Speculation runs rampant.

[chibi_trillian]

Hokay. So in Chapter 447, Usopp declares, as a rationalization for why zombies can't possibly be overrunning Herr Doktor Hogback's mansion, that there's only one of each kind of Devil Fruit in the world, so there can't be more than one person like Brooke.

But in Chapter 440, Blackbeard declares that he recognised the Yami Yami no Mi on sight because he'd seen it in books and had memorized the description. Therefore, there has to have been Yami Yami no Mi previous to the one that he ate. And the Devil Fruit seem to be pretty well categorized--Pell mentions he's one of only two Zoan Fruit types that can fly.

So we have options:
1. Usopp was talking out of his ass in an attempt to reassure himself and somewhere there's a Devil Fruit orchard with a little old man who managed to eat a Hito Hito no Mi tending it, as eating a Zoan Fruit of one's own species is supposed to make you "enlightened" and stuff.

2. Only one of a given Devil Fruit can exist at a time--one demon, one curse, one Fruit. When the previous owner dies, a new Fruit grows. It'd be interesting to trace a curse through the centuries that way--see if a particular Fruit gravitates to a particular kind of person every time.

3. There's only one of each kind of Fruit, but they were all created at the same time (biological weapons from the Blank Century?) and there's some kind of compendium of descriptions for each that's widely known. Not too widely known, though, because Spandam had no damn idea what he was feeding Kalifa and Kaku. Then again, Spandam's a dumbass. But Kaku and Kalifa also didn't know what they were eating either, so I'm not sure. This option would make Chopper eating the Hito Hito no Mi the rough equivalent of a kid in France turning up a WWII era grenade in the family potato field.

Comments

[creamy-twilight.livejournal.com]

All I have to say is

O.O

I'm not up to that point yet (I watch the anime only D: reading it on the computer is too hard for my eyes), but I think the second one sounds most true and it would be very interesting to see it worked into One Piece.

[xian-pu.livejournal.com]

for some reason i'd always sort of assumed it was #2. good food for thought though XD

[nuitari4pwnage.livejournal.com]

Imo, One Piece isn't very well thought-out. Even before you raised this point I was having problems with the mechanics of geography (Red Line, Grand Line wtf) and some minor things about ships with vegetation on them (a regular tree should not be able to survive rapid climate changes like the grand line), but this takes the cake.

[maldoror-gw.livejournal.com]

I wondered that too. I assumed #1. Because nobody's ever mentioned that 'only one of a kind' rule before, and because of the catalogue of known devil fruit etc. In addition, since the Straw Hats started sailing the Grand Line, every guy and his parrot seems to have DF abilities, so it's hard to imagine them being that rare, and one-of-a-kind ever would make them increasingly rare as people ate them up.

That makes option #2 a possibility, though, and intriguing. The mechanics behind DF aren't really explained, though with Professor whatshisname working for the Marines, and feeding devil fruit to weapons and such, I'm hoping we'll get some more explanations one day.

One thing I was also wondering...what happens if you eat only half a DF? And somebody else eats the other half? Do you have to eat it all...?

[chibi-trillian.livejournal.com]

I had this BADASS cracky fic idea where Zoro and Sanji each ate half a Devil Fruit and had to do the "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!" thing to do anything useful with it...

...and then Oda mentioned in an SBS that the curse is transferred with the first bite. So if you quit eating it because it tastes like crap, you're still screwed.

[dethorats]

I've always thought option 2 was the best bet although the ida of #3 makes for some really intriguing story possibilities. As for Usopp talking out his ass, that's probably pretty likely and besides, how in the world would Usopp know that? I mean, I know he has a lot of pretty cool and random knowledge but unless Yasopp somehow sent him a letter with the information, I just don't see that kind of thing being taught in Syrup Village Primary School.

[wendytigges.livejournal.com]

I go for option 2... one curse, one fruit, ect.