In the world of One Piece, Luffy has already reached a level that once seemed impossible. Gear 5, advanced Haki, and the power of Nika have turned him into one of the strongest pirates alive.
Still, the old generation had some monsters who could make even the current Yonko struggle. From Joy Boy and Rocks to Roger and Whitebeard, these legendary captains have enough strength and feats to stay above Luffy for now.
5. Shiki Built a Reputation That Terrified the World
Shiki from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Shiki the Golden Lion does not get as much attention as Roger or Whitebeard, but his history says a lot about his strength. He was one of the biggest rivals of Roger’s era. His most impressive moment came after Roger was captured. Shiki went straight to Marineford and fought both Garp and Sengoku.
The battle caused huge damage to the Marine headquarters before Shiki was finally defeated. Shiki takes fifth because there is simply less information about his strongest years compared with Roger and Whitebeard. His reputation is huge, but the others above him have stronger proof to support their places.
4. Whitebeard’s Prime Was the Peak of Raw Pirate Power
Whitebeard from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Edward Newgate, better known as Whitebeard, was already one of the strongest pirates alive when the story began. But the Whitebeard seen at Marineford was old, sick, and far from his prime. The younger version was on another level entirely.
During his best years, Whitebeard could fight Roger as an equal. Their clash in Oden’s flashback showed two monsters using Conqueror’s Haki at the highest level. Chapter 957 later revealed Whitebeard had a bounty second only to Roger among the pirates listed there.
Whitebeard ranks above Shiki because there is much clearer proof of his power. He stood beside Roger at the very top of the old era, while his Devil Fruit also gave him enough destructive power to change the battlefield itself.
3. Roger’s Conqueror’s Haki Made Him a True Pirate King
Gol D. Roger in One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Gol D. Roger became the Pirate King without having a Devil Fruit. Instead, his Haki was strong enough to compete with the most powerful Devil Fruit users of his time. His clash with Whitebeard remains one of the clearest examples of just how powerful he was.
Chapter 957 revealed Roger’s bounty of 5,564,800,000 berries, the highest confirmed pirate bounty in the series at that point. Luffy is getting closer to that level with every major battle, but Roger still has the edge because he reached the top without needing a Devil Fruit. His position above Whitebeard also comes down to one simple fact: he became the Pirate King.
2. Rocks D. Xebec Stood at the Top of His Generation
Rocks D. Xebec from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Rocks D. Xebec may be one of the biggest threats in One Piece history. He was the captain of the Rocks Pirates, a crew that included younger versions of Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, and Shiki. Getting all those future legends to follow one captain already says a lot.
Chapter 957 revealed that Rocks was Roger’s first and possibly greatest enemy. His story became even more important during the God Valley flashback, where Roger and Garp ended up facing him together. Recent chapters have shown just how dangerous that incident really was, which is why Rocks gets the No. 2 spot on this list. The upcoming 2027 God Valley movie of One Piece is expected to cover the events in an anime adaptation.
1. Joy Boy’s Nika Power Still Stands Above Luffy’s
Credit: Shueisha
Credit: Shueisha
Credit: Shueisha
Joy Boy is the one character who makes this entire comparison especially interesting. Luffy now carries the power of Nika through the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, but the story has shown that Joy Boy reached a level that Luffy has not fully matched yet.
Chapter 1122 gave the biggest clue. Joy Boy had sealed a huge amount of his Supreme King Haki inside Emet, and when that Haki was released, it affected the Marines and forced the Five Elders out of their transformed states. Even Imu could recognize Joy Boy’s presence. That is not the kind of Haki that can be ignored.
Luffy has continued to grow since then. In the Elbaf arc, One Piece Chapter 1192 showed Luffy using a new Gear 5 attack against Imu with the help of Loki. Still, Luffy is learning how to use his Nika abilities while fighting opponents at the highest level. Joy Boy, on the other hand, had already mastered that power in the distant past. Until Luffy proves that he has gone beyond Joy Boy’s Haki and Nika abilities, the original Joy Boy remains the safest choice for the top spot.
Now the big question: Which of these six legendary captains do you think Luffy will surpass first? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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