Overdrive is an advanced form of the base Ether Gear, allowing the user to harness the power of Ether at a considerably higher intensity. True to its namesake, Overdrive pushes the Ether Gearist into an overdrive state with Ether coursing all around their body, even going as far as changing physical appearance to an extent. While a pseudo-overdrive was previously witnessed being used by Jinn and Shiki in World. 29, only Drakken Joe was capable of attaining the true form of Overdrive.
However, Shiki soon joins the line-up of true Overdrive users as he awakens this latent power in his fight against Drakken Joe. The battle pushed him to his critical limits, forcing the power inside him to manifest in its true form. Being a Gravity Ether Gear user, Shiki’s Overdrive is rather unique, and the abilities he now has under his belt make him the rightful owner of the title of Demon King.
How Did Shiki Gain Access to the Overdrive State?
The exact method for awakening the Overdrive state is unknown, although Drakken Joe loosely outlines the prerequisites in World. 29. According to him, achieving the Overdrive state requires one’s body to be pushed to its critical limits, yet even this won’t guarantee these heightened powers as Overdrive largely depends on one’s own inherent strength.
Shiki was able to unlock a pseudo-overdrive state during his fight against Jinn in World. 29. While this state granted him a considerable amount of power, it paled in comparison to Drakken Joe’s true Overdrive state. The pseudo state barely changed his appearance as the only noticeable differences were the energy horns sprouting from his head and the one dimensional Ether lines on his body turning three-dimensional.
Despite being unaware of the prerequisites for awakening the Overdrive state, Shiki was able to manifest this latent power mere seconds before being shot in the head by Drakken Joe. The sudden nudge could be attributed to memories of World. 29 seeping into the current one, as Shiki suddenly remembered witnessing Weisz’s arm being cut off and himself being shot at by Drakken. The memories could have possibly resulted in an overwhelming influx of emotions, pushing his body beyond its current capabilities and awakening the true form of Overdrive.
Gravity Ether Gear Overdrive
Shiki’s Satan Gravity Ether Gear is already quite overpowered, evident from his swift battles with most foes. With such a powerful base Ether Gear, it comes as no surprise that Shiki’s Overdrive form grants him inexplicable power, turning him into a force to be reckoned with. The most notable aspect of his Overdrive form is the visible change in appearance, with outright changes in his body and clothing. His hair turns completely white with horns appearing on his head, and his arms become etched with a purple hue due to the surcharge of Ether coursing through him.
Apart from the physical changes, Shiki’s strength witnesses a colossal increase, even overpowering the likes of Drakken Joe in his Ether-infused form. Shiki’s gravity becomes so powerful that it turns into a blackhole of sorts, pulling in everything in sight, including memories. Seconds before disintegrating him with his blackhole, Shiki witnesses Drakken’s childhood memories filled with ridicule and an obsession with attaining permanence. This indicated that Shiki’s powers became powerful enough to even pull out the memories of another person.
Shiki’s other abilities naturally received a significant boost, with each gravity being punch loaded with absurd power. His signature Magimech Attack turned into a powerhouse of Ether, even defeating Drakken Joe with a simple Gravity Punch, though not without the power of his blackhole-like gravity aiding his attacks. In his current Overdrive state, Shiki is comparable to the likes of Drakken Joe and Elsie Crimson, two members of the Oracion Seis Galactica.
The Final Form of Overdrive
Shiki’s newfound power now puts him on the map as a powerhouse among the Sakura Cosmos. However, his true Overdrive form now begs the question of whether this is Ether Gear’s final advancement or is there more to come. Seeing how Overdrive initially has a pseudo-overdrive form, it can be safely assumed that with more training and exploration, Overdrive may evolve to an even stronger form.
Considering the series is currently in its second season and is yet to catch up to the manga, it’s highly plausible that Overdrive may evolve to a stronger form later on in the series. Reaching a power ceiling so early on can be detrimental, meaning further enhancements to this ability are the only likely route. Nevertheless, Shiki’s true Overdrive now paints him as the rightful owner of the moniker of Demon king, with his victory against an Oracion Seis Galactica member standing as a testament to this fact.