Admiral Kizaru, also known as Borsalino, hasn’t contributed much to One Piece’s narrative in recent years, but in the conclusion, he may end up being Luffy’s biggest antagonist.
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The main character of One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy, developed a number of formidable foes along the course of the narrative, including his fellow pirates and unquestionably the World Government and its Navy armada. This includes different admirals, vice admirals, and even chief admirals; yet, Luffy typically managed to avoid their anger with little difficulty. At the Marineford battle, for instance, Luffy escaped the attack of Admiral Akainu, but if the long-awaited war progresses, Luffy and the Marines may run across one another again soon.
In the last saga, which begins with the Egghead Island arc, York betrays the group at a crucial juncture, and Luffy’s crew is already engaged in combat with the Navy. For Dr. Vegapunk and the Straw Hats, that’s bad enough, but now admiral Kizaru, a.k.a. Borsalino, is going to enter the fray directly, armed with his stunning Glint-Glint Fruit abilities. He needs to really shine in One Piece, both literally and figuratively. He must keep up with what his colleagues Akainu and Kuzan have previously accomplished.
Admiral Kizaru Still Lags Behind Kuzan & Akainu
Admiral Kizaru/Borsalino, one of the Navy’s three highest admirals and a member of the elemental trio consisting of admirals Aokiji/Kuzan with his cold powers and admiral Akainu/Sakazuki with his scorching lava skills, has gained the respect of every One Piece fan. In the pivotal Marineford combat before One Piece’s time skip, Kizaru and his two comrades resolutely resisted the Whitebeard pirate fleet’s assault while simultaneously unleashing their powerful Devil Fruits to repel the pirate force. Even still, Kizaru felt the least powerful of the three, with Akainu’s murder of Portgas D. Ace having the greatest impact. And even Aokiji, with his ice-based Devil Fruit, was able to outperform Kizaru. Kizaru only offered fire support, and unlike Akainu, he had no engaging speech to go along with it.
In the New World and after the time jump, Kizaru fell further behind Aokiji/Kuzan and Akainu. Just in time for the Straw Hats to visit, the final two admirals had a fight and turned Punk Hazard Island into an odd half-ice, half-fire island. That provided the New World a striking first impression. Following the battle of the admirals, Aokiji adopted the alias Kuzan and went rogue, while Akainu rose to the position of top admiral, becoming a key character in One Piece and imposing his ruthless brand of justice more than ever.
In the New World and after the time jump, Kizaru fell further behind Aokiji/Kuzan and Akainu. Just in time for the Straw Hats to visit, the final two admirals had a fight and turned Punk Hazard Island into an odd half-ice, half-fire island. That provided the New World a striking first impression. Following the battle of the admirals, Aokiji adopted the alias Kuzan and went rogue, while Akainu rose to the position of top admiral, becoming a key character in One Piece and imposing his ruthless brand of justice more than ever.
Admiral Kizaru has always struck me as the least intriguing and important Navy admiral from a plot perspective, only serving to complete the triad of nasty anime characters that Luffy and Whitebeard must worry about. For the past few hundred One Piece manga chapters, it was simple to ignore Kizaru, which is unfortunate because Kizaru still has unrealized potential. Admiral Kizaru is re-entering the battle at this crucial juncture, and as he faces off against the Straw Hats and Dr. Vegapunk in person, he has the power to completely alter the course of the final tale. If this possible growth is managed properly, Kizaru could transform into a formidable antagonist whose deeds would alter the course of history thanks to his words, philosophy, and powerful Glint-Glint Fruit abilities.
Admiral Kizaru Must Go Push Himself, Physically & Mentally
Admiral Kizaru doesn’t seem to have much of a position on anything, in contrast to the cruel admiral Akainu, who upholds his own brand of justice by his words and deeds. Despite his high position, Kizaru appears to prefer receiving instructions rather than providing them, acting as an overqualified errand boy for the Five Elders and other top officials of the World Government. Although Kizaru in One Piece nearly seems lethargic and aimless, only serving as a tool of the World Government and not taking many personal positions, that might change. On the outside, Kizaru could appear distant and composed, but that could simply be a trait of his.
The stakes in One Piece are now at an all-time high, therefore Kizaru can’t afford to just brush things off because he can be ruthless and brutal when necessary. He must take a position, whether it be in support of the World Government or his own ideas, whatever they may be. For One Piece, this is his best and last chance to demonstrate his true colours, for better or worse.
The final story is Kizaru’s last opportunity to demonstrate his combat prowess under pressure. He’s certainly been seen fighting before, throwing lightning-fast kicks or launching ranged attacks at his foes, but those seemed like paltry attempts in comparison to some of One Piece’s top fighters. When they’re pushed to the limit and forced to delve deep to discover strength they didn’t know they had, shonen heroes and villains alike genuinely shine. This was something Luffy frequently did, such as when he faced Charlotte Katakuri or awoke Gear 5 to defeat Kaido on Wano. Even though shonen heroes tend to do that, Admiral Kizaru is entitled to a turn, as villains occasionally do.
Admiral Kizaru may not simply be a composed, courteous officer with stylish sunglasses and a nice Logia-style Devil Fruit. Fans of One Piece may have been duped by the tale into believing Kizaru was just a meek minion for the Five Elders, only for him to finally show his teeth here in the final arc, when he still has a chance. He might have reawakened the abilities of his Glint-Glint Fruit in order to pose a serious threat to Luffy and others who are capable of defeating Emperors. If Kizaru’s ostensibly calm demeanour is a façade, this implies the possibility that he has a secret demonic side to his personality and strategies. One Piece’s tale needs more villains like that after characters like Big Mom and Kaido to keep the momentum and tension high, and Kizaru just might deliver if he goes Plus Ultra and finally loses his calm exterior.