Ranking the strongest One Piece characters is a moving target, because Eiichiro Oda keeps revealing new monsters. The Elbaph arc changed the top of the list more than any arc since Wano: Imu finally fought in person, Loki awakened a legendary Devil Fruit, and Garling took a seat among the Five Elders.
This list only includes characters who are alive in the manga, so legends like Roger, Whitebeard and Saturn are out. Each place is based on what a character has actually done on the page, plus bounty and title, rather than hype. Expect spoilers through the latest Elbaph chapters, which you can read on MANGA Plus or VIZ.
Top 10 Strongest One Piece Characters by Affiliation and Bounty
| # | Character | Affiliation | Bounty (berries) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imu | World Government (King of the World) | None, ruler |
| 2 | Monkey D. Luffy | Straw Hat Pirates (Emperor) | 3,000,000,000 |
| 3 | Shanks | Red Hair Pirates (Emperor) | 4,048,900,000 |
| 4 | Marshall D. Teach | Blackbeard Pirates (Emperor) | 3,996,000,000 |
| 5 | Dracule Mihawk | Cross Guild | 3,590,000,000 |
| 6 | Sakazuki (Akainu) | Marines (Fleet Admiral) | None, Marine |
| 7 | Loki | Elbaph royal family | 2,600,000,000 |
| 8 | Figarland Garling | Five Elders | None, World Noble |
| 9 | Kuzan | Blackbeard Pirates | Not public |
| 10 | Monkey D. Garp | Marines (Vice Admiral) | None, Marine |
1. Imu: The King of the World
Saint Nerona Imu sits on the Empty Throne in Mary Geoise, the throne the world believes nobody occupies, and secretly commands the Five Elders. As one of the First Twenty, Imu has been around for roughly 800 years, and every new reveal has made the gap between Imu and everyone else look wider.
The Elbaph arc finally showed Imu fighting in person. After leaving the Holy Land, Imu cut off a giant's fingers in the blink of an eye, severed Stansen's leg, brushed off Zoro's King of Hell Three Sword Style, overpowered Sanji with a kick and traded blows with Loki in Nidhöggr form. Nobody alive has a resume like it.
Why this rank
- Can possess other people, as seen with Gunko and Saint Marcus Mars.
- Grants immortality and demonic forms through covenants with the Elders and Knights of God.
- Ordered the destruction of the Lulusia Kingdom with the Mother Flame.
2. Monkey D. Luffy: Gear 5 and Still Climbing
Luffy's fruit turned out to be the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, and awakening it into Gear 5 during the fight with Kaido made him an Emperor with a 3,000,000,000 berry bounty. Gear 5 bends reality around him, turning the ground, the sky and his opponents into rubber.
He keeps improving, too. In Elbaph he can now use Gear 4 techniques on parts of his body without a full transformation, he blew apart the Knight of God Sommers with Gomu Gomu no Dawn Thor Rifle, and Imu's Domi Reversi had no effect on him. Luffy ranks second because he is the one character the story keeps lining up against Imu.
Why this rank
- Defeated Kaido, previously called the strongest creature in the world.
- Uses advanced Conqueror's Haki alongside Gear 5.
- Immune to Imu's Domi Reversi, like Loki.
3. Shanks: Haki Without a Devil Fruit
Shanks carries the highest active bounty in the series at 4,048,900,000 berries, and he earns it without any Devil Fruit. His Conqueror's Haki stops fights before they start, and when he does swing his sword, the result is decisive: his Divine Departure defeated Eustass Kid in a single strike.
Recent chapters added weight to his legend. Shanks was born a World Noble, the son of Figarland Garling and the younger twin of Knights of God commander Shamrock, and served for a time as Saint Shanks before abandoning that status. He has spent the series acting as the one Emperor everyone else is careful around.
Why this rank
- Highest active bounty in One Piece.
- One-shot Eustass Kid, a fellow Supernova with a 3,000,000,000 bounty.
- Trades blows evenly with Mihawk in their old rivalry.
4. Marshall D. Teach: Two Devil Fruits
Blackbeard is the only person known to hold two Devil Fruits at once: the Yami Yami no Mi, which lets him absorb attacks and cancel other Devil Fruit powers by touch, and the Gura Gura no Mi he took from Whitebeard. That combination, plus a 3,996,000,000 bounty and an Emperor's title, makes him the series' most unpredictable threat.
His crew has become a power in its own right. The Blackbeard Pirates beat Garp at Hachinosu and are holding him captive, and his Titanic Captains include a former Admiral. Teach also has a habit of winning by any means necessary, which is exactly why nobody can rule him out.
Why this rank
- Holds the Yami Yami no Mi and the Gura Gura no Mi.
- Second highest active bounty at 3,996,000,000 berries.
- His fleet captured Monkey D. Garp.
5. Dracule Mihawk: The World's Strongest Swordsman
Mihawk holds the title every swordsman wants, including Zoro, whom he trained for two years. When the Warlord system ended, his bounty was reissued at 3,590,000,000 berries, higher than Luffy's, and he became a co-founder of the Cross Guild.
He fights with Yoru, one of the 12 Supreme Grade blades, and his rivalry with Shanks dates back to their youth. Mihawk has rarely gone all out on screen, but the series treats his title as the summit of swordsmanship that Zoro must eventually climb.
Why this rank
- Holds the title of World's Strongest Swordsman.
- Bounty of 3,590,000,000 berries.
- Long-time equal rival of Shanks.
6. Sakazuki (Akainu): Magma and Absolute Justice
The Fleet Admiral of the Marines eats the Magu Magu no Mi, a Logia fruit whose magma burns through almost anything, including fire. At Marineford he killed Portgas D. Ace and left lasting wounds on Whitebeard, the strongest man of the time.
He then won the Fleet Admiral seat by defeating Kuzan in a ten-day duel on Punk Hazard that left the island split into fire and ice. Akainu has fewer mystical abilities than the names above him, but his combat record is about as proven as it gets.
Why this rank
- Killed Ace and wounded Whitebeard at Marineford.
- Beat Kuzan in a ten-day battle for Fleet Admiral.
- Magma beats fire, as Ace learned.
7. Loki: The Prince Who Became Nidhöggr
Loki is the newest name on the list and has earned his place fast. The cursed prince of Elbaph carries a 2,600,000,000 berry bounty and holds the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Nidhöggr, Elbaph's national treasure and the fruit once held by the legendary Warrior God. He fights with Ragnir, a hammer inhabited by the spirit of Ratatoskr.
His feats in the arc are enormous. He froze a towering Draugr MMA, one of the monsters unleashed on Elbaph, with a single swing called Niflheim, encased Imu's host Gunko in ice, and then fought Imu directly in a clash of lightning and black flame. Like Luffy, he is immune to Imu's Domi Reversi.
Why this rank
- Holds the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Nidhöggr.
- Bounty of 2,600,000,000 berries.
- Fought Imu head on in Elbaph.
8. Figarland Garling: The Newest Elder
Garling was the Supreme Commander of the Knights of God and the champion of the God Valley hunting contest. After Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's death, he was promoted to the Five Elders with the title Warrior God of Science and Defense, and he now treats the older Elders as equals.
Through a covenant with Imu, Garling regenerates from almost any injury, and only attacks loaded with powerful Haki slow his healing. He fought on the front line at God Valley against Rocks, and his place as the father of Shanks and Shamrock puts him at the centre of the final saga.
Why this rank
- One of the Five Elders since Saturn's death.
- Immortal through his covenant with Imu.
- Former Supreme Commander of the Knights of God.
9. Kuzan: Ice and Experience
Kuzan, once Admiral Aokiji, controls the Hie Hie no Mi and can freeze an ocean. He fought Akainu for ten days before losing, then left the Marines and eventually joined Blackbeard as captain of the tenth ship.
At Hachinosu he faced his old mentor Garp on nearly even terms, and with help from his fellow Titanic Captains he came out on top. He is one of very few characters with a long fight against Akainu on record.
Why this rank
- Ten-day duel with Akainu on Punk Hazard.
- Beat Garp at Hachinosu with help from his crew.
- Titanic Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates.
10. Monkey D. Garp: The Hero of the Marines
Garp has no Devil Fruit and still turned an entire area of Hachinosu into a crater with his Galaxy Impact. He is the man who cornered Gol D. Roger more than once and the grandfather of Luffy, and the series has confirmed he can hear the Voice of All Things.
His fight against the Blackbeard Pirates ended with his capture, but the Elbaph arc confirmed he is alive and being held by Blackbeard. Even past his prime, his Haki and raw strength keep him in the top ten.
Why this rank
- Galaxy Impact flattened part of Hachinosu.
- Fought Roger many times in his prime.
- Can hear the Voice of All Things.
Strong Characters Who Just Missed the List
- Monkey D. Dragon: leader of the Revolutionary Army and Luffy's father. His bounty is unknown and the series has barely shown him fight, so he cannot be ranked on feats yet.
- Figarland Shamrock: commander of the Knights of God and Shanks' twin, with abilities still being revealed.
- Borsalino (Kizaru): the light-speed Admiral who held his own against several Supernovas and Luffy on Egghead.
- Roronoa Zoro: has just learned he can use Supreme King Haki, but Imu countered his strongest attack with ease.
How Power Rankings in One Piece Keep Changing
Bounties are a useful guide but not the whole story. They measure the threat a person poses to the World Government, which is why Buggy carries a higher bounty than Luffy, and why Marines and World Nobles have no bounty at all. One Piece also loves a late reveal: Garp and Dragon have fought far less on the page than their reputations suggest.
If you enjoy anime power fantasies in game form, our guides to the best Roblox anime games and every Fortnite anime skin cover where these characters and their rivals turn up outside the manga.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the strongest character in One Piece right now?
Imu. The King of the World can possess people, grant immortality and easily handled Zoro, Sanji and a giant warrior when he arrived in Elbaph.
Is Luffy stronger than Shanks?
It is close. Shanks has the higher bounty and cleaner feats, but Luffy's Gear 5 and his immunity to Domi Reversi put him a step closer to Imu.
Who has the highest bounty in One Piece?
Among living characters, Shanks at 4,048,900,000 berries. Gol D. Roger holds the all-time record at 5,564,800,000.
Why is Garp not higher on the list?
He is past his prime and lost to the Blackbeard Pirates at Hachinosu, where he was captured. His Haki still keeps him in the top ten.
Related Articles
Get the Fox Bulletin briefing
The stories that matter, in your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Newsletter signup will be available soon.
Related stories
Johnny Depp Movies Ranked: 10 Best, From Sweeney Todd to Ed Wood
Scissor hands, a drunken pirate, a cheerful B-movie director and a Boston gangster: the ten Johnny Depp performances that matter most, counted down.
Robert De Niro Movies Ranked: 10 Best, From Midnight Run to Taxi Driver
Travis Bickle, Jake LaMotta, young Vito Corleone and more: the ten Robert De Niro performances that matter most, counted down to number one.
Keanu Reeves Movies Ranked: The 10 Best, From Bill & Ted to The Matrix
Ted Logan, Johnny Utah, Neo and John Wick: here are the ten films that turned Reeves from a cheerful slacker into one of the great action stars.