Saint Gunko of the Manmayer Family stands as one of the most formidable and enigmatic figures among the World Nobles. As a member of the elite Knights of God, she serves as both enforcer and protector of the Celestial Dragons' interests. Her role in the ongoing Elbaph Arc has established her as a major antagonist, one whose tragic past and supernatural abilities make her a compelling threat to the Straw Hat Pirates.
A Mysterious Past
Gunko's history is shrouded in tragedy and lost memories. Over five decades ago, she was known as Princess Shuri, a young royal who shared a connection with the musician Brook. This relationship, seemingly innocent in its origins, has been twisted by time and dark forces. According to historical accounts, she is believed to have killed her own father the very man who served as Brook's benefactor though the circumstances surrounding this patricide remain unclear.
What makes Gunko's past particularly haunting is that her memories appear to have been suppressed by Imu, the mysterious sovereign of the World Government. These repressed recollections only began to resurface when she encountered familiar situations on Elbaph, triggered by the simple sound of a child calling for his father.
Physical Appearance
Gunko presents a striking and unsettling figure. Despite the passage of 56 years since her days as Princess Shuri, she appears virtually unchanged a young woman of average height with distinctive features that set her apart. Her most notable characteristic is her heterochromia: a cyan right eye paired with a red left eye. Both the lower half of her face and her knees are wrapped in bandages, adding to her mysterious appearance.
Her wardrobe consists of a black newsboy cap adorned with golden goggles, a double-breasted jacket with unusually long sleeves, dark undergarments, a flowing red cape, and boots featuring cylindrical structures. This ensemble gives her an air of both authority and otherness.
When possessed by Imu, Gunko's appearance becomes even more disturbing. Her eyes develop distinctive double-layered irises, and her hair appears to grow longer though whether this is a result of the possession itself or simply her hair coming undone remains uncertain. Children who witnessed this transformation described her appearance as "scary," an apt description for such an otherworldly sight.
Personality and Character
Arrogance and Ruthlessness
As befits her station as a Knight of God, Gunko displays exceptional arrogance and a ruthless commitment to her missions. She approaches every assignment with single-minded determination, expecting swift completion and absolute success. This attitude was clearly demonstrated in her confrontation with Loki, where she appeared both frustrated and confused by his refusal to join the Knights of God a position she views as the pinnacle of achievement that anyone should desire.
However, her arrogance has limits. Gunko understands the chain of command and adopts a more respectful, servile tone when dealing with Shamrock, her superior officer. She has also confessed to fearing the legendary Sun God Nika, though her reasons for this fear remain unknown.
Violent Temperament
Beneath Gunko's mission-focused exterior lies a volatile temper. She responds to perceived disrespect with immediate violence, as evidenced by her attack on a giant who simply brushed aside her question. When Loki showed what she considered insolence, she immediately proposed killing him. Her violent tendencies are not merely reactive they stem from a fundamental disregard for human life that is characteristic of the World Nobles.
She displayed chilling indifference when children's lives were at stake, reasoning that "spares existed" if some died. This callousness borders on sadism, as she showed no distress while watching children burn to death. Yet paradoxically, she recognizes serious threats when they appear, acknowledging Luffy's status as an Emperor of the Sea, even if her short temper sometimes overrides her tactical judgment.
Unexpected Traits
For all her ruthlessness, Gunko possesses some surprisingly humanizing qualities. She becomes embarrassed and must turn away, blushing, when Saint Shepherd Sommers is summoned wearing only his undergarments a prudish reaction that seems at odds with her brutal nature. She also appreciates fine dining and shows genuine excitement when tasting delicious food created from dreams.
The Brook Connection
Perhaps the most complex aspect of Gunko's personality revolves around her relationship with Brook. She harbors an obsessive interest in the skeleton musician, stemming from their shared past. Among her favorite songs is Brook's "New World," which she ritualistically listens to after meals.
When she first encountered Brook directly, Gunko attempted to enslave him to create more music for her. Though she beat him when he refused, she displayed visible discomfort during the assault, hinting at deeper feelings beneath her cruelty. Upon regaining memories of their time together over 56 years ago, she immediately abandoned her mission to search for him instead.
This obsession may represent a corruption of her innocent childhood love for his music, twisted by her Covenant with Imu similar to what befell another character, Harald. It suggests that beneath the cold exterior of a Knight of God lies the remnant of Princess Shuri, a young woman who once formed genuine bonds with commoners, defying the typical Celestial Dragon's contempt for lower classes.
Authority and Influence
World Noble Privileges
As a member of the Manmayer family, Gunko stands above the law that governs ordinary people. She can act with impunity, doing as she pleases provided she doesn't violate the Celestial Dragons' internal codes. Her political influence is immense she possesses the authority to summon a Marine Admiral to deal with anyone threatening her safety.
Position as a Knight of God
However, unlike typical World Nobles who rely on Marines for protection, Gunko possesses more than sufficient combat prowess to defend herself. Her membership in the Knights of God grants her jurisdiction over standard World Nobles, effectively making her part of an elite police force and guard unit that keeps the Celestial Dragons themselves in check.
Her former royal authority as Princess Shuri adds another layer to her complex position within the World Government's hierarchy, though how much of that influence remains is unclear.
Combat Abilities
Raw Combat Prowess
Gunko has repeatedly demonstrated why she earned her place among the Knights of God. Upon arriving in Elbaph, she quickly proved herself by:
- Engaging multiple giants in combat
- Mutilating Loki's animals
- Beating the incapacitated prince to a pulp
- Easily defeating four Straw Hat Pirates simultaneously, including the powerful fish-man Jinbe
Her combat philosophy is extremely pragmatic. She harbors no qualms about exploiting personal connections to gain advantages over stronger opponents. This ruthless approach allowed her to defeat even the legendary pirate Scopper Gaban by threatening his son's life and forcing his surrender.
The Aro Aro no Mi
Gunko's primary supernatural ability comes from the Aro Aro no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants her control over bandage-like strips with arrowhead-shaped ends. This power offers remarkable versatility in combat:
Offensive Applications:
- The arrowheads serve as effective stabbing weapons
- The strips can bind opponents' limbs or choke them
- Arrows can be coiled into constructs like giant gauntlets and boots, significantly boosting her striking power
Mobility:
- She can stand on her arrows in mid-air
- By assembling arrows into the shape of a bird, she can fly
Enhanced Attacks:
- Arrows can form pathways that guide her attacks, increasing their velocity and momentum
- These predetermined paths dramatically enhance her striking force
- The downside is that opponents can predict her movements by watching the arrow paths
Defensive Capabilities:
- Arrows can redirect opponents' attacks away from her
- Redirected attacks can be sent back at enemies or their allies
Gunko excels at integrating her Devil Fruit powers with hand-to-hand combat, allowing her to weave through enemy attacks while delivering devastating close-quarters strikes.
The Covenant
As a full-fledged Knight of God, Gunko possesses a Covenant a supernatural contract bestowed by Imu that signifies her absolute loyalty. This makes her one of only thirteen individuals with access to Depths and Abyssal Covenants, granting extraordinary supernatural abilities.
Abyss: Gunko can access magical sigils called Abysses, using them as portals for instantaneous transportation. She can also summon other marked individuals through these Abysses, forcibly teleporting them to her location regardless of their consent or current activities.
Immortality: Perhaps most terrifyingly, the Covenant grants Gunko effective immortality. She heals instantaneously from any injury, no matter how severe. She once recovered instantly from having her entire upper body blown off by explosives, showing no reaction to the injury whatsoever.
Her immortality extends beyond mere healing she doesn't appear to physically age. This trait, previously seen only in the Five Elders, sets her apart even from other Knights of God. Remarkably, she possessed this agelessness even before becoming a Knight, as she appeared identical 56 years ago despite other Devoted Blades (the rank before Knight) lacking immortality.
Possession: The Covenant allows Imu to possess Gunko's body at any time, using their own abilities through her physical form. This makes her not just a powerful warrior in her own right, but a potential vessel for one of the most mysterious and powerful beings in the world.
Haki Mastery
Gunko possesses exceptionally powerful Haki. Her arrival on Elbaph was marked by a massive burst of Haki resembling black lightning a display so impressive that Scopper Gaban sensed and described it as "very abnormal."
Historical Role
Thirty-eight years ago, Gunko served as a Devoted Blade of God under the Knights of God during the God Valley Incident. This participation in one of the most significant events in recent history suggests she has been at the center of world-shaping events for decades, even before achieving her current rank.
Conclusion
Saint Gunko represents a fascinating intersection of tragedy, power, and corruption. Once Princess Shuri, a young royal who befriended a musician despite class boundaries, she has become an immortal enforcer whose innocent love of music has been twisted into obsession. Her combination of Devil Fruit abilities, Covenant powers, and exceptional Haki make her one of the most formidable opponents the Straw Hat Pirates have faced.
As the Elbaph Arc continues to unfold, Gunko's role as a major antagonist promises to reveal more about her suppressed past, her connection to Brook, and the true nature of the Knights of God. Whether any trace of Princess Shuri remains beneath the cold exterior of Saint Gunko and whether that remnant could be reached remains one of the arc's most compelling questions.
Additional Notes
Name Etymology:
- "Gunko" (軍子) translates to "army child" in Japanese
- "Princess Shuri" may derive from Shuri, a district in Okinawa that served as the royal capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom before its annexation by the Empire of Japan
Publication Details:
- The Shonen Jump magazine version of Chapter 1137 did not include the "Saint" (宮, Gū) honorific or mention the Manmayer Family
- These details were added in the Volume 112 release
- Gunko is only the second female Celestial Dragon to be named in the series, appearing 640 chapters (nearly 17 years) after Shalria's introduction
