Why is Gomu Gomu a zoan?
The Gomu Gomu no Mi is a Paramecia Type Devil Fruit. It gives the user's body the properties of rubber. This turns them into rubber human. This fruit was originally known as the Hito Hito no Mi Model: Nika and was a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into the Legendary 'Sun God'.
The Gomu Gomu no Mi which is also referred to as “Hito Hito Model: Nika” It is a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that enables the user's body to stretch, making the user a rubber Human (ゴム人間 Gomu Ningen).
But as the Wano saga moved into its climax, we learned the Devil Fruit was a secret Mythical Zoan. However, the fruit did not fully manifest until Luffy devoured it, so he is the first Devil Fruit user to manifest the Sun God form. This update has gone on to confirm that Luffy's Devil Fruit is a two-in-one special.
In a shocking turn of events, it was revealed that the Gomu Gomu no Mi is actually a Zoan type of Devil Fruit and its real name is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. Although it may be confusing to some as to how that's possible, the basis for this was set quite early in the series.
Who is the first user of Gomu Gomu no Mi? In the Viz Manga, 4Kids and FUNimation dubs, it is called the gum-gum Fruit. It was originally a treasure that Shanks and his crew took from a CP9 member Who's Who, but was accidentally eaten by the series protagonist Monkey D. Luffy.
Luffy's Devil Fruit, the Gum-Gum fruit, is not exactly what it was believed to be up until now. In Chapter 1044, the Five Elders revealed that Luffy's Devil Fruit was actually the Human-Human fruit, and it's not a Paramecia type. It's a mythical Zoan fruit and the model is 'Nika. '
The Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu is quite easily the strongest Zoan Devil Fruit in the story so far. It was eaten by none other than Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, following the major battle on God Valley, 38 years ago. This Devil Fruit grants him the ability to turn into an eastern dragon and its hybrid at will.
7/7 Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix
The devil fruit was eaten by Marco when he was still an apprentice on Whitebeard's ship. Like the usual Zoan-type fruits, it grants Marco extra strength and recovery in addition to his flight powers. The blue flames from the devil fruit grant Marco incredible regeneration.
Nika is the name of a mythical warrior that was once revered as the Sun God by slaves from ancient times. He was first mentioned by Who's-Who, who heard about the legend from a prison guard during his imprisonment by the World Government.
Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits are the rarest subtype of the Zoan class in the One Piece world. Thought to be even rarer than the Logia types, the Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits offer quite interesting abilities that allow the users to turn into a mythical creature or their hybrid at will.
What is stronger ancient or mythical ZOAN?
Known to be the rarest type of Devil Fruit in the entire world of One Piece, the Mythical Zoan is up there with the strongest powers to exist in the story.
For instance, Logia allows the user to control an element like fire and Zoan allows the user to transform into an animal. Logia are considered to be the rarest, while Paramecia are the most common.

Yamato ate a Mythical Zoan Class Devil Fruit known as the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Okuchi no Makami, which allows her to willingly transform into a hybrid or full form of the wolf deity described as being the Guardian Deity of Wano.
Shanks' crew is known to have stolen the Gomu Gomu no Mi before Monkey D. Luffy ate it. Shanks is the captain of the Red Hair Pirates and the only Emperor to be there from the former batch.
Luffy's Gum Gum Fruit is one of the strongest in the world of One Piece, but there are still some varieties that are stronger. Gum Gum Fruit, also called the Gomu Gomu no Mi, is one of the most featured Devil Fruit in the world of One Piece.
However, the Wano Country arc revealed that the "Gomu Gomu no Mi" was only a name used by the World Government to hide the Devil Fruit's real name. In reality, the fruit's name is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika and it belongs to the Mythical Zoan class.
Sengoku transforms with his Devil Fruit. Sengoku ate the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Daibutsu, a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into a giant golden Buddha and a human-Buddha hybrid at will. This power is the source of his nickname, "Sengoku the Buddha".
This devil fruit is the most recent Mythical Zoan type to be revealed in One Piece. The devil fruit belongs to Yamato, Kaido's son, who used the power of the devil fruit in his fight against his father. With it, Yamato was able to hold his own against Kaido, the strongest creature in the world.