From Monkey D. Luffy’s first crewmate Roronoa Zoro to the skilled Fujitora, the best swordsmen in One Piece quickly prove their skills during battle.
The world of One Piece contains some exceptionally powerful sword-wielders. As soon as Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro joins the Straw Hat Pirates, swordsmanship becomes a major part of the long-running series. Each arc, One Piece‘s protagonists encounter new swordsmen who can perform incredible feats thanks to a mix of Haki and Devil Fruit-related powers.
If Roronoa Zoro is to accomplish his goal of becoming the World’s Strongest Swordsman, then he will have to defeat a slew of unbelievably powerful opponents. He’s proved himself capable throughout the series, but in the Grand Line, there are plenty of candidates vying for the title.
Updated on April 27, 2023 by Kennedy King: With the Wano Country arc finally drawing to a close, the pecking order among One Piece’s strongest swordsmen is clearer than ever. Although a couple of familiar faces still sit atop this hierarchy, young up-and-comers like Roronoa Zoro are making massive changes to the status quo.
15Kikunojo
First Appearance: Episode 899
Kikunojo of the Lingering Snow is one of the strongest samurai of Wano Country, having been personally trained by Oden and his other retainers. Her control over Ryou — also known as Armament Haki — is very impressive. Kikunojo has been confirmed to be an Observation Haki-user as well.
As a member of the Nine Red Scabbards, Kikunojo possesses enough skill to be considered one of the country’s finest samurai. However, her defeat of Kanjuro and ability to wound Kaido insinuate that she is even stronger than many of her Red Scabbard peers.
14Ashura Doji
First Appearance: Episode 910
Of the samurai from Wano, Ashura Doji easily ranks among the strongest. The pink-haired swordsman once ruled over the lawless Kuri region of Wano, but after losing to Kozuki Oden in battle, he became a follower of the samurai and honed his powers alongside him.
Since joining the Red Scabbards, Ashura Doji has grown exceptionally strong. He even takes on Jack the Drought in one-on-one combat, and the two appear to be on equal footing during the battle. Anyone capable of taking on a Yonko commander is a serious threat, regardless of their opponent.
13Denjiro
First Appearance: Episode 909
Denjiro belongs to the Nine Red Scabbards, and he’s portrayed to be the right-hand man to the leader of the group. Following Oden’s death, Denjiro goes undercover, joining the treacherous Orochi family under the alias “Kyoshiro” in an attempt to undermine their rule.
While undercover, Denjiro proves his capabilities by taking on multiple renowned swordsmen. This includes the Straw Hat Pirates’ first mate, Roronoa Zoro, who found himself overpowered and couldn’t stop the member of the Red Scabbards, despite sending some serious attacks his way.
12Kin’emon
First Appearance: Episode 580
As the current leader of the Nine Red Scabbards, Kin’emon is the strongest of the lot. Much of his real strength remained hidden until the Wano Country arc, but with the reveal of his Foxfire Style and incredible Haki, it’s clear that he’s among One Piece‘s finest swordsmen.
By using his Foxfire Style, Kin’emon can create, manipulate, and slice through fire. The ability even let him cut an attack from Kaido’s dragon form — a feat that only the strongest character in the entire series could hope to accomplish.
11Vista
First Appearance: Episode 461
Renowned as the moniker of Flower Sword, Vista is the former Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and also the strongest swordsman of the crew. He was one of the earliest followers of Whitebeard, and during the clash with Roger Pirates, he quite possibly matched up against Silvers Rayleigh himself.
During the Battle of Marineford, Vista briefly fought Dracule Mihawk and managed to hold his own against him. Although the gap between the two swordsmen is likely immense, Vista’s position among the Whitebeard Pirates hints at a truly skilled swordsman.
10King The Conflagration
First Appearance: Episode 918
King the Conflagration is the right hand to Kaido, and as the first commander of a Yonko-level crew, his name strikes fear across the Grand Line. The Lunarian possesses the ability to create flames, wields an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit capable of flight, and can imbue his swords with ultra-powerful Armament Haki.
King’s wide range of abilities is a large reason why Kaido has placed so much trust in him. As evidenced by the Conflagration’s battle with Roronoa Zoro, King also possesses a strong fighting spirit. While he’s unlikely to play much of a role in One Piece after losing to the Straw Hat Pirate, his presence during the Wano Country arc more than asserted him among the series’ best swordsmen.
9Kozuki Oden
First Appearance: Episode 910
At one point, Kozuki Oden was the Daimyo of Kuri and the strongest fighter in all of Wano Country. His abilities were impressive enough to make him part of the crews of both Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger, and he even accompanied the latter all the way to Laugh Tale.
As an important member of both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates, Oden’s skills were clearly world class. He possessed all three forms of Haki, and his strongest attacks were even capable of scarring Kaido.
8Shiryu
First Appearance: Episode 440
The Blackbeard Pirates have slowly developed into a formidable crew since first being mentioned in the Drum Island Arc. They now include multiple of the most heinous villains in the show’s history, and thanks to the addition of skilled fighters like Shiryu, they’re arguably the top contenders to find the One Piece.
Shiryu formerly served as the Head Jailer of Impel Down, a position that requires tremendous power. However, Shiryu has since consumed the Clear-Clear Fruit, gaining the power of invisibility and potentially elevating him to the level of legendary swordsmen like Dracule Mihawk.
7Roronoa Zoro
First Appearance: Episode 1
Roronoa Zoro is Monkey D. Luffy’s first crewmate, and minus the Straw Hat Pirate himself, no character in the series has enjoyed a quicker rise to notoriety. In almost every single One Piece arc, Roronoa Zoro defeats an even more impressive opponent, culminating in his recent victory against King the Conflagration.
Zoro wields each type of Haki with tremendous skill, maintains an unrivaled bond with his three blades, and refuses to give up regardless of the circumstances. His goal of becoming the World’s Strongest Swordsman is almost within reach, but for now, he has a few more hurdles to clear before asserting himself as the greatest.
6Fujitora
First Appearance: Episode 630
Marine Admirals are all immensely powerful, but none of them are as skilled with a blade as the blind swordsman, Fujitora. The monk-like character is legitimately one of the World Government’s most honorable members, but underneath his judicious demeanor exists a combatant capable of going toe-to-toe with any swordsman in One Piece.
Fujitora is presumably a master of Armament and Observation Haki; however, what truly sets him apart is his Devil Fruit. The Press-Press Fruit allows Fujitora to manipulate gravity, turning his attacks into landscape-altering blows at will. As the inevitable battle between the World Government, Pirates, and Revolutionaries slowly builds, the blind Admiral’s abilities will be more important than ever.
5Trafalgar D. Water Law
First Appearance: Episode 392
The Worst Generation debuted during One Piece‘s Sabaody Archipelago arc, and since then, they’ve proven themselves to be a massive threat to the stability of the World Government. One of the keys to their efforts is Trafalgar D. Water Law, wielder of the Op-Op Fruit and possessor of the Will of D.
Law’s Devil Fruit, which allows him to exert complete dominion over the physical space around him, is arguably the strongest in the entire series. While his swordsmanship hasn’t been tested as much as his other abilities, it’s safe to say that his Op-Op Fruit-related powers would decimate anyone other than Yonko-level fighters.
4Shimotsuki Ryuma
First Appearance: Episode 342
Shimotsuki Ryuma was a famous samurai from the land of Wano. During his time centuries before the events of One Piece, he was considered the strongest swordsman in the world. Known to have slain a dragon in a single swing of his sword, Ryuma is confirmed to have possessed significant skill with Armament Haki.
Unfortunately, information regarding Shimotsuki Ryuma is far and few between. Ryuma’s reincarnated form during the Thriller Bark arc pales in comparison to his prime, but based on the abilities of his descendant, Roronoa Zoro, it’s clear that he was an incredible swordsman.
3Silvers Rayleigh
First Appearance: Episode 8
Silvers Rayleigh, also known as the Dark King, is the former First Mate of the Roger Pirates and one of the strongest characters in One Piece. Despite being extremely old, he is still considered a legendary fighter by virtually every character that he meets.
Rayleigh is known to be a skilled user of his sword and his Haki, having fought Admiral Kizaru, a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit user, to a standstill at Sabaody Archipelago. During his prime, Silvers was perhaps the most refined fighter in One Piece history, so he more than deserves his spot among the strongest swordsmen of all time.
2Dracule Mihawk
First Appearance: Episode 23
Dracule Mihawk is first seen during One Piece‘s Baratie arc, and he immediately demonstrates the capabilities of the series’ strongest fighters. He decimates the fleet of Don Krieg, and by using a minuscule knife, he instantly deals Roronoa Zoro a humiliating defeat.
Without question, Dracule Mihawk has earned his reputation as the World’s Strongest Swordsman. None question his strength or skill, and he has yet to be legitimately bested in a single moment of on-screen combat. However, despite his title, another special sword-wielder actually reigns supreme.
1Shanks
First Appearance: Episode 4
As one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, Shanks exerts more influence than almost any person in the history of One Piece. He’s one of few true contenders to become the next King of the Pirates, and as the spiritual successor to Gol D. Roger, it’s only natural that he wields overwhelming strength.
Until recently, Shanks’ abilities were largely a mystery, but thanks to his clashes with several characters following the Raid on Onigashima, fans now have a much clearer idea of his power. His mastery of Haki may be the finest in the world, as it immediately incapacitated a Marine Admiral and a Supernova worth 3 billion berries. Although Shanks’ rival, Dracule Mihawk, is likely more skilled with his sword, the Red-Haired Pirate’s versatility makes him slightly more dangerous.
