Sengoku

Biodata

Personality

Sengoku combines commitment to Marine justice with a willingness to negotiate, withdraw, or compromise when victory is uncertain. During Sakazuki’s capture, he keeps an attack ready but prioritizes negotiations because he cannot confidently save the hostage by force. Later, he orders Marines to avoid Zesi at sea after recognizing that the Tremor-Tremor Fruit makes conventional naval confrontations disastrous 50 91.

Kong’s death leaves him guilty and determined to seek revenge, but he repeatedly rejects plans that cannot reliably defeat Zesi. His restraint is strategic rather than sympathetic: he considers eliminating the other Emperors first and, if necessary, waiting until Zesi declines with age 136 153 154.

He also observes limits in his treatment of enemies. After Zesi’s Apostles return Kong’s remains, Sengoku refuses to arrest them immediately, declaring that the Marines will not repay a favor with detention. Within his own organization, he objects to promoting Borsalino alone because it would unfairly pass over Sakazuki and Kuzan 139 252.

Abilities & Skills

Mythical Zoan: Buddha Form

Sengoku transforms into a towering golden Buddha through the Mythical Zoan Human-Human Fruit, Buddha Form. Cipher Pol personnel identify him as one of the Marines’ strongest fighters, capable of opposing figures such as Roger, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion 49 50.

• Close-range combat: His transformed palm strikes repeatedly force Bullet backward before Bullet merges with a Marine warship 80.
• Power assessment: Even after the Marines expand to five Admirals, Sengoku and Garp are described as fighters who surpass Admirals 256.

Palm Force and Buddha Form Impact

Although commonly described as shock waves, the Buddha Form’s attacks are explained as force released from Sengoku’s palms 80.

• Buddha Form Impact: Blocks Zesi’s Divine Space Strike; Sengoku then increases his output and shatters the attack 82.
• Clashing with tremors: Meets Zesi’s tremor-powered punch outside Impel Down, with the collision pushing both men back three steps 79.
• Sustained suppression: Holds Big Mom under repeated palm strikes so Demon Sheep can land his Death Scythe Fruit attack 178.
• Limit against mental attacks: Zesi’s Divine Space Strike shakes his will and temporarily weakens his palm force despite not overpowering it directly 82.

Golden Body

The Buddha Form possesses exceptional defensive power. The narration describes Sengoku’s defense as exceeding even Big Mom’s and Kaido’s, stating that he cannot be injured while his golden body remains intact 80.

• Defensive condition: His protection depends on maintaining the golden body 80.
• Stamina limitation: The stated way to overcome it is to exhaust Sengoku until he can no longer enter Buddha Form 80.

Mobility and Physical Strength

• Shock-wave propulsion: Uses palm-generated force to propel his Buddha Form through the air, reaching the waters around the Brunei Family from Marine Headquarters in less than an hour 49.
• Warship lifting: Works with Garp to lift and fling frozen warships clear during the Marines’ retreat from Zesi and Whitebeard 133.

Willpower

Sengoku withstands the will-based component of Zesi’s Divine Space Strike through resolve tempered over many years. Although the attack disrupts his concentration and leaves him panting, he recovers sufficiently to destroy it 82.

• Resistance, not immunity: Zesi’s Divine Descent aura makes him break into a cold sweat during the confrontation over Rosward 84.
• Comparative resilience: He and Garp endure Zesi’s intimidating presence better than Demon Sheep, though both still show signs of strain 165.

Strategy and Command

Sengoku oversees intelligence, fleet operations, recruitment, and negotiations with the World Government 91 139 191.

• Indirect warfare: Implements the World Government’s Emperor plan by monitoring major pirate crews, leaking their movements, and encouraging rival pirates to challenge them 91.
• Political analysis: Recognizes how Wano’s weapons and the Brunei Family’s liquor could turn Hachinosu into a center for money, recruits, and pirate activity 118.
• Force preservation: Warns Kong against prematurely attacking Zesi and Whitebeard, then organizes the evacuation after the offensive collapses 127 131 132.
• Institutional adaptation: Proposes recruiting powerful Impel Down prisoners into the government’s Shichibukai system 220.
• Missile defense: Proposes stationing Kizaru at Mary Geoise, supported by detection systems, to intercept Azure Emperor’s Decree Missiles 252.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Assessments and Sakazuki’s Capture

• Assessing Zesi: Sengoku initially considers Roger a possible source of the destruction in Totto Land, but Kong identifies the culprit as Zesi 35.
• Brunei Family confrontation: After learning that the Brunei Family is Zesi’s family, Sengoku flies from Marine Headquarters to intervene. He abandons an immediate attack in favor of negotiating Sakazuki’s release 49 50.
• Ransom demands: Zesi demands thirty-five billion Beli across compensation and prisoner ransom. Sengoku cannot authorize the sum himself and leaves to consult his superiors 50.
• Observing Golden Lion: Sengoku follows Zesi’s battle with Golden Lion to assess his true strength. Witnessing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit’s awakening convinces him that Zesi is far more dangerous than expected 56 59.

Bullet’s Rescue and the Azure Emperor Epithet

Sengoku had commanded the Buster Call that captured Bullet, personally holding him in battle until he exhausted his strength. This makes Sengoku Bullet’s chosen opponent when Zesi breaks him out of Impel Down 79.

• Anticipating a rescue: Sengoku suspects the former Roger Pirates are gathering to free Bullet 62.
• Deployment: He and Garp arrive at Sabaody over Rosward’s kidnapping, then redirect their forces after Kong reports Zesi’s attack on Impel Down 66.
• Battle outside the prison: Sengoku clashes with Zesi, fights Bullet, and blocks the newly developed Divine Space Strike 79 80 82.
• Reinforcement plan: Orders Borsalino, Momonga, and Yamakaji to occupy Bullet so that he and Garp can concentrate on Zesi 83.
• Hostage intervention: Rayleigh and the former Roger Pirates arrive with Rosward. Sengoku rejects Zesi’s proposed “Dragon Emperor” epithet, while Zesi leaves the final choice to him under threat of further action against the Celestial Dragons 84.
• Aftermath: Reports the encounter to the Five Elders, who approve his decision not to force a battle without confidence in victory 85.

Containing the Azure Emperor

• Emperor policy: Oversees surveillance and efforts to provoke competition among pirate crews rather than directly attacking the strongest crews 91.
• Naval avoidance order: After Zesi’s Great Seaquake destroys or scatters the Hundred Alliance Pirates, orders every Marine in the New World to give way if they encounter him at sea 91.
• Recognizing state-building: Alongside Tsuru, identifies that Zesi seeks territory, a country, and political authority—not merely a pirate title 118.

Failed Offensive and Kong’s Death

• Caution before intervention: Urges Kong not to underestimate Zesi and Whitebeard merely because their duel has consumed considerable strength 127.
• Shielding the fleet: Sengoku and the other senior officers suffer injuries while protecting Marines from the two Emperors’ combined attack 130 131.
• Retreat: Relays Kong’s withdrawal order, assigns Kuzan to lead the evacuation, and then joins the rescue effort under Kong’s explicit command 131 132.
• Escape: Helps Garp move the frozen warships to safety, believing Kong can escape once the fleet is clear. Kong instead dies fighting Zesi 133 136.
• Receiving the remains: Leads the officers who receive Kong’s coffin from Kirikage Saizo and Kanjuro, thanking Zesi for returning it while maintaining that the two sides remain enemies 138 139.

Fleet Admiral and the Return to the New World

The Five Elders entrust Sengoku with the Marines after Kong’s death, promising a World Military Draft and increased resources. They also order a temporary withdrawal from the New World in response to Zesi’s decree. Sengoku is subsequently explicitly identified as Fleet Admiral 139 150.

• Rebuilding strength: Accepts the direct appointment of three powerful civilian recruits as Admirals to accelerate the Marines’ recovery 153.
• Purple Foal’s death: Condemns the Admiral’s unauthorized provocation of Zesi and reassesses both the counteroffensive and the risk of retaliation 153 154.
• Thunder Python’s rescue: Mobilizes Garp and Demon Sheep after learning that Thunder Python has confronted Zesi. He negotiates the captured Admiral’s release in exchange for slaves from Amazon Lily 165.
• Diplomatic contact: Proposes exchanging envoys because the Azure Emperor Territory can no longer be treated as an ordinary pirate crew 166.
• Counteroffensive: Orders the operation to retake the New World; the Marines recapture G-1 Fortress and defeat the Ochoku Pirates 168.
• Battle against two Emperors: Ambushes and suppresses Big Mom, enabling Demon Sheep’s attack. The Big Mom and Beasts Pirates retreat after suffering heavy losses 178.
• Headquarters duties: Returns to Marine Headquarters once the Marines secure a foothold, since his responsibilities extend to branches throughout the Four Blues and Grand Line 191.

G-1’s Destruction and the Shichibukai Plan

• G-1 disaster: Learns that Zesi has sunk the branch and that only eight Marines survived. His immediate concern is the condition of Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino 214.
• Damage control: Sends Garp to recover the survivors and presses the Five Elders to finalize negotiations before Zesi attacks Mary Geoise 215.
• Defending his officers: Acknowledges that Sakazuki and the others acted rashly but argues that their frustration is understandable and that they have reached Admiral-level strength 215.
• Government Shichibukai: Proposes using powerful prisoners from Impel Down to counter the Azure Emperor Pirates. He and the Five Elders approve using Ficknos’s Contract Fruit to bind released prisoners to the government 220.
• Revised strategy: After Zesi swiftly kills Bundy and the other released prisoners, orders the selection of another group while forbidding direct attacks on Azure Emperor Territory in favor of gradual weakening 238.

Renewed Offensive and Missile Defense

• Another planned ambush: Assembles the Marines’ strongest fighters to attack after Zesi and Whitebeard weaken each other, intending to avenge Kong 246.
• Second Devil Fruit revelation: Learns that Zesi now possesses the More-More Fruit alongside the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The possibility of multiplied tremor attacks leaves the assembled Marines unable to answer whether they should proceed 246.
• Defending Mary Geoise: Proposes Kizaru as an interceptor against the Azure Emperor’s missiles, while noting that one man cannot maintain uninterrupted vigilance. Vegapunk offers radar support 252.
• Admiral appointments: Objects to promoting Kizaru alone; the Five Elders authorize two additional Admiral positions and promote Sakazuki and Kuzan as well 252.
• Continued surveillance: Monitors the gathering of the Azure Emperor Palace Shichibukai on Whole Cake Island as the Marines fear that Zesi’s next target may be the World Government 256.

Relationships

• Kong — Former superior and predecessor as Fleet Admiral. Sengoku obeys his final evacuation orders, feels guilty over his death, and later prepares an operation to avenge him 132 136 139 246.
• Garp — Frequent battlefield partner. They confront Zesi together, rescue the retreating fleet, and share the burden of Kong’s death 79 133 136.
• Tsuru — Strategic adviser whose assessments shape his understanding of the Azure Emperor Territory and the Marines’ options 118 137 191 238.
• Wenlai Zesi — Principal enemy and recurring negotiating counterpart. Sengoku seeks to defeat him but recognizes both his overwhelming strength and the political authority of his territory 153 166 246.
• Douglas Bullet — Former captive and battlefield opponent. Sengoku’s role in his capture gives Bullet a personal reason to fight him after escaping Impel Down 79 80.
• Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino — Career officers he considers central to the Marines’ future. He prioritizes their recovery after G-1’s destruction and argues for fair treatment in their promotions 214 215 252.
• The Five Elders — Government superiors who approve major policy, resources, and appointments. Sengoku reports military setbacks to them and advocates for the Marines’ operational needs 139 215 220 252.
• Thunder Python — Recruited Admiral whose unauthorized confrontation threatens Sengoku’s counteroffensive plans. Sengoku secures his release, then reprimands him and demands an account of the battle 165 166.
• Demon Sheep — Recruited Admiral and operational subordinate; coordinates with Sengoku in the attack that forces Big Mom’s retreat 178.

Notable Quotes

“The Marines aren't so low as to accept a favor one moment and arrest you the next!” 139

“The Marines will act according to their own will!” 139

“Your Azure Emperor Pirates, or perhaps I should say the Azure Emperor Territory, can no longer be treated as an ordinary pirate crew.” 166