Summary
Highlights
Kaido was mentioned in Chapter 432 in 2006, equating him to Shanks and Whitebeard. Despite this early hype, he wouldn't be formally introduced until Chapter 795 in August 2015, almost nine years later, becoming one of the most anticipated characters in the series due to minimal but significant mentions throughout various arcs.
Kaido's official introduction in Chapter 795 is hailed as the best in One Piece, describing him as a virtually unkillable entity who sought death and was the 'strongest creature in the world'. This four-page narration set incredibly high expectations for his character.
After 12 years of setup, Oda had to deliver on the massive expectations for Kaido. Unlike previous antagonists, Kaido's motivation, though initially appearing generic, was to spark the greatest war the world had ever seen, aligning with Kozuki Oden's prophecy and the destructive aspect of the Sun God Nika, seeking a world determined by strength and equality through conflict.
Kaido's profound desire for a significant death, similar to Whitebeard and Gold D. Roger, stems from his near-immortality. He views death as completion and is envious of those who achieve it gloriously, seeing himself as incomplete. This fascination also leads him to judge others based on how they face their end.
Despite 16 years of anticipation, Kaido's backstory, revealed in 2022, was notably brief, spanning only three and a half pages. This contrasts sharply with other antagonists like Big Mom, who received dedicated chapters for her past. The brevity is attributed to Oda's need to avoid revealing larger plot points tied to the ancient giants, the Rocks Pirates, and Joy Boy, as well as a rushed ending to Wano to promote 'One Piece Film Red'.
The immense time investment by readers (16 years) in Kaido led to expectations of a substantial payoff, which his brief backstory failed to meet. This resulted in a perception of his character being superficial despite his critical role as a climactic antagonist.
Kaido served as a 'spectacle antagonist' alongside Kurozumi Orochi, providing raw strength and exhilarating fights. His battle against Gear Fifth Luffy is considered one of the best in the series, showcasing his formidable power and contributing significantly to the action of the Wano arc.
Oda admitted that when he introduced Kaido, he didn't know how Luffy would defeat him, wanting more than just a 'strong punch'. To overcome Kaido in a short in-world timeframe, Luffy rapidly unlocked three major upgrades: advanced armament haki, advanced conquerors haki, and finally, Gear Fifth. Despite this, Luffy ultimately defeated Kaido with a powerful punch, which Oda had initially aimed to avoid, showcasing the difficulty in concluding such a powerful antagonist's reign.
Kaido's defeat, despite the visual spectacle, felt somewhat underwhelming, ending with a 'standard whack in the face'. The video concludes that Kaido, while a great villain with compelling motivations, ultimately fell short of his full potential due to an underexplored backstory, shared emotional weight with Orochi, and Oda's struggle to provide a satisfying, non-standard defeat. He is rated as an 'A tier' antagonist, top-tier but incomplete.