With the capacity to channel the earth-shattering power of Shanks' Haki, and deal out damage that few other blades in the world can match, Gryphon is the chosen weapon of the captain of the Red Hair Pirates in Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. A saber extending a little over average length, the blade has been at the center of some of Shanks' most memorable moments in the series, including his fights against Akainu, Whitebeard, and Eustass Kid. In its most recent appearance, Gryphon was used to utterly decimate the Kid Pirates aboard the Victoria Punk, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Although little has been explained about its origins and nature, there is no doubt that it might be one of the most powerful swords shown in the series so far, rivaling those of some of the strongest combatants in the pirate world.
Gryphon has been shown to clash evenly with Whitebeard's Murakumogiri, which has fueled a considerable degree of speculation regarding what class of blades it could belong to. The concept of Meito has long been established, even as far back as the Romance Dawn Arc with the introduction of Wado Ichimonji, which Zoro gained from his master after the death of his childhood friend, Kuina. In the years since, more has been illuminated about this system of classification, including the various levels of Meito which are ranked as per the quality of craft skills in their creation, as well as the exploits of the users who wielded them. A number of iconic swords and bladed weapons of many sorts have been categorized into the different classes of Meito in One Piece, and it would be no surprise if Gryphon also takes its place in the system in due time. With this in mind, there is the ever lingering question: is Gryphon one of the famed 12 Supreme Grade Blades?
What Is a Supreme Grade Sword?
Regarded as the highest echelon of Meito in the series till date, the 12 Supreme Grade Blades are swords or bladed weapons of the most exquisite quality in the known world of One Piece. Each of the blades from this class shown so far, belong to some of the strongest combatants of their time, and the feats they have been used to perform are the stuff of legend. Till date, three of the swords within this class have been revealed, with only Shodai Kitetsu having been named but not yet shown in the hands of its user.
Of the three, the first to be depicted on screen was Yoru, the black blade of the "Strongest Swordsman In The World," Dracule Mihawk. The first appearance of this sword was at the time of the Baratie Arc, when it was used to cleave an entire galleon cleanly into two. Later on, in the Summit War of Marineford, Mihawk performed even more incredible feats with the blade, such as cutting a massive column of ice. Shanks is said to have been a rival of Mihawk's before he lost his arm, so it might not be a stretch to compare the power that Yoru and Gryphon can channel.
Beyond this, the two other Supreme Grade Swords that have been shown so far are Ace, which was the cutlass of the former Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and Murakumogiri, a naginata wielded by Edward Newgate, also known as Whitebeard. When looking at the names mentioned in this list, it is not hard to see why these blades are exalted above those of all other swordsmen in One Piece. A single clash between Ace and Murakumogiri was shown to split the heavens, with the Conqueror's Haki emanating from the blades strong enough to create a cataclysmic explosion of power without them even coming into contact. Hence, it may be possible to compare these three swords to Gryphon, as it is known that the saber has gone up against two of them.
Shanks' Prowess With Gryphon
Even though there have been very few instances of Shanks employing Gryphon in combat till date, the little that has been shown is awe-inspiring to say the least. Gryphon was first tested in the series against Whitebeard's Murakumogiri, in a clash that split the heavens just like Newgate's previous fight against Roger. In many ways, Shanks' style echoes that of his former captain, relying on his swordsmanship and inhuman mastery of Armament and Conqueror's Haki to prevail against the strongest of opponents. The only named attack he has been employed in the series appears identical to one used by Roger against Kozuki Oden, and even bears the same name — "Divine Departure." While the act of pitting Shanks and Roger against one another might be difficult at this current juncture, with the limited data there is to go by, Shanks' only outright combat encounters have been brief yet breathtaking demonstrations of the immense power he wields.
In the first instance, Shanks was able to block a magma infused punch from the current Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, as he stepped in to bring the hostilities at Marineford to a close. Where incredibly strong pirates such as Jinbe or even Ace with his Mera Mera no Mi powers failed to minimize the damage dealt by Sakazuki's attacks, Shanks was able to stop it dead in its tracks with Gryphon, and prevent any collateral damage from reaching Koby, who was the intended target. Seemingly brushing off an attack like that from a Devil Fruit which is said to possess what could be the greatest offensive power in the Loga class is no mean feat, and Shanks made it look almost easy.
After this, Shanks' more recent combat encounter was against Eustass Kid and his crew aboard the Victoria Punk. Needless to say, the Kid Pirates did not stand a chance against the Emperor of the Sea, as Shanks decisively crushed Kid, Killer, and the rest of the crew in an instant, taking them all down with a single strike. This is perhaps the most terrifying demonstration of Gryphon's power yet, and it might only be a taste of what is to come in the final saga.
Could Gryphon Be A Supreme Grade?
Considering all the evidence at hand, it might not be a stretch to say that Gryphon is already on par with the Supreme Grade Swords, or at least the Great Grade Swords at the very least. Apart from the clash with Whitebeard shown before the Summit War, Shanks is also said to have dueled with Mihawk on a fairly regular basis, hinting that the blade has clashed with not just one, but two confirmed Supreme Grade Swords and come out entirely unscathed. Such an outcome should only be possible if the blade was one of the Supreme or Great Grade Swords which narrows down the possibilities a fair bit. Murakumogiri and Ace have not been confirmed as black blades as of now, so this might rule out any such requirement to attain the title of a Supreme Grade Sword. There may be a ways to go until more information comes to light about Gryphon's true nature, and till then, One Piece fans will have to survive on speculation and theories as the narrative builds towards its final climax.