Why Is There Not a Single Zoan User Among The Shichibukai Members?

   

    As one of the Three Great Powers in One Piece, the Shichibukai are a group of notorious pirates who work for the World Government to control other pirates. Most of them are very strong, although there are also weak ones like Buggy and Gecko Moria, at least they have a significant influence on the life of pirates. The Shichibukai use devil fruit as their primary source of power, although some are not devil fruit users, such as Mihawk and Jinbei. Talking about the Shichibukai, there are always some mysteries behind it that are still not revealed until its disbandment, such as Mihawk's true strength, Weevil's background, and what powers he uses Kuma's decision to become a Shichibukai, and so on. But of the many mysteries, one mystery is rarely raised even in the One Piece Community, which is related to the absence of Zoan users in the Shichibukai. There are 6 Paramecia users and 2 Logia users in the Shichibukai, but why isn't there a single Zoan user? Even the other Great Powers like Marines and Yonko have always had Zoan users in their ranks. So here are some possibilities and reasons why there are no Zoan users in the Shichibukai.

The Assumption That Says Standard Zoan Users Are The Weakest 

The Jailer Beast, the first Awakened Zoan user ever seen.

    Among the three types of Devil Fruits, Zoan is the most different type from the others. This type of devil fruit makes the user turn into an animal and gain some physical strength increase, but their most significant asset is just physical strength. They lack flexibility and usability as most Zoan users tend to be straightforward and straightforward in using their powers. That's why Rob Lucci once said that Zoan-type devil fruits are the best choice for a fighter who relies on close combat, and the more he trains their physique, the more power he gets, as simple as that. This meant that someone skilled in martial arts and other fighting styles would benefit the most. Saying that Zoan users are the weakest among other devil fruit users might be a bit of an exaggeration. However, their power can still be useless and inferior compared to Paramecia and Logia users. The most common type of devil fruit is the Paramecia. Still, in terms of abilities, this type is the most versatile with its power range from someone being able to control the environment around them, modifying their body to producing and manipulating several substances.

    Meanwhile, the Logia type, known to be the strongest of the three, can turn the user's body into a natural element that can somehow render the user's body intangible. This type of devil fruit can be the most troublesome because the level of destruction is beyond reason, ranging from the size of a building to the scale of a large island. In battle, it doesn't matter how weak the user is, but for sure, the user of these two types of devil fruit can always get every opponent in trouble.

    Another thing that makes this power seem useless is that there are so many characters in One Piece with more significant physical strength than Zoan users. For example, Jozu, a Paramecia user, has power far more critical than his body size, and he can lift and throw icebergs several hundred times his size. Zoro, who is not even a devil fruit user, can surpass Kaku in terms of strength alone, making Kaku admit Zoro is a monster because of his power. Then there is also Whitebeard, who shows extraordinary physical endurance and is far from the average human being. He can withstand various physical attacks for a long time until the end of his life. By far, the most impressive thing a Zoan user did regarding their strength was repelling Big Mom's ship, which was several times her body, but that was because King was an Ancient Zoan wielder who was fundamentally stronger than a standard Zoan. Somehow, this seems ironic because their most significant benefit as Zoan users doesn't look that impressive in the One Piece universe.

Zoan Type Doesn't Match Shichibukai Character and Abilities.

Left to right: Kaido, Marco, and Sengko, the most robust Zoan users so far.

    What makes most of the Shichibukai feared among pirates is not because of how strong they are as individuals or how much influence they have in the pirate world, but because of their characteristics which are a combination of intelligence, cunning, cruelty, and arrogance at the same time. This is also reflected in their devil fruit abilities which most of them are very dangerous and full of deceit. In terms of capabilities that have a lot of tricks in them, Paramecia and Logia types are the best for someone as intelligent and cunning as Crocodile, Doflamingo, Moria, and Kuma, with their abilities not only valuable for battle but off the battlefield as well. Like what happened to Doflamingo being able to use his threads to attach his internal organs when he took damage or how Kuma could propel himself for long distances at the speed of light, which somehow made him look like he was teleporting, this shows how versatile their abilities are. Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to defeat him against Logia users such as Crocodile without Haki, sea stones, and certain elements that can counteract the parts of the Logia user. Beating the Shichibukai, who are very slippery in using Paramecia or Logia powers, is not an easy task because one must be smart enough to analyze the abilities they use and find ways to counter them. This complexity is rare when dealing with Zoan users, especially Standard Zoan users because you need someone powerful who can overpower the Zoan user's strength.

    Then finally, a Mythical Zoan user appears, and instantly, the Zoan's initially underestimated power becomes a force to be reckoned with. That was because the Mythical Zoan not only gave physical strength on par with the Ancient Zoan, but they also had special powers, just like in real mythological stories. Like Kaido's dragon form, which can control various elements and launch a cloud of fire, Marco's phoenix form gives him fast recovery abilities, or Sengoku's Buddha form, which can generate massive shockwaves from his palms. This kind of power was powerful, but still, not a single member of the Shichibukai possessed the Mythical Zoan devil fruit. That's because so far, the Mythical Zoan in One Piece has only appeared to the strongest fighters in the Marine and Yonko ranks, both of whom are arguably the most vital groups in the One Piece universe. Even though the Shichibukai is one of the Three Great Powers, the Shichibukai still seem to be weaker compared to them because their strength levels vary, from someone who doesn't even deserve to be in the Shichibukai for being too weak like Gecko Moria to someone as strong as Mihawk who can match Shanks, one of the Yonko. The only candidate who will possibly use a Zoan-type devil fruit is Edward Weevil. This is due to his stupid, straightforward, and innocent-looking personality and the way he fights, which seems to be more of pure brute strength than the complex abilities commonly used by Paramecia or Logia users. Whether this possibility is genuine or not, we as readers can only wait until Weevil's power is revealed.