7 One Piece Pirates Who Totally Failed to Live Up to Their Epic Hype

Summary

Eustass Kid failed to live up to his reputation as a pirate rivaling Luffy due to multiple shortcomings.
Basil Hawkins, once promising, ended up as Kaido’s pawn rather than achieving fame as a pirate.
Jack, with high expectations and a 1 billion berry bounty, failed to impress in all encounters, resulting in disappointment.

In One Piece, nearly every character stands out distinctly from the others because its creator, Eiichiro Oda, has carefully crafted each character’s unique contribution to the narrative.

Sometimes, these One Piece characters possess a strong and well-earned reputation, yet they consistently fail to meet those expectations. Their reputation often leads fans to anticipate extraordinary feats, but alas, those moments of greatness remain unfulfilled.

7. Eustass Kid

Never Lived Up To His Reputation

Devil Fruit: Jiki Jiki no Mi
Three Types Of Haki

I was present when Eustass Kid and the other Supernovas made their appearance at Sabaody Archipelago. Upon their introduction, Kid’s bounty stood out as the highest among them, a staggering 315 million berries. This undeniably sparked anticipation among fans, leading us to hold Eustass Kid in high regard.

Regrettably, Kid didn’t quite meet expectations. Soon after setting foot in the New World, Kid suffered a significant setback when he lost his left arm in a skirmish with the Red Hair Pirates. Later, he was disgraced by Kaido who held him captive. The battle against Big Mom marked a peak in Kid’s career, but even then, he required assistance from Trafalgar Law to succeed. After leaving Wano, Kid encountered another setback when Shanks defeated him, taking along the Road Poneglyph copies in the process. Given his reputation as Luffy’s rival, Kid fell short of expectations.

6. Basil Hawkins

Ended Up Becoming Kaido’s Pawn

Devil Fruit: Wara Wara no Mi
Two Types Of Haki

Basil Hawkins served as the leader of the Hawkins Pirates and was part of the infamous Worst Generation. He made his appearance prior to the timeskip, with an impressive bounty of 249 million berries, a figure that ranked among the highest recorded during that era.

Hawkins, who had a unique Devil Fruit ability, was expected by many fans to become a well-known pirate. However, that dream never materialized. Instead, at some point, he joined the Beasts Pirates and rose to become one of their top members. He featured in the Wano Country arc but couldn’t make a significant impact. In fact, he was unable to outsmart Killer and met his end at the hands of his fellow Supernova.

5. Jack

1 Billion Pirate Who Failed To Beat Almost Everyone

Devil Fruit: Zou Zou no Mi, Model: Mammoth
Two Types Of Haki

From a young age, Jack honed his fighting skills, which eventually made him one of the standouts among the Beasts Pirates. When Jack first appeared in One Piece, there was much excitement surrounding them due to their impressive 1 billion berry bounty and the unique powers granted by an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit.

Despite making an effort, he struggled to gain momentum. In Zou, he didn’t manage to defeat Inuarashi and Nekomamushi; instead, he resorted to using Caesar’s weapon to assert control over them. Similarly, during the events in Wano, Jack couldn’t leave a lasting impression. He was defeated in every confrontation he had.

4. Smoker

No Longer Strikes Fear Into The Hearts of Pirates

Devil Fruit: Moku Moku no Mi
Two Types Of Haki

In simpler terms, Smoker is a high-ranking Navy officer, specifically a Vice Admiral, within the world of One Piece. Unlike many other top-tier Marines, Smoker upholds justice more commonly found among ordinary people. He prioritizes the safety and welfare of civilians, and is prepared to exert all his efforts to shield them.

It can’t be argued that Smoker is a well-crafted character, yet he fell short of the lofty expectations set by his own reputation.

Or, more informally:
Smoker’s a great character, but he didn’t quite meet the high standards he had set for himself.

Initially in the Loguetown storyline, Smoker was a formidable adversary, no doubt about it. However, over the course of the series, his status has diminished significantly. Compared to Luffy or other top-tier fighters, Smoker is far from their level. Luckily, there’s still room for improvement before it’s too late.

3. Charlotte Smoothie

Most Useless Yonko Commander

Devil Fruit: Shibo Shibo no Mi
Two Types Of Haki

Among characters, few have fallen short of fan expectations quite like Charlotte Smoothie. Being the daughter of Big Mom and a member of the Sweet Commands, one would expect an impressive portrayal; however, Smoothie often leaves fans underwhelmed within the storyline of One Piece.

For most of the Whole Cake Island storyline, she was more of a bystander compared to characters like Katakuri, Cracker, and even some lower-ranked ones. Smoothie’s impact was minimal in comparison. Fan excitement spiked when Smoothie appeared in Wano, but it quickly dwindled as she failed to make any substantial contributions.

2. Who’s Who

Couldn’t Back Up His Big Talk

Devil Fruit: Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Saber Tiger
Two Types Of Haki

Originally, Who’s Who was a member of Tobi Roppo working under Kaido. Before his days as a pirate, however, Who’s Who served in the CP9 unit. Unfortunately, he ended up in prison after failing to safeguard the Gomu Gomu no Mi from Shanks.

In the Wano Country arc, Who’s Who made his debut as someone powerful, but it didn’t take long for this facade to crumble. Fans had anticipated an exciting showdown between Who’s Who and Jimbei since he was a former CP9 member and a Tobi Roppo, but it turned out differently. Unfortunately, the Straw Hat crew concluded the fight with just one attack, demonstrating that Who’s Who was all bark and no bite.

1. Vinsmoke Judge

Didn’t Have The Strength Of A Leader

Devil Fruit: No
Two Types Of Haki

The head of Germa 66 is Vinsmoke Judge, a man with an evil streak and a keen passion for his scientific endeavors. He’s the one responsible for the creation of genetically enhanced soldiers, whom he orders into battle for him.

In command of one of the top-tier mercenary units, it’s understandable that people might think Judge would be an able combatant. However, quite contrary to expectations, Judge was not a warrior but a coward who used his son as a stepping stone to climb societal ladders. When confronted with imminent death, Judge broke down in tears immediately.

2025-04-18 07:57