One Piece is one of the longest-running anime series of all-time, and as time goes by, there seems to be no limit to its popularity. The show's clorful cast and impressive world-building have entertained audiences for over two decades, creating a massive following of dedicated fans around the world.
Because of One Piece's long-running nature, there are hundreds of characters that appear throughout the series, ranging from trustworthy Marines to bloodthirsty pirates. Some of these individuals, including One Piece's protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, are incredibly powerful, and with the iconic shonen series finally entering its endgame, the pecking order among the Grand Line's strongest characters is clearer than ever.
Updated on September 8, 2023 by Kennedy King: As the Raid on Onigashima draws to a close, it's clear that the landscape of One Piece will never be the same. Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are stronger than ever before, and with the end of their journey finally on the horizon, they're ready to challenge the series' strongest fighters.
27 Queen The Plague
The Beast Pirates are arguably the most fearsome crew in the New World, due in large part to the presence of powerful fighters like Queen the Plague. As Kaido's second-strongest subordinate, Queen is incredibly dangerous, wielding the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Brachiosaurus with extreme efficiency.
In addition to his Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit, Queen also uses some of the most sophisticated technology seen in One Piece, much of which he gained while working alongside Dr. Vegapunk. These abilities are amplified by his use of Armament and Observation Haki, and as result of his versatility, he's more dangerous than almost any other pirate in the New World.
26 Donquixote Doflamingo
Donquixote Doflamingo is arguably the best villain that One Piece has ever introduced. His deceitful tactics and ability to manipulate people make him a cunning leader, while his command of all three forms of Haki and the powers of his Awakened String-String Fruit allow him to go toe-to-toe with the Grand Line's strongest pirates.
Although Monkey D. Luffy ultimately defeats Doflamingo during the Dressrosa Arc, it takes the combined efforts of the Straw Hat Pirate and Trafalgar D. Water Law to do so. The former Warlord of the Sea is currently being held in Impel Down, but if he ever escapes, he's sure to pose a major probem for anyone unfortunate enought to cross his path.
25 Sanji
Like many of the Straw Hat Pirates, Sanji grew significantly stronger during the course of the Raid on Onigashima. After finally embracing his Germa genetics, Sanji's strength and speed went through the roof, allowing him to overwhelm Queen the Plague in one-on-one combat.
Since Sanj doesn't use Conqueror's Haki or a Devil Fruit, his Germa enhancements will be vital to his growth in the New World. Thankfully, if his victory over Queen is any indication, the hot-blooded chef is more than prepared to take on most of One Piece's strongest characters.
24 King The Conflagration
For many years, the Lunarians (an ancient race of humans) were thought to be extinct; however, King the Conflagration's backstory revealed that he is their only known survivor. This explains the Beast Pirate's ability to generate fire — a trait specific to Lunarians — as well as his ability to survive almost any attack without suffering significant damage.
King's long list of abilities is not limited to those that stem from his Lunarian DNA. As evidenced by his clash with Roronoa Zoro, King possesses incredible skill with a blade, which is made even more devastating by his masterful use of his Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit, the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Pteranodon.
23 Charlotte Katakuri
While most the danger associated with Big Mom Pirates stems from their titular captain, Charlotte Katakuri is also a terrifying power that most One Piece characters should steer clear of. Considered the Big Mom's of Three Sweet Commanders, Katakuri's skills in combat are as refined as almost any character in the series.
Thanks to his tremendous grasp of Observation Haki, Charlotte Katakuri can utilize Future Sight, allowing him to see brief glimpses into the future. On top of this, Katakuri's Awakened Devil Fruit power grants him the power to turn himself and surrounding objects into Mochi, providing him numerous ways of approaching combat.
22 Crocodile
Another of One Piece's most memorable opponents, Crocodile is a former Warlord of the Sea and leader of the now-defunct criminal orgainization, Baroque Works. The Sand-Sand Fruit, his Logia-type Devil Fruit, is immensely powerful, and were it not for his weakness against water, he would have likely made quick work of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Crocodile has clashed with some of One Piece's strongest characters, including the legendary Emperor of the Sea, Edward Newgate. While the former leader of Baroque Works clearly isn't on the same level as characters like Whitebeard, his strength far surpasses that of most New World pirates and Marines.
Yamato
One Piece characters tend to inherit much of their strength from their parents; with this trend in mind, it's easy to see why Yamato is such a dangerous opponent. Her father, Kaido, stands head-and-shoulders above most of the series' strongest fighters, and although Yamato deeply despises him, she certainly embodies his strength and sheer willpower.
Yamato utilizes Conqueror's Haki with world-class precision, demonstrating the ability to coat her attacks in black lightning by using the powerful technique. This alone makes her incredibly strong, but in conjunction with her Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit powers, she's legitimately nearing the same level of strength as Admirals and Emperors of the Sea.
21 Roronoa Zoro
Roronoa Zoro has been depicted as Monkey D. Luffy's strongest crewmate since One Piece's Romance Dawn Saga, and following his defeat of King the Conflagration, there's no question that this is still the case. The three-sword-style fighter is determined to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, so he'll need to grow even stronger if he hopes to defeat Dracule Mihawk.
Because of his intense drive to become the best swordsman in the world, Zoro possesses powerful Conqueror's Haki, which he can now imbue into his attacks thanks to his battle against King. After becoming only the second person to scar Kaido's body, Zoro once again announced his presence throughout the Grand Line, signaling a showdown with Mihawk in the near future.
20 Boa Hancock
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As the Pirate Empress of the Sea, the captain of the Kuja Pirates, and the only female Warlord of the Sea, Boa Hancock is a force to be reckoned with. During One Piece, Hancock's beauty is frequently mentioned, leading many fans to forget just how powerful she truly is.
Boa Hancock doesn't just possess all three forms of Haki — she also uses the Love-Love Fruit, granting her the power to transform anyone captured by her charm into stone. Using these two tools, the former Warlord of the Sea can protect Amazon Lily and the rest of the Kuja tribe from almost any foreign threat.
19 Silvers Rayleigh
The Roger Pirates are arguably the most-accomplished crew in One Piece history, and without their legendary first mate, SIlvers Rayleigh, none of their successes would have been possible. Alongside the King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger, Rayleigh traveled throughout the Grand Line, learning the world's secrets and most powerful techniques.
A master of all three forms of Haki, Silvers Rayleigh is unbelievably strong, even briefly going toe-to-toe with Admiral Kizaru during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc. Were it not for Rayleigh's advanced age, he would still be one of the strongest characters in the entire series.
18 Marco The Phoenix
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The Whitebeard Pirates disbanded during One Piece's two-year timeskip, but that doesn't take away from the strength of its strongest surviving member, Marco the Phoenix. As the former first mate of Whitebeard, Marco is still the strongest pirate to serve under an Emperor of the Sea, having stood on his own against Admirals, Warlords, and even other Emperors of the Sea.
Most of Marco's strength stems from his mastery of the Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Phoenix. It grants him the power of flight as well as extreme healing, preventing all but the strongest opponents from even leaving a mark on him.
17 Eustass Kid
As one of the 12 pirates deemed the “Worst Generation”, Eustass Kid is anything but weak. Before One Piece's timeskip the Kid Pirates earn a reputation for causing indiscriminate destruction, and since then, their captain has only grown stronger.
Eustass Kid's Devil Fruit, the Magnet-Magnet Fruit, can naturally attract and deflect metal objects, but following its Awakening during the fight against Big Mom, it can also apply these properties to non-metal objects. This, coupled with his dormant Conqueror's Haki, are enough to deal significant damage to larger-than-life opponents like Charlotte Linlin.
16 Sengoku
Until recently, Sengoku was the highest-ranking member of the Marines, so it's only natural that his strength would dwarf that of most One Piece characters. Although he's renowned for his tactical skills, which come from years of military training and experience, his Devil Fruit powers are also extremely dangerous.
Using the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha, Sengoku can transform into a giant, golden form that generates shockwaves strong enough to intimidate even the Blackbeard Pirates. While his advanced age has likely diminished his strength over time, the former Fleet Admiral of the Marine is still feared throughout the Grand Line for good reason.
15 Monkey D. Garp
As the father of Monkey D. Dragon and the grandfather of Straw Hat Luffy, Monkey D. Garp comes from arguably the most accomplished bloodline of fighters in One Piece history. During his youth, Garp earned acclaim and notoriety as the rival of Gol D. Roger, who he squared off against countless times.
Unlike most of One Piece's strongest fighters, Garp doesn't use any special powers or Devil Fruit-related abilities, instead relying on raw strength and incredible Haki to defeat his opponents. Even at his age, all but the most accomplished pirates in the Grand Line should fear Garp's fury.
14 Trafalgar D. Water Law
Trafalgar D. Water Law is the most popular character in One Piece that isn’t a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, partially due to his awesome Devil Fruit, the Op-Op Fruit. Using its powers, Law can effectively control the physical layout of the world around him, granting him the upper hand against any fighter whose Haki is too weak to defend against the Devil Fruit.
During the course of his battle with Big Mom, Law Awakens his Devil Fruit, significantly increasing its power and allowing him to stand on equal ground against other Emperors of the Sea. While his Haki will likely need to grow stronger to overcome One Piece's most powerful characters, the captain of the Heart Pirates is well on his way to cementing himself as one of the Grand Line's most fearsome opponents.
13 Fujitora
Issho, better known his Marine alias, Admiral Fujitora, is a major part of the Marines' military post-timeskip. His Devil Fruit, the Press-Press Fruit, grants Fujitora the ability to control the surrounding gravity, allowing for a variety of large-scale attacks.
Since he works as part of the Marines, Fujitora is bound by an oath to limit collateral damage on the battelfield. However, in the right circumstances, the Admiral is capable of leveling entire terrains, making him one of the most dangerous tools at the World Government's disposal.
12 Kizaru
As an Admiral of the Marines, Kizaru has posed a major threat to the Straw Hat Pirates on multiple occasions. Were it not for the interference of Bartholomew Kuma, Kizaru would have likely captured not only One Piece's main characters but all the Supernovas during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc.
All Logia-type Devil Fruit users are extremely strong, but even by their standars, Admiral Kizaru is a cut above the rest. His Glint-Glint Fruit allows him to travel at the speed of light, suggesting that he's one of the fastest characters in the history of the Grand Line.
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10 Aokiji
Also known by his real name, Kuzan, Aokiji previously served as an Admiral for the Marines. Following the timeskip, he's now associated with the Blackbeard Pirates, who are likely planning to use Aokiji's Devil Fruit, the Ice-Ice Fruit, for a variety of dastardly plans.
Aokiji's strength far surpasses that of most Marines, and within their ranks, he's only second to the current Fleet Admiral, Akainu. The events of the Marineford Arc highlight just how strong each Admiral truly is, so there's no denying that the vast majority of pirates would be hard-pressed to survive, let alone win, a clash with Aokiji.
9 Dracule Mihawk
Dracule Mihawk is arguably the first major pirate to appear in One Piece. The World's Strongest Swordsman crashes the party during the Baratie Arc, demonstrating what it looks like to truly be one of the strongest characters in the Grand Line.
Even to this day, the true power of Dracule Mihawk remains a mystery. He's virtually guaranteed to use Conqueror's Haki, and as the former rival of Shanks, it's suggested that he's on the same level as the other Emperors of the Sea. While Mihawk is destined to one day be defeated by Roronoa Zoro, it's obvious that he's still the most powerful swordsman in the Grand Line.