6 One Piece Characters More Powerful Than Shanks

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Please be aware that this article contains spoilers from the One Piece manga!

Shanks is one of the most popular characters in One Piece, and he’s a huge inspiration to Luffy. He’s also incredibly powerful, and his strength is well-known throughout the world. Even though he doesn’t appear often, Shanks has always been a commanding presence. He meets a young Luffy in Foosha Village and completely changes his view of what it means to be a pirate. Because of Shanks, Luffy dreams of becoming the Pirate King and even gains the power of a Devil Fruit—though it might have been accidental. Years after he was first introduced, One Piece revealed just how much authority and strength Shanks possesses. Even after over 28 years of the story, we’ve only seen a small part of what he’s capable of, but it’s more than enough to show that he could defeat almost anyone in the world right now.

Shanks is an incredibly powerful warrior who relies on his masterful Haki and swordsmanship, not a Devil Fruit. He’s so intimidating that just being near him can strike fear into others. Uniquely, he can temporarily block opponents from using their Observation Haki. His Conqueror’s Haki is exceptionally strong – powerful enough to force even an Admiral to yield from a great distance. Despite being one of the world’s strongest fighters, he hasn’t yet reached the level of six legendary figures.

6) Edward Newgate

During the Marineford Arc, Shanks likely surpassed Whitebeard in strength, though Whitebeard in his prime was even more formidable. Despite being severely weakened and near death, the older pirate still demonstrated incredible power, shaking the entire battlefield. Whitebeard’s mastery of a tremendously powerful Devil Fruit, combined with his exceptional Haki, made him a truly terrifying opponent.

Even while battling a deadly disease, Whitebeard dominated most opponents during the Summit War. He fought until the very end, only falling after taking horrific injuries – including 267 sword cuts, 152 bullet wounds, and having half his face burned off by Akainu’s lava. When he was younger, Whitebeard was likely more powerful than Shanks, as he was considered on par with Gol D. Roger.

5) Gol D. Roger

Roger wasn’t just a father figure and mentor to Shanks; he was a man who experienced everything the world had to offer. Although he’s battling an unknown illness, his immense power is often underestimated because we haven’t seen its full potential. Considering he journeyed across the entire world and reached the final island – a feat no one had accomplished in 800 years – it’s clear he couldn’t possibly be weak.

So far in One Piece, we’ve only seen Shanks use one fighting technique: Divine Departure. Interestingly, this is the same technique used by Gol D. Roger. Shanks used it to powerfully defeat Eustass Kidd and his crew in Elbaf, while Roger used it to send Kozuki Oden, a famously strong samurai, flying a great distance with a single blow. The fact that both pirates wield similar swords further highlights how much influence Roger had on Shanks.

4) Harald

Shanks defeated Loki easily, but a fight with Harald, the most powerful king from Elbaf’s history, would have been a much greater challenge. While it hasn’t been definitively proven, many believe Harald was even stronger than Shanks, as he was considered on par with Rocks D. Xebec. Harald commanded respect not only from his own people but also from Xebec himself, who once fought him during a Reverie.

When their weapons and spiritual energy collided, the force blasted everything within five kilometers – far more powerfully than the legendary fight between Roger and Whitebeard. For over ten years, Xebec tried to recruit Harald, not just because he admired him, but because he needed the Giant’s strength to accomplish a grander goal.

3) Rocks D. Xebec

The Elbaf Arc of One Piece revealed Rocks D. Xebec, and he wasn’t what everyone expected. While the World Government claimed he started the God Valley Incident, it seems the whole thing was actually a plan to defeat him. What’s even more incredible is how powerful Xebec was without a Devil Fruit – strong enough that Imu himself had to intervene at God Valley, intending to control him.

Xebec’s lineage traces back to the legendary pirate Davy Jones, and he still holds many hidden secrets that will be uncovered in the Final Saga. While Shanks is incredibly powerful, the difference between his strength and that of Xebec and Harald isn’t vast. However, unlike those two legendary figures from decades past, Shanks hasn’t yet demonstrated a similarly devastating level of power.

2) Imu

The recent events on Elbaf have confirmed Imu’s role as the story’s main villain and demonstrated that they are currently the most powerful character. While much about Imu remains a mystery, we’ve now seen a hint of their immense power – the ability to cause widespread destruction and fight numerous enemies all without ever leaving Pangea Castle.

Imu has a demonic power that lets them control people like puppets, boosting their strength and even healing them. They can remotely control these puppets’ bodies, and this control extends to powerful figures like the Five Elders and several Holy Knights.

1) Joy Boy

Although we’ve only seen a shadowy outline of Joy Boy in One Piece so far, the story strongly suggests he was the most powerful person ever, and someone Imu still fears. During the Egghead Incident, Emeth used Joy Boy’s Haki – power that had been preserved for over 800 years – and it was enough to overwhelm Imu, even within the safety of Pangea Castle.

Joy Boy is believed to be the very first pirate, and he lived during the time of the Ancient Kingdom. The world was at war, and Joy Boy fought against a massive alliance of nineteen powerful leaders. It’s possible Imu was among them. He ultimately lost, and it seems likely he was betrayed by someone he trusted.

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2025-10-26 02:11