One Piece Chapter 1188 Spoilers Preview: Imu Settles Luffy’s Joyboy Powers With Void

The Final Saga isn’t slowing down anytime soon. After One Piece Chapter 1187 finally brought Luffy and Imu face-to-face, the first spoilers for Chapter 1188 suggest that their battle is already taking a shocking turn. From a brand-new Gear 5 transformation to a surprising look at Joy Boy, the chapter appears to reveal some of the biggest moments of the Elbaf arc so far.

The brief spoilers also hint that Imu is far stronger than fans expected. Along with revealing a mysterious weapon called “Void,” the chapter reportedly ends with Imu making a bold statement about Joy Boy that could change how fans look at Luffy’s role in the Final Saga.

Luffy Unleashes a New Gear 5 Form as Imu Remembers Joy Boy

According to the brief spoilers (via @pewpiece on Twitter/X), One Piece Chapter 1188 is titled “Void.” The chapter’s color spread reportedly shows the Straw Hat Pirates enjoying themselves underwater before the story returns to the battle in Elbaf.

The biggest surprise comes during Luffy’s fight against Imu. The spoilers claim that Luffy uses Gear 5 to transform himself into a giant genie. Ever since awakening his Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, Luffy has fought in ways that completely ignore normal rules. Gear 5 lets him turn his imagination into reality, so another strange transformation would fit perfectly with the power Oda has already established.

The chapter also reportedly gives fans a rare look into Imu’s memories. One of those memories shows Joy Boy, and according to the spoilers, his smile looks a lot like Luffy’s.

This is especially interesting after what happened in Chapter 1187. When Imu called him Joy Boy, Luffy immediately rejected the name and proudly said that he is Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the King of the Pirates. If these spoilers are accurate, Oda may be showing that while Luffy is not literally Joy Boy, the two share the same spirit and determination.

One Piece Chapter 1188 Ends With Imu’s “Void” Attack

The final pages of the chapter reportedly become much darker. According to the spoilers, Imu changes the spear they are holding into a sword called “Void” before stabbing Luffy. The scene is said to closely resemble the moment in the Alabasta Saga when Crocodile stabbed Luffy and left him defeated. It is a powerful callback that shows just how dangerous Imu really is.

Imu vs Luffy in One Piece Chapter 1187. | Credit: Shueisha

The chapter reportedly ends with Imu telling Luffy that they know he is not Joy Boy because “Joy Boy would never be this weak.” If that line is accurate, it could be one of the biggest reveals in the Final Saga so far. It suggests that Imu personally knew Joy Boy and still remembers how powerful he was. At the same time, it shows that Imu does not see Luffy as someone who has reached that level yet.

That also creates an interesting contrast with One Piece Chapter 1187. Luffy refused to be called Joy Boy because he wants to become Pirate King as himself. Imu, however, continues to compare him with the legendary figure from the Void Century, making it clear that Luffy still has a long way to go before earning Imu’s respect. As always, these are only brief spoilers, and the full chapter may provide more context when it officially releases.

So now the big question: What do you think about the first spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1188? Do you think Imu is right about Luffy still being weaker than Joy Boy, or is Oda setting up Luffy to eventually surpass the legendary warrior? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

One Piece manga is currently available to read on Manga Plus by Shueisha.