10 Most Powerful One Piece Pirates Alive, Ranked

The storyline of One Piece has transformed significantly since its inception in Shonen Jump in 1997, ranging from the humorous escapades of a flexible pirate to battling an autocratic regime controlled by actual demons. Along this journey, not only has the main character become progressively mightier, but so have his companions, both crewmates and adversaries. Across Warlords and Emperors of the Sea, One Piece showcases numerous legendary powerful figures in every direction, and these are the most potent pirates among them – the living legends of the seas.

Indeed, determining exactly how many highly potent pirates there are, even among those currently living, is a complex task due to the uncertain status of characters such as Kaido, Big Mom, Law, and Kid. Listing and ranking every powerful pirate, both dead and alive, would be challenging given the sheer number of individuals and the tendency for the same prominent figures like Roger, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom to repeatedly appear at the top. Besides, it’s not very exciting to constantly see the same strong characters in such a list. Additionally, there are still pirates like Joyboy and Rocks D. Xebec whose abilities remain a mystery, with their strength being shrouded in legend. Considering all of these factors, we can refer to the most powerful pirates that are currently alive in One Piece.

10) Aokiji/Kuzan

In the world of “One Piece,” Kuzan’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. From ascending nearly to the rank of Fleet Admiral, symbolizing the Navy’s power, to commanding a vessel as the Sea Emperor, his path is certainly unpredictable and thrilling. Yet, despite these transformations, Kuzan continues to be a persistent adversary for the Straw Hat pirates.

Regarding Kuzan’s power, it’s well-known across Punk Hazard that his Chilly Chilly Fruit can cause extensive damage. Furthermore, his fight against Garp demonstrated his combat skills, as he was able to overcome the legendary Marine Hero. This suggests that Kuzan’s abilities should not be underestimated, especially considering Garp’s expertise in both Observation Haki and Armament Haki as a former Admiral.

9) “Black Leg” Sanji

Despite not considering Sanji’s newly discovered Germa heritage, it’s evident that the Straw Hat Pirates’ esteemed cook is one of the most formidable fighters among the crew, forming part of its fearsome trio alongside Zoro and Luffy. What sets Sanji apart in combat is his unorthodox approach – he chooses not to use his hands to avoid compromising his cooking skills. Remarkably, this limitation doesn’t hinder him in any way, be it power or speed. In fact, Sanji has demonstrated exceptional feats such as blocking a lightning-fast attack from Kizaru using only his foot, as displayed quite recently in the One Piece anime.

Regarding his abilities, Sanji has mastered two types of Haki – Observation and Armament Haki. There’s ongoing discussion about whether he might also have Conqueror’s Haki, but if given the appropriate circumstances during the Final Saga, it’s possible that he could activate this power as well.

8) Dracule Mihawk

In their pirate adventures, the Straw Hats initially came across a formidable swordsman named Mihawk who left an enduring impact. At one point in history, it was said that he fiercely competed with Shanks for supremacy. To this day, Mihawk continues to uphold his title as the World’s Strongest Swordsman, a title that he defended during the Paramount War.

Following the dissolution of the Warlords, Mihawk’s re-emergence as a pirate is an exhilarating development, despite his prolonged absence. However, aside from vanquishing a green and inexperienced Zoro and cutting through some frozen tidal waves at Marineford, spectators have witnessed relatively few of Mihawk’s exploits, which places him towards the bottom of the most potent pirates in the world of One Piece.

7) Alber/King

Among all the adversaries Zoro has encountered at sea, King stands out as the most formidable opponent yet. This is evident from Zoro’s near-death battle against King on Onigashima. Besides his potent Ancient Zoan devil fruit, King’s Lunarian lineage renders him almost invincible, except for a brief moment when the flame on his back extinguishes. The fact that King’s Lunarian genes were employed in the creation of the extremely powerful Seraphim is testament to his immense strength, which could potentially be one of the primary reasons why his race was wiped out.

6) Scopper Gaban

Throughout most of the series, Scopper Gaban has been shrouded in mystery. People knew only that he was Roger’s right-hand man, with few other details revealed about him, until the Elbaf Arc. Known as “The Mountain Eater” because he leveled the mountains of Elbaf, Gaban might appear old today, but like Rayleigh, he is not to be underestimated.

In the multiple flashbacks we’ve seen in “One Piece,” it’s clear that Gaban is particularly skilled with dual axes, using them with the same intensity as a sword. Moreover, during the Elbaf Arc, it was revealed that Gaban boasts Future Sight, superior Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror’s Haki, making him an incredibly formidable character.

5) “Dark King” Silvers Rayleigh

Mentioning the “Dark King” Silvers Rayleigh on this list is a must, despite his legendary captain not being included himself. Though Rayleigh hasn’t been active since his encounter with Blackbeard and the Marines during the Wano Arc, even the smallest glimpses of him demonstrate his prowess, even in his supposed retirement years.

During the timeskip, Rayleigh served as Luffy’s mentor, making it no wonder that he is proficient in all three forms of Haki and can even navigate its intricate complexities. His encounters with powerful figures like Kizaru, evident during the Sabaody arc, underscore the fact that the Straw Hat crew is fortunate to have him as an ally instead of facing him as a foe.

4) Roronoa Zoro

As a key companion to Luffy and part of the notorious Worst Generation, Zoro has consistently been recognized as the second strongest Straw Hat, even though Sanji might dispute this. However, it was during the Wano Arc that Zoro truly unveiled his full potential, especially in his battle against King, where he finally perfected the art of wielding Enma.

Moreover, although the anime hasn’t been explicit about this detail until now, the Elbaf Arc in One Piece has definitively revealed that Zoro has Conqueror’s Haki. Once he masters its use, it seems there may be no obstacle preventing him from realizing his ambition of becoming the most powerful swordsman in the world.

3) Marshall D. Teech/Blackbeard

Blackbeard boasts a remarkable collection of achievements, such as defeating the ex-Emperor Whitebeard, obliterating the Heart Pirates, capturing Pirate Island, and ascending to the rank of Emperor of the Sea himself. Not only does this make him one of the most powerful characters in One Piece, but he is also uniquely gifted with the ability to wield two devil fruits simultaneously, both of which possess immense power.

The Marineford Arc demonstrated the devastating capabilities of the Quake-Quake Fruit. Furthermore, the Dark Dark Fruit appears to have limitless uses, combined with Blackbeard’s unique heritage and Haki, making him a formidable and unpredictable threat.

2) Shanks

In the world of One Piece, although Shanks doesn’t possess a strong Devil Fruit, his extraordinary use of Haki makes him stand among the most formidable pirates. His mastery over Armament Haki, Future Sight, and Conqueror’s Haki more than compensate for the absence of a powerful Devil Fruit.

In the Volume 4 Billion of “One Piece,” released around the time of “Film: Red,” an intriguing moniker emerged – the “Observation Haki Killer.

1) Monkey D. Luffy

During the Wano Arc, Luffy undeniably unlocked Gear Five and significantly boosted his power. Currently, it’s apparent that he stands as the mightiest pirate in One Piece. Granted, we haven’t witnessed the full extent of Joyboy, Imu, or the Five Elders’ abilities, Luffy could also be considered the strongest character overall within the series.

Admittedly, Gear Five has one major flaw – it puts a heavy strain on Luffy’s body. But when you consider that the Nika Fruit grants him abilities that seem to transcend physical laws and logic, this seems like a minor issue. Moreover, Luffy’s powers extend beyond just Future Sight, surpassing Katakuri in this regard. He has also mastered Armament Haki, Ryuo, and can utilize all these abilities simultaneously with Conqueror’s Hiki – as demonstrated on Onigashima. All that remains is for Luffy to discover the secret to vanquishing the eternal Five Elders and Holy Knights, and he’ll be truly invincible.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

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2025-08-28 22:43