One Piece: Why Nami Needs Haki The Most In The Straw Hats

The following article contains spoilers for One Piece.

The One Piece anime is coming back within a few weeks and fans are excited to finally check the Elbaph/Elbaf Arc turned into animation. While it will only run for a few weeks before going through a hiatus again, One Piece will likely be the biggest release of the 2026 Spring Anime Season.

This arc is still ongoing in the manga, and theories about what will happen next are popping up like never. One major theory is that the remaining Straw Hats crew members will get Haki. There are lots of reasons for that, and it would make a lot of sense. But there is one character who deserves Haki more than anyone else: Nami. Let's explore what type of Haki Nami could unlock and how it would make her even better as a character.

Nami is Irreplaceable and Deserves Better

Nami is arguably the most important member of the Straw Hat crew, as she is the navigator and cartographer of the team, even though Robin has also been playing a major role deciphering the poneglyphs. She is also helpful in combat.

However, several Straw Hats still don't seem to have the ability to use Haki. Many fans speculate that most or all of them will eventually unlock Haki, and Nami is definitely the character that needs it the most; in fact, she already has some abilities that suggest what her Haki could be.

Should She Get Armament Haki or Observation Haki?

There are mainly two types of Haki in One Piece: Armament Haki and Observation Haki. These are not mutually exclusive; a person can use both, like Luffy does, but most characters tend to master only one of them. With Armament Haki, users can create an invisible armor around them, and can also use it to enhance weapons. Observation Haki is related to boosting sensory abilities.

However, later in the story, Conqueror's Haki, also known as Supreme King Haki, was introduced as the rarest type. Actually, Shanks used this type of Haki in the very first chapter, but the concept itself was only explained later. With Conqueror's Haki, the user can intimidate their opponents.

Unlocking Haki usually requires massive training, and some arguments against the rest of the crew being able to use it usually lean on the fact that they would need to train much more. However, they are already warriors who have been training, and some have unlocked Haki in battle, so there is a way for Nami to end up using it. Most fans believe that Nami will eventually get Observation Haki, although some jokingly claim she has already unlocked Conqueror's Haki since she can be quite intimidating sometimes.

Could Nami's Abilities Be "Turned into" Haki?

Whether Nami would need more training or not, it seems she already has the potential to unlock Observation Haki given her current abilities. Nami might not need Haki, but it could improve her role as a navigator while also compensating for her physical limitations. Since Nami merged with Zeus, her power has increased immensely, and Haki could make her even stronger against enemies.

Her weather-related abilities are already impressive, and most fans believe that her potential Haki should be related to enhancing these abilities, allowing her to improve her role as a navigator, predicting storms and threats on a whole new level. And there's also the perfect excuse: Observation Haki is often unlocked by trauma or other special events (like Usopp's), so Nami can unlock it in a decisive moment. Furthermore, she already has a strong will, a requirement to get Haki. Since she meets the criteria, it could just be about a triggering event.

Given her intellectual nature, Nami has already proved she knows a lot about Haki, so it wouldn't be surprising for her to eventually unlock it. In addition, most fans also believe that Nico Robin will unlock Haki as well.

Why Haki Still Matters in One Piece

Since the Wano Country Arc, Haki has become more important than ever in the story. However, as Conqueror's Haki takes the center stage, it may seem that Armament Haki and Observation Haki have lost their value. That's not true at all.

Kaidou stated in Chapter 1047 that Haki transcends everything else, putting it as the defining factor for one to conquer the sea. Although he is mostly referring to Conqueror's Haki, One Piece has already implied several times that Haki can outbeat the power of Devil Fruits. There are characters, like Roger, who hadn't eaten fruits and were able to beat fruit users, likely with the help of Haki.

Because only Haki can transcend all. In the end, a strong Devil Fruit power isn't enough to conquer these seas!!

— Kaidou

For Nami, Observation Haki would cover up for some of her weaknesses, making her even more of a threat. Given how powerful the World Government and Imu are already implied to be, the Straw Hat crew will likely need major upgrades as the Final Saga unfolds, and Haki is the perfect solution for some of them, including Nami and Robin. Some also think Nami may be the reason why Sanji might unlock Conqueror's Haki. In any case, it's clearer than ever that Haki will play an essential role in the next developments of the series.

What's Coming Next in One Piece?

Following the Wano Country Arc, Eiichiro Oda revealed that One Piece has entered its Final Saga. Although the story is expected to end, Oda hasn't revealed exactly how long this saga will be. Currently, the manga is in the second arc of this saga, and fans expect at least two more arcs. It will probably be something like this:

• Egghead Arc (Chapters 1058-1125);
• Elbaph Arc (Chapter 1126-????);
• Potential Laugh Tale Arc (TBA);
• Potential Final War Arc (TBA).

It is also possible that, following the Final War, the manga will have a short post-war arc or some sort of epilogue. In any case, while One Piece is drawing to a close, it seems it will take some years before the manga reaches its conclusion.

The anime finished adapting the Egghead arc and will start to cover the Elbaph/Elbaf arc within its next season, scheduled to begin in April 2026. One Piece will likely receive seasonal episodes from now on, instead of airing through the year with lots of filler episodes and arcs.

Where to Watch One Piece

One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll, and paid subscribers can access all episodes that were released in Japan. Crunchyroll has also confirmed it will stream the new season beginning on April 5, 2026. The first part of this season is set to run for 13 episodes.

In the past few years, Netflix has also been trying to catch up with the series, adding older episodes to its streaming service. Then, during the Egghead arc, the platform also began to broadcast the latest episodes in many countries and territories, but with a one-week delay. For this reason, most hardcore fans still watch the series on Crunchyroll, where the episodes are up only a few hours after the Japanese broadcast (and sometimes on unlicensed platforms).

Fans based in the US can also enjoy older episodes on Hulu, but for the latest ones, they will either have to wait for months until the episodes hit the platform, or watch it on Netflix or Crunchyroll. The latest episodes will initially be added only with subtitles and will probably get a dub a few months later.

As for the manga, the latest chapters are available for free on Manga PLUS, the official platform for Shonen Jump series, in English and many other languages. However, to read all the chapters, a paid membership is required.

One Piece: Elbaf Arc is scheduled to begin broadcasting on April 5, 2026.