The Arlong Park arc was one of the earliest—and arguably best—stories of the One Piece narrative. It was primarily focused around Nami, illuminating much of her backstory such as her obsession with money, the tattoo on her arm, and her frequently unreliable nature.

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It also introduced us to the Fish Men, the strongest foes that Luffy had yet encountered at the time. By ranking the most powerful heroes and villains of the arc, we have a better understanding of its deadliest active characters and those whose contributions were minimal.

10 Nami

Nami Angry

Nami was the Strawhat Crew's navigator and the reluctant vassal of Arlong. He used her village's freedom to blackmail her into compliance, and considering that she had no special abilities to speak of (whether devil fruit or unique weapons), she had no choice but to comply.

Though she would grow stronger throughout the duration of the series, she was essentially powerless against the Fish Men and too terrified to even oppose them. As a result, she was mostly useless in the arc, instead of motivating Luffy to free her from Arlong's oppression.

9 Momoo

momoo the sea cow in one piece

Momoo was a massive aquatic creature and one powerful enough to capsize boats. It answered to the beck and call of the Fish Men, serving as reinforcements during the civilian uprising and subsequent battle for Arlong Park.

Despite its gigantic size and immense strength, Momoo is abysmally lacking in durability. It was defeated by a single one of Sanji's kicks on two separate occasions, easily bludgeoned into submission. This was much to the frustration of Hatchan, who relied on his pet much more desperately than was advisable. Though Momoo may be imposing enough to defeat Nami, his low durability renders him an inconsequential threat.

8 Chew

Chew One Piece

As his name and pouting lips suggest, Chew's power comes primarily from his mouth. By suctioning a considerable amount of water and spitting it back, he can unleash barrages devastating enough to raze entire swathes of forest.

However, he is lacking in virtually every other aspect of the battle. He failed to outrun Usopp despite his superior size, is much physically weaker than his Fish Men brethren, and was handily outsmarted and defeated through the sniper's limited arsenal. Considering how his opponent had no devil fruit powers or immaculate training to speak of—presenting himself as just a normal guy—it attests to Chew's incompetence.

7 Usopp

One Piece Usopp pointing and shouting

Despite his gibbering and cowardly mannerisms, Usopp is deceptively strong. He was able to withstand the Fish Man's direct attacks, has incredible speed and endurance—able to run across the island without so much as being winded—and was even physically strong enough to knock out Chew with a frying pan.

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Though his tactics may not have been effective against the other enemy pirates that are capable at close range, they were nonetheless a testament to his resourcefulness and versatility. Should one underestimate the sniper, they are destined to lose.

6 Kuroobi

One Piece Kruoobi vs sanji

Kuroobi was Arlong's most faithful lieutenant and the progenitor of "Fish Man Karate." He was strong enough to contend with Sanji and fought intelligently against him, luring the cook into the water before making his move. At full speed, he is even powerful enough to crack concentrate with his bare hands.

This renders him an extremely deadly threat and one that few can overcome. Fortunately, Sanji was able to defeat him by exploiting his unique physiology and forcing him to resurface in order to breathe.

5 Sanji

Sanji possesses enormous physical strength and durability, able to kick gigantic monsters into the sky and shatter impervious armor presumed impossible to break—seen through his battle against Don Krieg's Pearl. He could also withstand being driven into the ground at an alarming speed by Kuroobi and held his breath underwater for several minutes after he thought he was going to pass out.

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These considerations put together render him a competent warrior and one that few can stand a chance against. His agility is also a profound asset, able to defeat dozens of seasoned marines using only his feet.

4 Hatchan

Hatchan Fighting

Hatchan's octopus physiology sets him at a unique advantage over even many of the other Fish Men. He was powerful enough to pose a threat against Zoro, a man who had already made his reputation across the East Blue for his skill—though he was still recovering from his battle with Mihawk at the time of their fight.

In addition to having many appendages by which to skewer his foes, Hatchan can also create a gigantic tornado. This would sweep up lesser opponents like Sanji and make it impossible for them to defeat him.

3 Zoro

Zoro was Luffy's resident swordsman and a legend amongst East Blue marines and pirates alike. His triple sword style enabled him a number of fantastic techniques by which to defeat his enemies, using its unorthodoxy as his primary weapon.

Despite his immense injuries and how they were exacerbated in battle, he was able to defeat Hatchan and even had enough strength left to defy Arlong (albeit unsuccessfully). This speaks to his fortitude, resilience, and nearly unparalleled durability—eclipsed only by Luffy himself on account of his elastic body and devil fruit.

2 Arlong

Arlong at his park

Arlong was a terrifying pirate who wielded power yet to have been seen in anything the Strawhats had faced at the time. He was durable enough to block Zoro's blade with his nose and strong enough to catch and crush cannonballs within his jaws. Many acknowledged his bite as a death sentence to those caught within it and considering his teeth were as tough as steel, it was a reasonable estimation to make.

The pirate was only defeated through being exhausted, bludgeoned into the ground by the relentless attacks of Monkey D. Luffy. Against any other of the Strawhats - or even his own men - he would have dominated them effortlessly.

1 Luffy

Despite his childlike and unassuming appearance, Luffy's boundless potential as a fighter overshadowed anyone else's in the arc. He was resilient enough to survive Arlong's bite, with agility to avoid most of his brutal lunges entirely.

His "Gum-Gum Battle Axe" technique could destroy ships and single-handedly brought down Arlong as well as the massive monument to his ego that he had constructed. The Strawhat Captain may lack in intelligence, but his outstanding combat abilities render him unbeatable by anyone else in that specific narrative storyline.

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