7 Strongest Pirate Crews In Official One Piece History

Image By Joshua Fox Published Sep 22, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Since graduating from The Los Angeles Film School, Jason has worked as an editor for the local news, as well as a producer of several short films and podcasts. His extensive knowledge of film production and narrative storytelling has enabled him to travel the world, writing about the projects he is passionate about in the realms of film, anime, and gaming. "Every Day Is A Level Up" Sign in to your ScreenRant account WARNING: SPOILERS FROM ONE PIECE'S ELBAPH ARCOne of the greatest early twists of the One Piece series saw the introduction of the world's strongest swordsmen, giving Luffy, his crew, and the audience a peek at the levels of power the protagonists will need to reach to accomplish their dreams. As the series progressed, the Straw Hat crew evolved significantly while clashing against a large range of abilities and opponents. But as the plot moves closer to One Piece's final arc, the strongest crews throughout the franchise's history have (mostly) made themselves known. One Piece's World Government has gone to the lengths of committing genocide to keep the secrets of the entire century that led to its founding. There have been many powerful pirate crews that threatened the balance of the world it has worked so hard to create, with several crews even being wiped from history books. However, legends of a few of those crews continue to persist, and a few are even on their way to becoming legends themselves. But these seven crews more than deserve to be called the strongest pirate crews in One Piece's history. 7 Marshall D. Teech's Blackbeard Pirates Ever since Marshall D. Teech was introduced, he and his crew have been a consistent wild card that has pushed the plot towards shocking events. At nearly the same pace as Luffy's Straw Hats, the Blackbeard Pirates have been increasing their reputation while growing in their numbers and abilities. With a plan that's been in the works for decades, Teech has been scouring the world for the rarest and most powerful Devil Fruit abilities he could get his hands on, while recruiting the strongest (and often evil) pirates. Besides his seemingly unique ability to control multiple Devil Fruits, the leader of the Blackbeard Pirates' incredible strength is joined by a crew of cruel criminals. The 10 Titanic Captains that control Teech's fleet range from chaotic, selfish pirates to former disgraced marines, who each control one of One Piece's strongest Devil Fruit powers. Their battles consistently result in surprising wins, but there is a great chance that the Blackbeard Pirates will provide even more shocking twists by the time the story ends. 6 Monkey D. Luffy's Straw Hat Crew Custom Image By Isaac Rouse The adventures of Luffy and the Straw Hats have inspired many on and off the pages of Eiichiro Oda's epic One Piece story. What started as a hopelessly optimistic rubber boy stranded at sea in pursuit of his dream has grown into one of the world's most renowned Pirate Emperors with his own fleet of thousands of followers. While Luffy was focused on filling out his crew, he couldn't help but topple several tyrants and free many people from oppression, acts that earned him thousands of followers that he never asked for. From the time that Luffy ran into Koby to the Straw Hat crew's arrival on the giant's homeland of Elbaph, only around three years have transpired in One Piece's world. The fact that Luffy has accomplished so much in so little time is almost as impressive as how much stronger he and his crew have become in that timeframe. Each crew mate is a world-class talent in their particular skill while also forming a family-like bond, two features that will take them to even greater heights. 5 Shank's Red-Haired Pirates Shanks' Red-Haired Pirates inspired people to live freely with their good-spirited visits and charm that pushed a young Monkey D. Luffy into an adventure that'd change the world. It's not likely that Shanks expected the young pirate would someday become one of his biggest rivals in the quest to find the One Piece, but the more that's revealed about the capabilities of the Red-Haired Pirates, the more anticipation grows from their inevitable clash. There are many great One Piece arcs, but Wano and Egghead featured a lot of shocking twists and reveals to mysteries the series had built upon for decades. The arcs also featured more action from Shanks than the rest of the series combined. In the canon material, Shanks' overwhelming command of Observation and Conqueror's Haki has made short work of some of the world's strongest characters. The rest of his crew is made up of non-Devil Fruit users who Pirate Emperor Shanks can rely on, and he's obviously a man of great judgment. 4 Edward Newgate's Whitebeard Crew The Pirate Emperors, aka Yonko, built up their reputations and forces up to a level that qualified them as the strongest pirate organizations across the seas of the New World. For decades, the most powerful was Edward Newgate, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates and former rival of the Pirate King. When Whitebeard was younger, he belonged to history's most notorious pirate crew before setting out on his own. Over time, he grew a fleet of over 1,600 pirates, led by 16 commanders, many with incredible Devil Fruits. During the intense Summit War on Marineford, Whitebeard and the full force of his crew attacked the Marines' Headquarters in an attempt to save one of their own, Portgas D. Ace. They were able to effectively push back against even the combined might of the most feared Marine Admirals. Whitebeard's own Devil Fruit was a cut above most, with the ability to control vibrations to the point of creating island-breaking earthquakes. While Whitebeard's crew shared a family-like bond with one another, they ultimately were disbanded after their Marineford mission failed and the very old and sick Newgate met his end. 3 The Crew Of The Pirate King, The Roger Pirates The beginning of One Piece's epic tale centers on the accomplishments of the one man who earned the title of Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. He and his crew attained seemingly everything a person could want: wealth, fame, and power. His death inspired people around the world to chase their own adventures in the pursuit of finding the treasures he left behind. However, as Luffy and his own crew explored the world, a lot more has been discovered about the famous pirate and the crew that helped him accomplish what so many dream of doing themselves. Grand Line · Pirate Adventure Edition The One PieceAnime Quiz ⚓CrewNakama ⚡PowersDevil Fruit 🌊ArcsAdventure ☠VillainsEnemies 🌎WorldBlue Sea SET SAIL! → 01 Monkey D. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and dreams of becoming King of the Pirates. He gained his signature stretching abilities by eating a Devil Fruit as a child. What was this fruit originally believed to be called? AMera Mera no Mi BGomu Gomu no Mi CBara Bara no Mi DHana Hana no Mi ✓ Correct! The Gomu Gomu no Mi (Gum-Gum Fruit) was what Luffy’s Devil Fruit was believed to be — a Paramecia-type fruit that turned his body into rubber. Luffy accidentally ate it from the treasure chest of the Red Hair Pirates when he was a child in Foosha Village. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Gomu Gomu no Mi. The Mera Mera no Mi is the Flame-Flame Fruit eaten by Ace, the Bara Bara no Mi is Buggy’s Chop-Chop Fruit, and the Hana Hana no Mi is Robin’s Flower-Flower Fruit. NEXT → 02 The One Piece world is divided by a massive geological formation that runs around the entire globe, separating the oceans. What is this continent-like structure called? AThe Grand Line BThe Red Line CThe Calm Belt DReverse Mountain ✓ Correct! The Red Line is a massive continent that circles the globe vertically, dividing the world’s oceans into four seas: North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue. It intersects with the Grand Line at two points, including the holy land of Mary Geoise. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Red Line. The Grand Line is the ocean route where pirates compete, the Calm Belt is a windless sea surrounding it full of Sea Kings, and Reverse Mountain is the entry point to the Grand Line. The Red Line is the massive continent dividing the world. NEXT → 03 In the One Piece world, there is a spiritual power that allows users to sense others’ presence, predict attacks, and even exert their willpower over others. What is this power called? AChakra BNen CHaki DKi ✓ Correct! Haki is a mysterious power that exists in every living being in the One Piece world. It comes in three types: Observation Haki (sensing), Armament Haki (invisible armor), and the rare Conqueror’s Haki (dominating willpower), which only one in a million people possess. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Haki. Chakra is the energy system from Naruto, Nen is from Hunter x Hunter, and Ki is from Dragon Ball. Haki is One Piece’s unique power system with three distinct forms: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s. NEXT → 04 The Seven Warlords of the Sea (Shichibukai) were powerful pirates who worked for the World Government in exchange for pardons. Which of these characters was NOT one of the original Seven Warlords? ADracule Mihawk BCrocodile CDonquixote Doflamingo DKaido ✓ Correct! Kaido was never a Warlord — he was one of the Four Emperors (Yonko), the most powerful pirates ruling the New World. Known as “the Strongest Creature in the World,” Kaido ruled over Wano Country with the Beast Pirates. Mihawk, Crocodile, and Doflamingo were all Warlords. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Kaido. Mihawk (the world’s greatest swordsman), Crocodile (the desert king of Alabasta), and Doflamingo (the Heavenly Demon) were all Warlords. Kaido was a Yonko — an Emperor of the Sea — a rank above the Warlords entirely. NEXT → 05 The Marineford War arc is considered one of the most emotional and pivotal arcs in One Piece. Luffy desperately fought to save someone important to him from execution. Who was Luffy trying to save? ANico Robin BPortgas D. Ace CRoronoa Zoro DSabo ✓ Correct! Portgas D. Ace, Luffy’s sworn older brother, was captured by the Marines and sentenced to public execution at Marineford. Luffy broke into Impel Down prison and then stormed Marineford itself in a desperate attempt to save Ace, leading to one of the most heartbreaking moments in anime history. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Portgas D. Ace. Nico Robin was rescued during the Enies Lobby arc, Zoro is rarely in that kind of danger, and Sabo was believed dead at the time. Ace’s execution at Marineford triggered an all-out war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines. NEXT → 06 Roronoa Zoro is the first member to join Luffy’s crew and serves as the Straw Hats’ swordsman. He has a unique fighting style. How many swords does Zoro wield in his signature technique? AOne BTwo CThree DFour ✓ Correct! Zoro is famous for his Santoryu (Three Sword Style), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. This unique fighting style makes him one of the most distinctive swordsmen in all of anime. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is three. Zoro’s signature Santoryu (Three Sword Style) involves wielding one sword in each hand and gripping the third in his mouth. While he can fight with one or two swords, his three-sword technique is his most iconic and powerful combat form. NEXT → 07 The World Government in One Piece is controlled by a mysterious group of individuals who sit at the very top of its power structure, above even the Admirals and the Fleet Admiral. What are they called? AThe Five Elders (Gorosei) BThe Celestial Dragons CThe Revolutionary Army DThe Yonko ✓ Correct! The Five Elders (Gorosei) are the highest-ranking leaders of the World Government, residing in the holy land of Mary Geoise. They command all military and political power, including the authority to order a Buster Call. Their true nature and abilities have only recently been revealed in the series. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Five Elders (Gorosei). The Celestial Dragons are descendants of the founding kings but don’t rule directly, the Revolutionary Army opposes the government, and the Yonko are pirate emperors outside government control. The Gorosei sit at the absolute top. NEXT → 08 It was revealed that Luffy’s Devil Fruit is not actually the Gomu Gomu no Mi, but a mythical Zoan-type fruit with a much more significant true name. What is the fruit’s real identity? AHito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika BTori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix CUo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu DInu Inu no Mi, Model: Okuchi no Makami ✓ Correct! The Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika is a Mythical Zoan-type fruit that the World Government had been hunting for 800 years. When Luffy awakened it during the Wano arc, he unlocked Gear 5 — gaining the power of “the most ridiculous ability in the world” with limitless imagination-based combat. ✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika. The Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix belongs to Marco, the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu was Kaido’s dragon fruit, and the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Okuchi no Makami was Yamato’s fruit. Luffy’s true fruit is the legendary Sun God Nika. REVEAL MY SCORE → Voyage Complete Your Pirate Bounty / 8 Are you King of the Pirates — or still swabbing the deck? ↻ SET SAIL AGAIN Through flashbacks, audiences have been able to get a taste of what Roger and his crew were capable of at their prime. The diverse crew each excelled in their own specified role, with many of them able to control massive amounts of haki, weaponized willpower capable of stopping even the strongest brutes or Devil Fruit users in their tracks. Former members like Shanks, Silvers Reighley, and Scopper Gaban each went on to accomplish much, with the elders choosing a life in hiding. Still, their encounters with Luffy demonstrated the even at an old age, the Roger Pirates deserved their reputations. 2 The Rocks Crew Was Too Strong And Chaotic To Last For years, the Rocks Pirates were shrouded in mystery thanks to the World Government's censure of the full scope of the crew's activities. Because of this, only a handful of characters are even aware of the organization that once contained several member's who'd later become Pirate Emperors. For those in the know, the Rocks Crew is history's most notorious pirate group, which took the combined effort of the Marines and the Roger Pirates to finally defeat, but even that is only a small part of their tale. The Elbaph arc finally provided the full picture of the Rocks Pirates' exploits, and a proper reveal of their captain, Rocks D. Xebec. Long teased as a cruel monster of a man, Rocks spent his life gathering strong fighters while exploring the depths of forbidden knowledge. His might attracted other powerful figures who were notorious for killing members of their own crew. Even though many of them gained control of some of the world's most powerful Devil Fruits during the God Valley incident, their inability to work together against the World Government's might resulted in their mysterious downfall. 1 Joy Boy's Crew Is History's Strongest Crew That Hasn't Been Confirmed Image By Joshua Fox Even though Eiichiro Oda's epic is gearing up to celebrate the manga's 30th anniversary, One Piece still has many mysteries to solve. One of which is the history of seemingly the first pirate, Joy Boy. It's a name that's only been mentioned in later arcs by the world's oldest and most knowledgeable characters. Many of those figures could not resist comparing the figure to Luffy because both characters' antics freed the oppressed with a contagious smile. But the end of the Egghead arc provided a glimpse at Joy Boy's haki powers, which were enough to shake the world's strongest fighters. It has yet to be confirmed, but throughout the Straw Hats' adventures into the world's most dangerous waters, they've run into three ancient figures who each had a mysterious but strong connection to Joy Boy. The colossal elephant Zunesha, the ancient giant robot on Egghead Island, Emet, and most recently, the secret ruler of the world, Saint Nerona Imu, have each expressed intense feelings of regret towards Joy Boy. Such a strong bond suggests that they could have all been part of the same crew who explored the world many years ago. Almost 900 years ago, at the start of the Void Century, Joy Boy was born in an advanced kingdom and set out to sea. He eventually left the mysterious One Piece treasure on Laugh Tale Island and somehow provoked the world's 20 kingdoms to form the World Government to defeat him. The ancient characters who knew Joy Boy had complicated feelings towards him, adding to the mystery of the Luffy-like character. It all began with him and his power to inspire the likes of Imu, Zunesha, and Emit, forming what would have been the One Piece world’s most powerful group. Video Game(s) One Piece: Unlimited World Red, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, One Piece: World Seeker, One Piece Odyssey First Film One Piece: The Movie First TV Show One Piece Cast Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi Created by Eiichiro Oda Character(s) Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)