Crocodile was one of the warlords of the Seven Seas and the main antagonist of the Alabasta arc. Though far from the most powerful villain in the One Piece universe, he was the first to defeat Luffy on two separate occasions decisively.
The Baroque Works leader's devil fruit allows him to disperse his body into sand, dehydrate anything in his vicinity, and cause massive devastation with a single strike. By measuring his strength against that of characters from different anime, fans can best gauge how formidable the pirate actually was.
10 Could Beat: Neji's Palm Technique Isn't Designed To Fight Him (Naruto)
Neji was able to unleash hundreds of palm strikes with dizzying speed. His jutsu is intended to negate his enemies' chakra flow, incapacitating them and rendering them vulnerable to his taijutsu.
However, considering that Crocodile's body comprises sand, it follows that his hands would not be able to rupture the Warlord's pressure points. Though Neji's deflection technique may be able to stave off his opponent for a time, he cannot maintain it indefinitely—as seen through his battle against Kidomaru—and would eventually falter due to exhaustion.
9 Would Lose: Tanjiro, Whose Water Breathing Form Could Penetrate Crocodile's Body (Demon Slayer)
Crocodile's physiology may render him a difficult opponent for most to fight, though he is made tangible when exposed to water. This would be a factor that Tanjiro could exploit based on his Water Breathing form—a technique he has displayed with affinity and prowess.
He would be able to make the Warlord solid in the same slice intended to decapitate him. Considering that Tanjiro was strong enough to cut through a giant boulder with a single stroke, it also follows that he would be able to overpower Crocodile and prevent him from blocking with his hook.
8 Could Beat: Arrow Relies On Subterfuge And Cannot Meaningfully Defend Herself (Fire Force)
Arrow was a member of the White Clad and a devoted servant of the Evangelist. Her projectiles were powerful enough to leave a scorching hole through her targets, with incredible range to compliment their destructive caliber—proven when she nearly assassinated Benimaru from miles away.
However, in addition to being resistant to extreme heat—proven through the events of Impel Down—Crocodile could also disperse his body in all directions and deny her a target to shoot. Once he became solid again and closed the distance, she would have nothing to defend herself with meaningfully.
7 Would Lose To: Chew's Water Vacuum Could Kill Crocodile In A Single Hit (One Piece)
Chew isn't strong enough to contend with most of the characters Crocodile would defeat with ease. His failure against Usopp demonstrates a lack of speed and durability.
However, the Fish Man's unique expectorating ability is potent enough to slay the Warlord before he realized his lapse in judgment. After siphoning a large body of water, he can unleash it with such velocity and reach that his attack can mow down an entire forest. This would allow him to make his opponent's body solid as he destroys it in the same attack.
6 Could Beat: Kirishima, Whose Reliance On Durability Wouldn't Protect Him (My Hero Academia)
Kirishima's "Hardening" quirk renders him an ample counter to many of the villains he fights. What is lacking in mobility is compensated for with resilience, tough enough to withstand a barrage of enhanced blades directly to the chest.
However, his power is only fueled by his stamina. Should Crocodile dehydrate him (which his enhanced body cannot protect against), the hero would quickly soften and become easy to defeat.
5 Would Lose To: Squalo, Who Could Diminish Crocodile & Rip Him Apart
Squalo was the Stand user of "Clash," a tiny shark that could appear in bodies of water. Anyone caught in its jaws would have their size reduced to become proportionately smaller than the predator.
Considering that Crocodile cannot disperse—as he is being dragged beneath an aquatic surface—and since his poison would not work against a Stand, he would have no means by which to retaliate against the treacherous criminal and save his own life.
4 Could Beat: Reiner, Whose Titan Armor Is Vulnerable To Infiltration (Attack On Titan)
Reiner was an incredibly powerful titan user that decimated a fortified wall with a single hit. However, he shares much of Kirishima and Neji's inhibitions in dealing meaningful damage against the Warlord through his limited arsenal.
Unfortunately, his armor would not be particularly useful in defending himself. Not only could Crocodile decimate it with a single attack—using the same potency he visited upon Alabasta's palace to create a gigantic crevice—the villain would also be able to disappear between the gaps in his armor and slay him from inside his own giant.
3 Would Lose To: Esdeath Has The Perfect Solution To Shut Down Crocodile's Defenses (Akame Ga Kill!)
Esdeath was the general of the empire and wielded an unspeakably powerful Imperial Arms. It allowed her to create massive columns of ice in a fraction of a second, including an army of decimating glaciers and impervious, protective barriers that not even Akame could navigate around.
Further, she can freeze time for roughly two seconds, allowing her an opportunity to petrify Crocodile before he becomes significantly more difficult to apprehend by dispersing. These advantages make it impossible for him to defeat her.
2 Could Beat: Gamagori (Kill La Kill)
Gamagori's uniform allowed him to absorb any attack dealt, reflecting and magnifying it against his opponents. This makes him a virtually invincible juggernaut that Ryuko struggled to defeat more than the rest of the Elite Four.
However, Crocodile has the means of circumventing his defenses without risking injury to himself. If he disperses through his life fibers and appears on the inside of his uniform, he could infect him with his poisoned hook, bringing the Disciplinary Chairman down in a matter of minutes.
1 Would Lose To: Grayroad's Commandment Would Turn His Aggression Against Him (Seven Deadly Sins)
Grayroad of Pacifism was one of the Ten Commandments' most sinister and formidable members despite her comparatively low power level. Anyone who attacked her would suffer the curse of the Demon King, rapidly aging until they became a desiccated husk of their former selves.
Considering that Crocodile has no tangible answers to being cursed, this entails that he would fall victim to the demoness's trick the second he attempted to attack her. In this regard, Grayroad would turn his unruly aggression against him and use it to prevail in their battle.