Between the endless variety of Devil Fruits, the multiple forms of Haki, and other viable options for achieving strength that exist within the setting, One Piece has one of the best power systems in any anime. While not every character can rank among the strongest in the series, the variety of fighting styles possessed by the Straw Hat Pirates, and by their enemies, have resulted in an abundance of spectacular fights.
Luffy, Zoro, and the other Straw Hat Pirates all fight differently from one another, with some of their styles being cooler than others. Strength is important, but it isn’t the only quality that goes into judging a fighting style, as flashiness, creativity, and general usefulness throughout the series matter just as much.
10Jinbe’s Fish-Man Karate is Simple But Effective
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Helmsman and Master of Fish-Man Karate
As a former Warlord of the Sea, the newest member of the Straw Hat Pirates is one of the crew’s strongest fighters. Jinbe utilizes Fish-Man Karate — a martial art that humans can learn, but can only be used to its fullest by a Fish-Man in the water — and Fish-Man Jujutsu, a form of grappling combat that also enables him to freely control and manipulate water itself. Jinbe complements his mastery over these arts with both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, both of which he’s had decades to gain proficiency in.
Jinbe has been effectively using his skills to protect Luffy since long before he was a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, doing his best against Sakazuki and Mihawk. In the Wano Country Arc, after joining the crew, Jinbe gets an incredible moment tossing around Big Mom like she’s nothing, and a satisfying victory in his fight with Who’s-Who. While Jinbe himself is easy to love and incredibly strong, his fighting styles don’t stand out as much as his crewmates, but this could easily change by the end of the series.
9Tony Tony Chopper’s Battles Have Become Less Interesting Over the Years
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Doctor and Shapeshifter
Tony Tony Chopper is a strange case. While he’s only gotten stronger since his debut, ever since the timeskip his fights have been few and far between, and less exciting than his older ones. Chopper was once an ordinary reindeer, but by eating the Hito Hito no Mi, he gained sentience and took on human-like qualities. Throughout the series, Chopper has used the power of his fruit, as well as his Rumble Balls, to achieve more forms than any other Zoan-eater. These forms include: Walk Point, Brain Point, Heavy Point, Jumping Point, Guard Point, Horn Point, Arm Point, Kung Fu Point, and Monster Point.
While Chopper’s forms are fun and full of variety, the way they’ve been utilized have been less memorable Post-Timeskip. Without the risk of the Rumble Balls damaging his body, the tension from his earlier fights is lost. Monster Point has lost all of its menace, with Chopper able to now control it perfectly. His most memorable fights have been against Perospero, Big Mom, and Queen, all opponents he never stood any chance against. In spite of this, his early fights against Mr. 4, Chessmarimo, and Kumadori remain classics, and the debut of Monster Point is one of the highlights of the Enies Lobby Arc.
8Nami’s Arsenal is Flashier Than Ever
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Navigator and Weather Manipulator
Nami has come a long way since her days of only being able to fight with a Bō. The first model of the Clima-Tact, invented by Usopp, was cool in its own right, and forced Nami to rely on trickery to defeat enemies like Miss Doublefinger and Kalifa. Along with that, she’s really come into her own as a fighter since the timeskip. Having spent her two years away from her friends learning from the people of Weatheria — and having had the opportunity to get her new Clima-Tact further upgraded by Usopp after their reunion — Nami is now a powerhouse, with mastery over the weather. She can summon rain, lightning, and tornadoes and, now partnered with Zeus, Nami can channel the power of a Yonko.
While Nami’s early fights and her initial arsenal of tricks are a ton of fun, there’s no denying that her current set of abilities are much more fitting for a member of a Yonko’s crew. The tension that has always been present in her fights is also still around, as she’s now a glass cannon, able to dish out a ton of damage, but unable to take much. This was recently seen in her struggle against Ulti, a member of the Tobi Roppo, but she and Zeus were ultimately able to pull off a shocking victory.
7Brook Shines Whenever Given the Chance
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Musician and Undead Spirit
Brook is the only member of the Straw Hat Pirates to never defeat a major opponent on his own. Despite having been with the crew since the Thriller Bark Arc, he’s only ever defeated minor villains, and acted as support for his friends. It’s a testament to how cool and unique the powers given to Brook by the Paramecia-type Yomi Yomi no Mi are (and how well he utilizes them) that he’s been able to repeatedly steal the show in recent arcs, in spite of his lack of spotlight in combat.
Brook is a master swordsman, who also has super speed, the ability to freeze anything in his path, and the power to separate his soul from his body. The Straw Hat Pirates’ musician was at his best during the Whole Cake Island Arc, during which he used every trick he had to successfully stand his ground against Big Mom, obtain a Poneglyph rubbing, and smash the picture of Mother Caramel. In the Wano Country Arc, he returned to aiding his crewmates in their fights, most notably assisting Robin against Black Maria.
6Franky is Hilariously Over the Top
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Shipwright and Cyborg
No one’s fighting style is louder and more explosive than Franky’s. A cyborg armed with some of the most advanced technology in One Piece, Franky’s fights are always a delight because of their flashiness, the shipwright’s endless variety of weaponry, and his straightforward and aggressive strategies. Franky comes packing physical strength on par with Haki users.
Along with that aforementioned strength, he has skin in hand-to-hand combat, energy blasts, projectile punches, missiles, flamethrowers, and machine guns — all powered by cola — as well as his strongest weapon, the gargantuan General Franky mech-suit. Some of his best fights have been against Fukurou, Baby 5 and Buffalo, Señor Pink, and Sasaki. Franky’s fighting style is as fun as he is, but his focus on hot-blooded offense doesn’t leave much room for creative strategies.
5Usopp Hasn’t Lived Up to His Great Potential
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Sniper and Plant Master
Usopp is the only Straw Hat Pirate to completely change fighting styles during the timeskip, and both his Pre-Timeskip and Post-Timeskip weapons of choice are awesome. Pre-Timeskip, Usopp loaded up his slingshot with everything from rotten eggs to shuriken, used his unmatched ability to tell absurd lies in conjunction with his fake five-ton hammer, and made incredible use of Skypiean Dials (especially in his heartbreaking fight with Luffy during the Water 7 Arc). Post-Timeskip, Usopp primarily loads his slingshot with Pop Greens, deadly plants collected during his time training in the Boin Archipelago, with his sniping skills now aided by his unlocking of Observation Haki.
What’s disappointing about Usopp is that, even after so many adventures, he still hasn’t become the great warrior he longs to be. He is currently known for failing to score any major wins Post-Timeskip, and dropping the ball when he had the opportunity to prove himself against Page One. Usopp’s Pop Greens may be strong, and offer tons of versatility, as well as a terrific aesthetic, but his best fight remains all the way back in the Water 7 Arc. As they have for a long time, fans hold out hope that the inevitable Elbaf Arc will elevate Usopp and his abilities.
4Nico Robin Fights to Kill
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Archaeologist and Assassin
Nico Robin rarely fights, but it’s always a joy when she does. Having eaten the Paramecia-type Hana Hana no Mi, Robin possesses the ability to sprout extra limbs on any physical surface. Reflecting the decades she spent playing the part of a villain to stay away from The World Government, Robin’s go-to move Pre-Timeskip was growing arms on her enemies, and breaking their necks or backs with the utilization of giant limbs (thrown into her common repertoire Post-Timeskip).
Robin’s only had two real fights throughout One Piece, but each has been incredible in its own way, with her victory against Yama in the Skypiea Arc being one of the most savagely brutal in the series. Her use of Fish-Man karate and the awesome Demonio Fleur to defeat Black Maria, a Tobi Roppo, in the Wano Country Arc illustrates exactly how far she’s come as a person and a fighter. Robin’s powers also enable her a great deal of utility, with her able to sprout clones and wings.
3Sanji’s Dedication to Kicking Separates Him From Any Other Fighter
The Straw Hat Pirates’ Chef and Black Leg Style Master
While one would think that the battles of a fighter who exclusively uses kicks would get boring over time, Sanji’s battles have only gotten more thrilling as the series has gone on. Throughout One Piece, Sanji has learned to enhance his kicks with flames. He also taps into his Armament Haki and Observation Haki, so he can run on air. Along with getting a power boost, his time wearing a Raid Suit has gifted him the ability to turn invisible. A part of the Straw Hat Pirates’ “Monster Trio,” Sanji is consistently the third-strongest member of the crew, and frequently takes on fittingly powerful villains.
Sanji’s best fights have been against Mr. 2, Jabra, and Queen, each of them milking as much cool choreography as they can out of Sanji’s deceptively simple abilities. Sanji is always allowed to lose more frequently than the other members of the Monster Trio, spicing up all of his encounters, as his victory is never guaranteed. Sanji is also among the craftier members of the Straw Hat Pirates, and he schemes his way toward victory just as often in battle as he does outside of it.
2Roranoa Zoro Receives Many of the Coolest Moments in the Series
The Straw Hat Pirates’ First Mate and Swordsman
Anime swordsmen are a dime a dozen, but while many characters from other series try, none can replicate the greatness of Roranoa Zoro. Even at his weakest, Zoro’s three-sword style, featuring a sword in each hand and one in his mouth, has always been iconic. Zoro’s fights have always been flashy and impressive, but with him currently wielding three of the twenty-one Great Grade swords, including the cursed Enma that drains its users of their Haki, watching Zoro do what he does best has never been more satisfying. Not to mention, he also possesses Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s Haki,
Some of Zoro’s best fights have been against Mr. 1, Kaku, and King. His most outstanding moments in combat, however, may just come from the group fight — one involving Luffy, Law, Kid, and Killer, and Big Mom and Kaido. His strikes against the two Yonko were absolutely jaw-dropping moments. Zoro’s best attributes as a combatant aren’t actually his swords, but his protective nature that drives him to throw himself in front of anyone who aims to hurt his crew, and his iron will that allows him to push on and endure some of the worst injuries in the series to win his dues.
1Monkey D. Luffy Can Do Anything with Gear 5
The Straw Hats Pirates’ Captain and Sun God
Monkey D. Luffy has consistently had the best and most engaging fights in One Piece, always using his rubber-based powers to take on the strongest opponent in every arc. For the majority of the series, Luffy was believed to have eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the properties of rubber. In the Wano Country Arc, it is revealed that Luffy actually ate the Mythical Zoan-type Hito Hito no Mi Model: Nika, which grants him the ability to transform into Sun God Nika, and fight with complete freedom. While using Gear 5, Luffy can turn everything, and everyone, around him into rubber, with Looney Tunes-esque results that set him apart from every other Shōnen protagonist, and that enabled his victory over Kaido.
Gear 5 is an awe-inspiring transformation, but Luffy was a brilliant fighter to watch in action long before he unlocked it. Luffy’s early strategies were always inventive. Gear 2 gave Luffy the speed he needed to take his fights up a notch, and a cost that brought drama with it draining his lifespan. Gear 3 and Red Hawk were both superb finishing moves, and the multiple forms of Gear 4 enabled Luffy to engage in legendary fights with Doflamingo and Katakuri. Alongside the power of Nika, Luffy currently utilizes every form of Haki, including Advanced Conqueror’s Haki, making him one of the strongest characters in the series, and easily the most enjoyable to watch in action.
