One Piece: 10 strongest characters

Who is the strongest pirate on the Grand Line? It may not even be a pirate, as we’ll be ranking the strongest characters in One Piece.

The characters of One Piece often bring such smiles and intrigue to the audience – but we tend to forget how powerful these pirates can be, even more so when we start to look outside of the Straw Hat crew towards the marines and villains of the series. The gang has their work cut out for them as the race for the One Piece picks up.

What defines strength in One Piece varies, so we’ll be considering not only the most extraordinary feats of strength we’ve seen in the series but also the proposed power of characters we know little about and their impact on the story. Now more than ever, with the final saga kicking off, prominent name characters may finally get their chance to shine.

Fair warning: this article contains spoilers from the One Piece anime and manga!

Ranking the strongest characters in One Piece

Who is the strongest in all the high seas of One Piece is a heavy question, mainly because we’ve seen imposing characters that we know could pack a punch but have yet to display their fighting prowess properly. But it takes more than strength to rule the seas.

10. Buggy the Clown

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Buggy the Clown is known as one of series creator Enchiiro Oda’s favorite characters, and his failing upward style rise to fame during the Marineford arc and post-time skip may show where preferences lie. Buggy’s an inspiration to his men and holds the majority influence over one of the largest forces the World Government could go up against.

While Buggy does not hold much in terms of raw power, his strength comes from his position as an appointed leader of the Cross Guild who hunts marines, is somehow named one of the Four Emperors, and technically has Mihawk and Crocodile working under him, as far as anyone knows. His charisma may carry him to pirate king contention.

9. Dracule Mihawk

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The world’s greatest swordsman needs the strength and technique to back up that title, and ever since his introduction, Mihawk has proved it at every encounter. From his initial fight against Zoro in the East Blue to the war at Marineford, Mihawk has displayed incredible feats of swordsmanship we know our three-sword-style friend will need to surpass to reach his dream.

Mihawk is one of the few characters who doesn’t name his attacks; he’s too cool for that. Though his title as a warlord has been revoked, and he’s now hanging out with Buggy’s crew, Mihawk is far from running and hiding. He’s a calm soul who doesn’t seek conflict, but if a fight starts, he’s the one finishing it with his enormous black sword, Yoru.

8. Big Mom

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Big Mom, aka Charlotte Linlin, may not seem like such a threat, but this monster has made an impression since the Straw Hats set off for the New World in the Fish-man Island arc with a threat directed at Big Mom. The crew experiences Big Mom’s wrath firsthand during the Whole Cake Island arc, where she tries to steal Sanji from the crew.

Ruling over a kingdom where she literally takes years off of your life so you can live to serve under her another day and sporting a soul-stealing Devil Fruit ability where, as long as you fear her, she can manipulate souls into whatever force she desires. There’s plenty to fear when Big Mom stands before you. Big Mom is one of the first villains the crew needs to run away from instead of fighting head-on because they know they don’t stand a chance against her.

7. Kaidou

Until his defeat at Luffy’s reality, altering Gear 5 hands and a massive volcanic explosion, Kaidou was a force of nature that just wouldn’t go down. His dragon powers and sheer strength alone earns him a title as one of the Four Emperors, but it’s his methods of ruling over his crew and Wano that really show off how powerful and menacing this beast is.

Kaido makes an impact as soon as he appears in Wano, which he rules with an iron fist, by defeating Luffy in just one attack and imprisoning Ol’ Straw Hat to break his will and maybe get Luffy to join his crew. We’ve never seen this cruel approach firsthand before, further showing how much of a monster Kaidou is until we finally see that satisfying beatdown Luffy gives him.

6. Akainu

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Akainu has been a full-blown menace since he was introduced, putting up a brutal fight against Whitebeard, killing Ace, and giving Luffy his X-shaped scar on his chest. Akainu is a follower of “Absolute Justice,” where nothing can deny the law even when it’s wrong. Naturally, this leads to a scorched earth approach to piracy.

Though he now sits in the Fleet Admiral chair, often away from the conflict, his position and how he earned it shouldn’t be avoided, where former Admiral Aokiji lost his leg when he opposed Akainu’s promotion, and the pair fought it out. Akainu will almost certainly clash with the Straw Hats again; maybe Luffy will get revenge for his brother.

5. Monkey D. Luffy

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One Piece’s main man cannot be left out of the running for the strongest character. Luffy’s rubber abilities always catch people off guard before they’re delivered a solid smackdown, though it’s not just his Devil Fruit power that earns Luffy a high rank. Luffy has a natural tendency to make allies wherever he goes, so the tide and the forces of good can always turn in his favor. If there’s one thing Luffy can’t stand, it’s injustice restricting people’s freedom.

Luffy’s strength is rarely unearned as he’s the one always gunning for the big baddie of the arc, and when Luffy discovers that he and his crew couldn’t break the mold of the New World, he’s the one who declares the two-year training break so they could stand a chance. On top of all this, with Gear 5 unlocked, Luffy can do virtually whatever he desires during a fight and have a great time doing it.

4. Monkey D. Dragon

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Unlike father, unlike son, Dragon works from the shadows as leader of the revolutionary army and doesn’t show off his powers. This gives us minimal reference as to how powerful he is, but we do receive a brief glimpse when he helps Luffy escape the clutches of Smoker as the crew approaches the Grand Line, making short work of the most imposing marine we’ve met so far.

What gives Dragon his edge is his end goal of overthrowing the World Government; formerly a marine, he lost faith in the system and swore to bring it all down after witnessing the aftermath of the Ohara incident with Dr. Vegapunk; you’ll need to be powerful to even think about declaring that. This revolutionary leads a powerful army against the Marines, including Luffy’s brother, who’s inherited Ace’s Devil Fruit, Sabo.

3. Shanks

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Shanks has a lot of wins under his belts for moments that define his strength, him staring down the sea beast that took his arm, we find out he kept Kaido from entering the Summit War, his mere presence at Marineford ended the war, a single threat made Admiral Ryokugyu retreat from Wano, and most recently he puts down Eustass Kidd with a single attack when he comes looking for a rematch.

Though Shanks maintains many suspicious background activities, including talking with the Five Elders at one point, he firmly believes in the next generation of pirates. He seems to have good intentions towards his friends, wanting to protect more than conquer. We can only guess what will go down when Luffy finally reunites with his mentor.

2. Blackbeard

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Blackbeard is one of the most prominent antagonists in One Piece and lives in infamy for bringing Ace to the Marines. However, he and Luffy share many of the same views regarding following your dreams and the idealism of piracy. Blackbeard represents the evil side of the lifestyle, more accurate to real pirates, compared to Luffy’s freedom-loving perspective.

Fans tend to forget that Blackbeard is the one who gave Shanks his iconic scar; the exact terms and reason behind this fight are still unknown, but for Blackbeard to leave a mark on Shanks even before getting his Dark-Dark Devil Fruit should indicate how much of a powerful threat he is. Blackbeard possesses the ability to steal, transfer to others, and, most notably, use more than one devil fruit ability; since he’s stolen Whitebeard’s ability to cause earthquakes, Blackbeard has become one of the strongest entities in the world.

1. Imu

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We know strikingly little about the main antagonist of the final saga, Imu. Still, they’ve made their impact by ordering the destruction of the Lulusia kingdom like it was nothing with a weapon of mass destruction at their fingertips and wiping the floor with Sabo during his attempt to save Vivi’s father from Imu’s wrath.

A plot 800 years in the works, hinting at immortality, sitting on the would-be empty throne ruling the world from secret, having those who hold the most powerful seats in the World Government obey your every whim without question, Imu as they mysteriously want the Straw Hat’s old friend Vivi dead. Hopefully, we’ll find out how this situation unravels as the Egghead Island arc continues.

Those are our picks for the strongest characters in One Piece. Do you agree with our list, or have we snubbed your favorite pirate? For more anime, check out our rankings of the best fights in One Piece and what we consider the most emotional moments in the series.