10 Most Powerful One Piece Characters Of All Time, Ranked

Be warned: This article reveals major plot points from the *One Piece* manga!

After over 28 years of publication, *One Piece* has introduced a huge cast of powerful characters. The story jumps between different time periods, with the enigmatic Void Century being central to the overall plot. Beyond the present storyline, which promises to drastically change the world, we’ve been shown many legendary figures through flashbacks. *One Piece* features two main sources of power: Haki and Devil Fruits. Some characters possess both, but that’s not the only factor determining how strong they are.

Figuring out the relative strength of characters in *One Piece* is tricky because the story often *tells* us how powerful someone is, rather than *showing* us. Many strong characters, like Monkey D. Dragon, Saint Figarland Garling, and Marshall D. Teach, haven’t demonstrated enough of their abilities or had enough focus in the story to confidently place them among the top 10. Plus, the recent developments in the Elbaf arc have significantly changed the power rankings. Here’s a list of the 10 *One Piece* characters who have clearly proven their strength and earned a spot on the list.

10) Kaido

While the title of “World’s Strongest Creature” might have been a little overstated for Kaido, considering other powerful characters existed, he was undeniably incredibly strong. He possessed both a rare and powerful Mythical Devil Fruit and mastered all three types of Haki.

I was really impressed by Kaido’s Conqueror’s Haki – it’s honestly among the best I’ve seen in the whole series, and it definitely explains why their fight lasted so long. He had this strong reputation for being unbeatable, and he actually believed only Joy Boy could take him down, which turned out to be correct. Even Luffy, as strong as he is, kept getting knocked down and had to push himself to unlock his Gear 5 form just to stand a chance.

9) Monkey D. Luffy

It’s easy to overlook just how powerful Luffy’s abilities are, partly because battles in *One Piece* are so chaotic and full of action. A lot happens at once, making it easy to miss important details. If he could maintain his stamina throughout fights, he’d quickly become recognized as even stronger. His Devil Fruit isn’t just about power; it gives him complete control over his environment and allows him to make his imagination real, which perfectly reflects a core idea of the series. Essentially, his abilities are the result of generations of people wishing for freedom.

Luffy consistently improves throughout the story, meaning his potential power in the final battle is limitless. He’s made significant progress with his Haki, especially since the Wano Country arc, and is becoming more skilled with his Gear 5 form as shown in the Egghead Incident. Soon, he’ll face the Holy Knights in Elbaf, likely learning how to counter their ability to regenerate.

8) Monkey D. Garp

While Luffy with his Gear 5 transformation is currently more powerful than Garp, Garp in his prime was the stronger fighter. Back then, his strength was legendary – some even compared him to Gol D. Roger! He became a famous Marine Hero purely through his incredible Haki, without needing a Devil Fruit. Even as an older man, he could still battle and hold his own against multiple powerful captains from Blackbeard’s crew.

He was strong enough to win any individual fight, but Blackbeard’s crew overwhelmed him with an ambush at Hachinosu. It’s unfortunate that despite his abilities, he couldn’t reform the Marines like Admiral Fujitora is attempting. Still, he did succeed in training a promising new group of Marines that fans are excited about.

7) Edward Newgate

Edward Newgate, more famously known as Whitebeard, was a legendary pirate considered one of the strongest ever to sail the seas. He was equal in power to Gol D. Roger, and while he might have been capable of even greater feats, that wasn’t what he desired. Whitebeard possessed the incredibly powerful Tremor-Tremor Fruit, a Devil Fruit that allowed him to create devastating earthquakes. Combined with his mastery of Haki, this made him nearly invincible. What viewers saw during the Marineford Arc only hinted at the full extent of his abilities, and even that display was awe-inspiring.

Despite being considered one of the strongest characters, Akainu couldn’t defeat Whitebeard, who was already gravely ill. Whitebeard wouldn’t have lost to Akainu in a fair fight. Even after enduring an incredible amount of damage – 267 sword wounds, 152 gunshot wounds, 46 cannonball hits, and having half his face melted by Akainu’s magma – plus continued attacks from Blackbeard’s crew, Whitebeard died standing and delivered a powerfully memorable speech.

6) Gol D. Roger

We’ve only seen hints of how powerful Roger was, but considering he collected all the world’s riches, traveled to an island untouched for 800 years, and wasn’t reliant on any Devil Fruit powers, it’s clear he wasn’t weak. What truly set him apart from someone like Whitebeard was his skill and strength alone – he was even able to defeat Kozuki Oden, Wano’s most legendary samurai, with ease.

The manga is currently exploring a vital part of the story in the Elbaf Arc, focusing on what happened during the God Valley Incident. Because of this, we might learn more about the character’s powers, as he was involved in many fights back then.

5) Shanks

Shanks’ power level is a frequent topic of debate among fans, but he’s demonstrated incredible Conqueror’s Haki – rivaled only by Joy Boy. He’s earned the nickname “Haki Killer” due to his ability to briefly disable an opponent’s Observation Haki. After the battle in Wano, Shanks effortlessly intimidated a Marine Admiral from a great distance, forcing him to retreat. Similar to Gol D. Roger, Shanks fights with a single sword and doesn’t rely on a Devil Fruit for his abilities.

Honestly, when he took out the entire Kidd Pirates with that Divine Departure move, the whole fanbase was absolutely floored! And that was just a glimpse of what he’s capable of – his real power is on another level entirely. Seriously, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s the second strongest person in the world right now, only behind the enigmatic Imu!

4) Harald

Harald, featured in the Elbaf Arc of *One Piece*, is considered the greatest king in his country’s history. His immense size and incredible strength came from his ancestry, as he was descended from the Ancient Giants. Driven by a desire to improve his country’s future, Harald secretly attended the Reverie to gather information about the World Government.

Harald once fought Rocks D. Xebec, who was fleeing Marijoa after murdering an Admiral. Their battle was incredibly destructive, wiping out everything for five kilometers around them. This fight far surpassed the legendary clash between Whitebeard and Roger shown in Oden’s story – Harald completely overpowered both of them.

3) Rocks D. Xebec

Rocks D. Xebec was first mentioned a while ago, but we’re now learning more about his history. It’s revealed he wasn’t just a famous pirate, but also the father of Blackbeard. While everyone thought he was defeated by Roger and Garp, that wasn’t the full story. Furthermore, he isn’t as monstrous as Sengoku made him out to be. Despite this, his strength was immense, which is why the World Government was so afraid of him and portrayed him as a villain.

Decades ago, during the Reverie, Rocks encountered Imu. He effortlessly defeated an Admiral – a high-ranking Marine – and wasn’t even injured. He then caused chaos among the Holy Knights, fought Harald, and escaped without a scratch. The story is building up Rocks as a formidable character, and we’ll soon discover the full scope of his abilities.

2) Imu

Imu remains a mysterious figure, but there’s growing evidence suggesting they might be the ultimate villain of *One Piece* and possibly immortal. We first saw a hint of their power at the end of the Egghead Incident Arc when they killed Saint Jaygarcia Saturn from within Pangea Castle. Imu is already considered a powerful threat, and the ability to kill someone from a distance is unique and terrifying.

The Elbaf Arc reveals more about Imu’s incredible power – they can control anyone’s mind, turning them into a puppet. Imu can also strip away a person’s senses while simultaneously boosting their own abilities. This is especially useful for someone with so much power who never needs to leave Pangea Castle.

1) Joy Boy

The image clearly shows how little we know about the original Joy Boy in *One Piece* – we don’t even have a clear idea of what he looked like. Despite this, the story has given us enough clues to suggest he was incredibly powerful, potentially the strongest person ever, and someone Imu still fears. Even a small amount of his Haki, preserved within Emeth for centuries, was enough to overwhelm Imu, and the impact was felt all the way from Egghead to Pangea Castle.

Luffy’s extraordinary abilities worried the World Government, who always feared someone with the power of his Devil Fruit would reappear. This person, known as Joy Boy, lived 800 years ago and has now been reborn as Luffy, inheriting his will and powers. Joy Boy died during a massive war, fighting alone against nineteen powerful rulers to defend the Ancient Kingdom. The exact circumstances of his defeat remain unknown, but it’s possible he was betrayed by those he trusted most.

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2025-09-28 17:48