it work the way it does? Well I think by understanding some of the principles of karate you can see how fishman karate would be more so technique based something that you learn through years of discipline dedication and education of a school of thought necessary to properly use the techniques.
This all may seem a little wordy for why fishman karate is under the umbrella of martial arts in the same way swordsmanship and karate are in our real world. I think since the martial arts can at a foundational view-point, be seen as the same. While one or the other might express different mentalities and techniques at large they focus on the spirit mind and body.
So by looking at the teachings of one you may not get a 100% accurate understanding of their training regiment and the exact mentality behind the moves you can still understand a basis.
Now to draw your attention back to the teachings and technique of swordsmanship in one piece the mentality of “cutting or not cutting” is mirrored from volume 21 to volume 93 from koushiro to hyoguro. Haki is clearly shown as a foundation of martial arts because the mind, body and spirit would definitely include your haki, spirit, will dare I go so far as to say intent. The choice to not cut paper would cause your haki to act or you would simply be willing it not to act.
The mentality here is akin to the intention and intent is a foundational bit of observation haki. In Skypia volume 26 where Luffy Usopp and Sanji had their intent read. it’s obvious the future wasn’t being seen by the combatants of skypia but why is it not the future or just the move they are reading? Luffy showed that these weaker or just less trained expressions of haki were unable to do a single thing when his mentality, intent, mind were clear. He had no intentions of fighting or dodging he allowed his body to react and this caused enel to miss every strike. Luffy showed this even further when he choose not to know where he was attacking causing the haki/mantra enel so masterfully showed before, as a worthless venture without intent.
Enough about will intent and haki how does it tie into fishman karate?
Simple the only explanations we have of fishman karate expresses it as karate, a discipline. There should be a foundation similarly there, and I have a single point of explanation on fishman karate the only one I have been able to find throughout one piece. (In volume 64) Jinbei explains that the “essence” of fishman karate is to control the water around you. This is definitely a foundational point that people learn while training in fishman karate. A mentality given to the people who train in this way of the fist gain and use to allow their haki to affect the water around them and the people they face. Similar to cutting & not cutting what you choose. Being able to effect specifically water through the air and body but not affecting other things is very similar if not exactly the same as ryuo. Based upon the school of thought, what you are taught, you can do different things with your haki.
This may just be limiting your haki. If learning a very specific leveling system of haki was important than Rayleigh would have done much more than teach the basics to Luffy but instead he opened luffys mind to the possibilities in volume 61 and allowed for Luffy to have his own mentality and school of thought. allowing for Luffy to do what he chooses and thinks is possible and impossible with his haki, spirit, will, and intent. haki is a foundational building block of people. Wether or not they can use it properly is up to the mentality and will of said person.
Fishman karate is no different from any other form of martial arts in one piece, the foundations of haki are deeply ingrained in the teaching.
Then just to put the icing on the cake hasshoken style, first mentioned in (volume 72 above) during the Dressrosa arc, is a fighting style used by Don Chinjao and the people of the Kano. Upon introduction sai explains his brother lacked discipline and that by being a disciple of hasshoken style you cease to have the bonds of brothers. This heavily leads to the mentality just like all forms of martial arts. Later within the arc in ( volume 77 below) we see sai being praised by his father for mastering the style and in this moment we clearly see what is now known as ryuo or haki.
Foundationally martial arts of the one piece world are no different from the martial arts of the real world. While haki is a mixture between mind, spirit, intent, basically something unique to the individual the same way your individual spirit is different from others in the real world. This all leads to an overlap of haki martial arts and the real world. Simply put the genius of Oda and his teams throughout the years have made a unique expression of the author’s spirit that I think we all can appreciate.
Twilights Cavern 