Determining the strongest One Piece characters remains a major debate as Eiichiro Oda’s manga enters its Final Saga. From legendary figures like Gol D. Roger to current Yonko, Marine Admirals, and the mysterious Imu, rankings depend on battle feats, Devil Fruit powers, and advanced Haki mastery. As the race for the ultimate treasure intensifies, new revelations keep shaping the power rankings.Imu (Nerona Imu) and Monkey D.
Luffy are characters in One Piece. Photo: @fanpageop, @official.luffy on Facebook (modified by the author) Source: UGCTABLE OF CONTENTSKey takeawaysHow this ranking was determinedStrongest One Piece characters at a glance (2026)10. Monkey D. Dragon (unknown)9.
Kuzan (Aokiji) (Admiral-tier)8. Monkey D. Garp (Yonko-rival tier)7. Marshall D.
Teach / Blackbeard ($4b+ bounty)6. Sakazuki/Akainu (Fleet Admiral)5. Dracule Mihawk (World’s Strongest Swordsman)4. Kaido (“Strongest Creature in the World”)3.
Shanks (“Red-Hair”)2. Monkey D. Luffy / Joy Boy (Gear 5)1. Imu/Nerona Imu (Godlike tier)FAQsIs Zoro stronger than Luffy?Who is the 2nd strongest character in One Piece?Who can defeat Luffy?How strong is Monkey D.
Garp compared to the Yonko?Is Shanks stronger than Blackbeard?Key takeawaysImu (Nerona Imu) sits on the Empty Throne as the hidden sovereign of the World Government, but their true combat strength and Devil Fruit abilities remain largely unconfirmed in official canon. Monkey D. Luffy lands a close second after receiving his biggest Conqueror’s Haki power-up since Wano in Chapter 1186 of the manga, during his battle against Imu.Shanks remains one of the strongest active characters, achieving supreme dominance through sheer Haki proficiency without the aid of a Devil Fruit. Marshall D.
Teach (Blackbeard) is uniquely terrifying as the only known user of two Devil Fruits simultaneously—the Yami Yami no Mi and the Gura Gura no Mi. In his prime, Monkey D. Garp fought on equal footing with legends like Gol D. Roger, proving that elite Haki alone can rival the strongest Devil Fruits.
How this ranking was determinedPower here is measured as a cocktail of Devil Fruit mastery, Haki proficiency (Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s), battle feats, and endurance. Our rankings draw on analysis from CBR, Comic Book Co, Shonen Vortex, and Game Rant, incorporating manga chapters up to the Elbaf arc in 2026. We use the most up-to-date feats available at the time of publishing, including the God Valley flashback and Imu’s full Devil Fruit reveal.Strongest One Piece characters at a glance (2026)RankCharacterAffiliationKey PowerDevil Fruit1Imu (Nerona Imu)World GovernmentHidden sovereign / Status unconfirmed Unconfirmed2Monkey D. LuffyStraw Hat PiratesGear 5 / Advanced Conqueror’s Haki Yes (Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika)3ShanksRed Hair PiratesSupreme Conqueror’s Haki None4KaidoBeasts PiratesDragon transformation / DurabilityYes (Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu)5Dracule MihawkCross GuildWorld’s Strongest SwordsmanNone6Sakazuki (Akainu)MarinesFleet Admiral / Magma Logia Yes (Magu Magu no Mi)7Marshall D.
Teach (Blackbeard)Blackbeard PiratesDual Devil Fruit user Yes (Two fruits)8Monkey D. GarpMarinesAdvanced Haki / Physical strength None9Kuzan (Aokiji)Blackbeard PiratesIce Logia / Titanic Captain Yes (Hie Hie no Mi)10Monkey D. DragonRevolutionary ArmySupreme Commander / Political threat Unconfirmed10. Monkey D.
Dragon (unknown)Full name: Monkey D. DragonNationality: UnknownProfession: Supreme Commander, Revolutionary ArmyAffiliation: Revolutionary ArmyDevil Fruit: Unconfirmed (widely theorised to be weather-based)Key ability: Immense political and military authorityDragon is still one of the hardest characters in One Piece to rank properly, mostly because Eiichiro Oda continues to treat his combat abilities like classified information. His full combat strength remains unseen, but his massive narrative importance and status as the leader of the Revolutionary Army make him impossible to ignore.His intervention at Loguetown and the global military threat posed by the organisation he built from nothing speak volumes about his capability. 9. Kuzan (Aokiji) (Admiral-tier)Full name: KuzanNationality: UnknownProfession: Former Marine Admiral; Blackbeard Pirate CaptainAffiliation: Blackbeard PiratesDevil Fruit: Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit)Key ability: Ice Logia, Advanced HakiKuzan now serves as the strongest of Blackbeard’s Ten Titanic Captains.
Having eaten the Hie Hie no Mi and been trained by Monkey D. Garp, Kuzan possesses one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in One Piece and fights with some of the most potent Haki.Even without constant spotlight, Kuzan has the kind of toolkit that keeps him firmly in elite company. His decade-long battle with Akainu on Punk Hazard — which reshaped the island — remains one of the most jaw-dropping displays of endurance in the entire series.8. Monkey D.
Garp (Yonko-rival tier)Full name: Monkey D. GarpEpithet: “Garp the Fist”/Hero of the MarinesNationality: UnknownProfession: Vice Admiral, MarinesAge: Late 70sDevil Fruit: NoneKey ability: All three Haki types; Galaxy Impact; unrivalled physical strengthGarp is living proof that advanced age and a lack of a Devil Fruit are no barriers to reaching the absolute peak of power in One Piece. Relying purely on monstrous physical strength and elite Haki mastery, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with history’s greatest legends. Having famously fought on equal footing with Gol D.
Roger, Garp’s legacy as the Hero of the Marines endures despite his refusal to accept higher naval promotions. 7. Marshall D. Teach / Blackbeard ($4b+ bounty)Full name: Marshall D. TeachEpithet: “Blackbeard”Nationality: UnknownProfession: Yonko; Captain, Blackbeard PiratesDevil Fruit: Yami Yami no Mi + Gura Gura no Mi (dual user)Key ability: Darkness nullification, earthquake generationBlackbeard is the only person in One Piece canon who holds two Devil Fruits simultaneously.
The Yami Yami no Mi negates all Devil Fruit abilities on contact. The Gura Gura no Mi destroyed Marineford’s geography in seconds.Blackbeard’s biggest strength lies in chaos and unpredictability — he fights dirty, adapts quickly, and constantly grows stronger. As the Final Saga antagonist, his full potential has clearly not been shown. He ranks here because his Haki still appears underdeveloped compared to Shanks or Luffy — but that gap could close quickly.6.
Sakazuki/Akainu (Fleet Admiral)Full name: SakazukiEpithet: “Akainu” (Red Dog)Nationality: UnknownProfession: Fleet Admiral, MarinesDevil Fruit: Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit)Key ability: Magma Logia; overwhelming destructive outputAkainu remains one of the most dangerous straight-up fighters in the entire series. When it comes to proven destructive ability and combat authority, Akainu still belongs firmly in the top tier.His pursuit of Luffy through Marineford — punching through Whitebeard’s Ice Age barrier and burning through flesh — remains a definitive benchmark for Admiral-level destructive power. After then-Admiral Sakazuki killed Ace, Fleet Admiral Sengoku physically restrained Garp to stop him from killing Sakazuki in revenge — illustrating that Sengoku genuinely believed Garp had the power to seriously injure or kill Akainu.5. Dracule Mihawk (World’s Strongest Swordsman)Full name: Dracule MihawkEpithet: “Hawk-Eye”Nationality: UnknownProfession: Former Warlord; Co-leader, Cross GuildDevil Fruit: NoneKey ability: Peerless swordsmanship; advanced HakiMihawk is one of those characters whose placement depends on whether Oda’s titles mean what they say — and in this case, they probably do.
As the World’s Strongest Swordsman, Mihawk occupies a very important ceiling in the series, especially with Zoro’s endgame path tied directly to him.Mihawk once duelled Shanks as an equal in the era before Shanks lost his arm, and his precision with a blad
