One Piece revolves around Monkey D. Luffy and his journey to find the greatest treasure in the world, known as the One Piece. Along his trek through the Grand Line, Luffy has gradually gathered a reliable crew who, despite having their own dreams, would sacrifice anything to ensure that their captain becomes the King of the Pirates.
Given the general trajectory of most shonen anime, it's fairly clear that Monkey D. Luffy will be the strongest character in One Piece by the end of the series. However, the Straw Hat Pirates are far from the only group sailing the Grand Line, meaning they will face a slew of incredibly strong fighters on their quest for the show's titular treasure.
Updated on September 30, 2023, by Kennedy King:As the Wano Country arc draws to a close, it becomes increasingly undeniable that One Piece is approaching its long-awaited conclusion. Although predicting the end-of-series power of individual characters is a bit of a crap shoot, viewers have more information than ever about the New World's major players. Armed with this knowledge, it's possible to piece together a solid idea of what One Piece's final standings will look like.
31 Enel
For a pre-time skip antagonist, Enel is incredibly powerful. As the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel possesses one of the strongest Devil Fruit in all of One Piece, and his lightning-based Logia abilities made quick work of almost every opponent that he went up against.
Besides his Devil Fruit, Enel is also the first One Piece villain to use Observation Haki against the Straw Hats. Assuming that his defeat at the hands of Monkey D. Luffy drove him to greater heights, Enel could make a major difference in the final saga of the series.
30 Koby
Koby is the first friend that Monkey D. Luffy makes on-screen, so it wouldn't be a shock if his path eventually paralleled that of Luffy. As a Marine Captain, Koby isn't terribly far from his goal of becoming an Admiral, and given the pacing of One Piece's Wano Country arc, he could end up in the position sooner rather than later.
While Koby may not be as flashy as other fighters, his pure heart and determined spirit are tools opponents would be wise not to underestimate. Wherever he ends up, Koby will almost certainly play a massive role in the series' final saga.
29 Queen
The Beast Pirates are one of the most feared pirate crews in the New World, largely due to the presence of dangerous individuals like Queen the Plague. Formerly a member of the scientific research unit known as MADS, Queen complements the powers of his Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit with some of the best technology that the Grand Line has to offer.
Given Kaido's status as an Emperor of the Sea, it's only appropriate that Queen also possess devastating strength as well. He forces Sanji to push past his limits during the pair's battle in the Raid on Onigashima, proving that the Beast Pirate is one of One Piece's strongest characters.
28 Vinsmoke Sanji
Vinsmoke Sanji is the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of their strongest fighters. Thanks to the Black Leg Style taught to him by Chef Zeff, Sanji is extremely proficient in most combat settings. This, combined with the physical augmentations performed on him as part of the Vinsmoke Family, resulted in the Grand Line's most fearsome cook.
Sanji's trajectory as a character isn't particularly clear at this point, since his goal of finding the All Blue has little to do with the Straw Hat Pirate's current goals. However, based on his prior accomplishments and massive strides as a fighter, he may dispatch a Marine Admiral all by himself by the end of One Piece.
27 Charlotte Katakuri
When the Straw Hat Pirates venture to Whole Cake Island, Monkey D. Luffy isn't strong enough to take on Charlotte Linlin. However, as evidenced by his battle with her son, Charlotte Katakuri, he went blow-for-blow with the Emperor of the Sea's second-in-command, who is incredibly powerful in his own right.
Thanks to the powers of his Mochi-Mochi Fruit, Katakuri can transform into and manipulate mochi, which he utilizes almost identically to a Logia-type Devil Fruit user. In addition to this, he also possesses a highly advanced form of Observation Haki known as Future Sight, granting him the ability to briefly glimpse into the future.
26 Yamato
Estimating Yamato's strength is difficult, but at the end of the day, Kaido's child wields several of the most powerful abilities in One Piece. Their Conqueror's Haki, Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, and battle experience make them a major ally to the people of Wano, and were it not for Yamato's assistance, there's a strong chance that the Raid on Onigashima would have failed.
Although Yamato isn't as strong as their father, Kaido, or their idol, Kozuki Oden, they're no pushover. Yamato effortlessly defeats Ulti with a single strike, and during their battle with Kaido, they even succeeded in drawing blood from the Emperor of the Sea.
25 King
Every great pirate captain has an impressive second-in-command; however, few are as fearsome as King the Conflagration. As Kaido's most trusted subordinate, King has accompanied the World's Strongest Creature for several decades, leaving a trail of defeated opponents in his wake.
King is part of the Lunarian race, which are an ancient, powerful group of people previously thought to be extinct. Because of his Lunarian DNA, King can create and manipulate flames, adding to a long list of abilities that already included impressive Haki and Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit powers.
24 Shiryu Of The Rain
Despite Blackbeard and his crew's position as an Emperor of the Sea, they tend to be very particular when moving against other forces. As a result, powerful characters like Shiryu of the Rain haven't gotten a chance to show just how strong they truly are.
Shiryu served as the Head Jailer of Impel Down for several years, and many of his peers stated he was equally strong as Grand Warden Magellan. If this is true, then the fact that he ate the Clear-Clear Fruit after joining the Blackbeard Pirates makes him a tremendous threat.
23 Roronoa Zoro
As Monkey D. Luffy's right-hand man and the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, Roronoa Zoro aims to become the World's Strongest Swordsman. To do so, he must first unseat Dracule Mihawk and his current claim to the title.
Throughout the Wano Country arc, Roronoa Zoro has made massive strides as a character. He recently acquired Enma, the former sword of Kozuki Oden, and developed a rudimentary control over his latent Conqueror's Haki. Armed with these two tools, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Dracule Mihawk or a Marine Admiral giving him a run for his money.
22 Silvers Rayleigh
As the first mate of the Roger Pirates, it should be no surprise that Silvers Rayleigh still strikes fear in the heart of the World Government. Known as the "Dark King," Rayleigh helped Gol D. Roger rise to the top of the pirate world and taught Monkey D. Luffy everything he could about the ways of Haki.
Despite his age, Silvers Rayleigh is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with One Piece's top brass. His encounters with Kizaru and Blackbeard only further solidified him as one of the New World's living legends.
21 Admiral Ryokugyu
While One Piece's narrative predominately follows pirates, another group technically governs the sea. The Marines are the military branch of the World Government, and within their ranks preside some of One Piece's strongest characters, including the mysterious Admiral known as Ryokugyu.
Ryokugyu is first mentioned shortly after the series' timeskip, but they don't make their first appearance until the tail-end of the Wano Country Arc. His Devil Fruit, which allows him to control nature itself, is one of the most overpowered abilities in the entire series, explaining why he rapidly ascended the ranks of the Marines.
20 Benn Beckman
Projecting the strength of Shanks and the Red Hair Pirates is virtually impossible, but it's safe to assume that characters like Benn Beckman are extremely powerful. Beckman serves as Shanks' first mate, and with Roronoa Zoro, Silvers Rayleigh, and Marco the Phoenix as his comparisons, he will almost certainly be one of One Piece's strongest end-of-series characters.
Thus far, Beckman has engaged in zero combat scenes with other named characters (his sole fight on-screen was against an unnamed mountain bandit). However, as evidenced by Kizaru's reaction when Shanks' first mate appeared during the Battle of Marineford, he's likely on par with some of the most well-known names in the Grand Line.
19 Marco The Phoenix
.jpg)
When the Whitebeard Pirates lost their leader during the Summit War, their future as a group was thrown into flux. Thankfully, Whitebeard's first mate, Marco the Phoenix, is a stellar leader, and through his guidance, he briefly reassembled the crew.
Marco isn't as strong as Emperor of the Sea-level combatants like Blackbeard, but he's only a small step behind. He simultaneously held his own against both King and Queen of the Beast Pirates. On several occasions, he has repelled the efforts of Big Mom, the Marine Admirals, and their contemporaries.
18 Boa Hancock
Whereas some Warlords of the Sea didn't live up to their title, Boa Hancock has repeatedly proven that she's among the strongest female characters in One Piece. She wields all three forms of Haki in addition to the Love-Love Fruit, which allows her to transform most opponents into stone.
Boa Hancock sports a bounty of well over one billion Berries, and when the Blackbeard Pirates invade Amazon Lily, she almost single-handedly repels their attack. Her attachment to Monkey D. Luffy could be a vital asset in One Piece's final saga.
17 Admiral Fujitora
Were it not for the Marine Admirals, the World Government's vice grip on the Grand Line would be significantly less tight. Following One Piece's two-year timeskip, two new Admirals are introduced: Fujitora and Ryokugyu. The former of these two wields the Press-Press Fruit, granting him the ability to create and control gravitational fields.
Many of Admiral Fujitora's accomplishments occur off screen, but he's gone toe-to-toe with notable figures like the Straw Hat Pirates, Sabo, and Trafalgar D. Water Law and fared extremely well. Although the full extent of his powers remains to be seen, he's undeniably one of the Marines' strongest weapons.
16 Sabo
The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army and Monkey D. Dragon's very own right-hand man, Sabo, is already one of the strongest characters in One Piece. He's powerful enough to clash evenly against an Admiral, and he still has a lot of room to grow.
Thanks to the powers of the Mera Mera no Mi and high-level Armament Haki, stopping Sabo in combat is nearly impossible. He has already survived multiple conflicts against the Marines' strongest forces, so Monkey D. Luffy's brother may end up even stronger than imagined.
15 Eustass Kid
Just like Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar D. Law, Eustass Kid is one of the key members of the Worst Generation. Akin to his two peers, Kid aims to use his Devil Fruit powers to become the next King of the Pirates. For years, this goal seemed unrealistic, but after the Raid on Onigashima, his goal didn't seem nearly as far away.
By teaming up with Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid was able to push Big Mom to her absolute limits. If he gets any stronger during One Piece's next saga, he will truly be a Yonko-level threat to the World Government and opposing pirates alike.
14 Trafalgar D. Water Law
Also known as the Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar D. Law is one of the most influential characters in the entire world of One Piece. He triggered the war against Kaido, squared off against the villainous Donquixote Doflamingo, and, perhaps most importantly, wore the burden of the Will of D. the entire time.
With the powers of the Op-Op Fruit, Trafalgar Law's potential is almost limitless. By combining his efforts with Eustass Kid, Law put Big Mom on the defensive, meaning that he occupies a rarified air among the pirates of the New World.
13 Kizaru
Every Marine Admiral is incredibly powerful, and in the case of Kizaru, he also benefits from the powers of a Logia-type Devil Fruit. Kizaru's power is on full display during One Piece's Sabaody Archipelago and Marineford Arcs, and assuming he hasn't grown significantly weaker, he'll still be a massive threat to any pirate by the end of the series.
With his Glint-Glint Fruit, Kizaru can transform his body into light itself, allowing him to travel as fast as any character in One Piece. Only time will tell how strong he is, but like his fellow Admirals, Kizaru is one of the World Government's strongest weapons moving forward.
12 Aokiji
After serving as an Admiral of the Navy during the first half of One Piece, Aokiji staked his claim as the next Fleet Admiral of the Marines. In opposition was his foil, Admiral Akainu, resulting in a 10-day battle between the two that would define the future of the Marines.
Ultimately, the fiery Akainu emerged victorious over his icy peer, Aokiji. However, the fact the two effectively fought to a standstill is a testament to both, even if Aokiji lost one of his legs in the process.
