One Piece’s Largest Pirate Crews: From Whitebeard to New Fish-Man

Summary

The Whitebeard Pirates had 1,617 members, including 43 subordinate crews.
The New Fish-Man Pirates had over 100,000 members, including human slaves.
The Beasts Pirates had about 20,000 members, sorted into various ranks and groups.

Pirate groups can vary greatly in terms of their composition. In some instances, a group might only include a handful of pirates – perhaps just three or four at a given moment. On the other hand, some groups are so expansive that they necessitate multiple vessels to house all their members. Although the exact number of members in some groups remains undefined, others are estimated, offering a sense of the size of the pirate group. These measurements support the notion that many pirate groups encompass thousands of individuals.

In the world of One Piece, it’s often stressed that quality outshines quantity, yet some of these colossal pirate groups are also incredibly powerful. When considering their size alone, these are undeniably the most expansive pirate crews in the One Piece universe.

For simplicity’s sake, multi-crew alliances like Straw Hat Grand Fleet will be left out.

7. Whitebeard Pirates (Primary Crew)

1,617 Members

Captain: Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate

In the series, the pirate group known as the Whitebeard Pirates was among the largest, earning this status because their captain reached the rank of Yonko – one of the four most dangerous pirates recognized by the World Government. This prominence can be attributed to the fact that they oversee an impressive 43 subordinate crews. Even when only considering the main crew, the Whitebeard Pirates remain substantial in size, as it is stated in “One Piece Yellow: Grand Elements” that their core group consists of a whopping 1,617 men.

To manage their large group effectively, sixteen of Whitebeard’s most reliable associates were appointed as Division Commanders. These pirates acted as sub-captains, each overseeing a segment of Whitebeard’s crew that numbered approximately 100 members per division. It is believed that each division had distinct roles. For instance, the 3rd Division, under Jozu’s leadership, was known as the “Combat Division” in the Vivre Card – One Piece Visual Dictionary. The exact number of ships the main crew possessed isn’t specified, as the number associated with a division remains unclear. The Whitebeard Pirates’ flagship was the Moby Dick, which was destroyed during the Summit War, one of their final major conflicts as a unified group.

6. Donquixote Pirates

Around 2,000 Members

Captain: Donquixote Doflamingo

Originally known as the Donquixote Pirates, this group, no longer in existence, boasted a relatively compact primary team. They were bolstered by around 2,000 subordinates within the kingdom of Dressrosa, where they held power for numerous years. The great majority of these crew members endured hardship, but those holding Officer rank or higher tended to enjoy a favorable relationship with Doflamingo. The Donquixote Pirates were divided into several factions of high-ranking officers, each led by a prominent Elite Officer.

The Pica crew, composed of Pica, Gladius, Buffalo, and Baby 5, were specialized in commando operations. Contrarily, the Diamante crew, featuring Lao G, Senor Pink, Machvise, Dellinger, boasts a perfect victory record in the Corrida Colosseum. The Trebol crew was unique, as it housed special power users, many of whom were not well-suited for frontline combat. Among them, Sugar stood out, armed with her Hobi Hobi no Mi Devil Fruit, which transformed people into toys and made them subservient to Doflamingo. Trebol’s role was to protect Sugar at all costs. Usopp’s assault on Sugar played a crucial part in turning the tide against the Donquixote Pirates.

Additionally, there were officers who weren’t part of any specific army present. Vergo, previously an Elite Officer known as “Corazon,” had been undercover for Doflamingo, working his way up to the rank of Vice Admiral within the Marines. Monet, another officer, was Sugar’s older sister and kept tabs on Caesar Clown at Doflamingo’s behest. After Corazon joined the Marines, Doflamingo made several attempts to fill his vacated role. First, he tried to groom his brother, Rosinante, for the position. Ironically, Rosinante was a marine who had infiltrated their organization and was eventually captured by Vergo. Doflamingo also extended an offer to Trafalgar D. Water Law, but he became disillusioned with the crew and chose to leave. Bellamy, a fervent fan of Doflamingo, aspired to become an officer and even abandoned his own crew for the chance. However, he was viewed as weak and ineffective, ultimately being dismissed due to incompetence.

5. Baroque Works

Over 2,000 Members

Captain: Sir Crocodile (Mr. 0)

In Chapter 107 (equivalent to Episode 64), it’s revealed that the criminal organization known as Baroque Works was led by a crocodile, who aimed to seize control of Alabasta. To ensure a seamless takeover, he disguised himself as a patriotic defender of the nation while concealing his questionable activities. At its peak, this syndicate boasted more than 2,000 members. To prevent their operations from being exposed, strict policies were implemented, such as using code names and minimizing interactions among members. Interestingly, Crocodile himself was rarely seen by his subordinates, often represented by his liaison, Nico Robin (Miss All-Sunday).

Apart from Crocodile and Robin, the most prominent figures in Baroque Works were its agents. Nine of these higher-ranked officers made up their leadership team. The organization seems to function like a meritocracy, where each agent’s position is determined by their skills. In Crocodile’s plan for Alabasta, lower-numbered male agents held more power. Most of them possessed Devil Fruit abilities. They were often divided into male and female teams, with an emphasis on teamwork and complementary powers. For instance, Mr. 5 (Gem), who could create explosions, was paired with Miss Valentine (Mikita), who could manipulate her weight to move with the explosions. This dynamic appears to be common among all members of the group, even the lower-ranked ones, as they too were seen with partners. The only known exception to this pattern was Mr. 2 Bon Clay, who acted as both genders, serving as his own female partner.

Furthermore, twelve lesser-ranked operatives, referred to as Frontier Operatives, also participated in the mission. Few of them were noticeable, with two of them (Nefertari Vivi, who went by the alias Miss Wednesday, and Igaram, known as Mr. 8) serving as double agents for Alabasta. Their associates (Mr. 9 and Miss Monday) switched allegiances to protect them. Besides the Officer Operatives and Frontier Operatives, their subordinates were also part of the team and formed the majority of its members. The Billions, numbering two hundred, worked under the Officer Operatives, while the Millions, totaling 1,800, were underlings of the Frontier Operatives.

4. Yonta Maria Grand Fleet

4,300 Members

Captain: Orlumbus

In the narrative, the Yonta Maria Grand Fleet was associated with the Permanent Monarchy. It appeared to prioritize exploration, given that its leader, Orlumbus, was often referred to as a “kingdom adventurer.” Furthermore, many aspects of the fleet’s terminology and iconography draw parallels with the legendary Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. In Chapter 799 (equivalent to Episode 744), they are reported to have approximately 4,300 members.

Originally, Orlumbus took part in the Corrida Colosseum battle for the Mera Mera no Mi, but unfortunately, he lost and got turned into a toy-like servant by Sugar. Afterward, he returned to his human form and later joined the Straw Hat Pirates in their battle against the Donquixote Pirates. When Luffy was rallying seven captains for his cause, Orlumbus was one of them. This union eventually became known as the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Eventually, Orlumbus chose to leave the Standing Kingdom, taking the entire fleet with him.

As an avid follower of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, I’m thrilled to share that the Yonta Maria Grand Fleet forms the backbone of our esteemed group, accounting for a staggering 76% of the pirates and 80% of the vessels! It’s quite ironic, though, as there’s only been one other named member apart from me, Columbus – a girl who seems to be a trusted right-hand. All 55 ships in this formidable fleet have been identified, with the Yonta Maria, our colossal flagship, commanded directly by Orlumbus. We also have a fleet of five smaller ships known as the Santa Maria. Below these are 49 vessels we call the Nita Maria, even smaller than the Santa Maria. Interestingly, a 50th Nita Maria ship was once part of our fleet, but it was generously donated to the Ideo Pirates, a new four-man crew within the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, who recently embarked on their pirate journey.

3. Krieg Pirates

5,000 Members

Captain: Don Krieg

In the series, the Krieg Pirates, originally called an “armada,” are believed to be the first known “pirate fleet.” However, the other ships that formed this fleet were destroyed before they made their appearance. At its peak, the Krieg Pirates boasted a fleet of 50 ships, each with approximately 100 crew members, totalling around 5,000 pirates. Tragically, 49 of these ships were obliterated by a casual Dracule Mihawk. Subsequently, he pursued the flagship, Dreadnaught Sabre, all the way to the East Blue.

Although the Krieg Pirates had a larger number of members compared to any other crew on this list, they might be considered the least powerful. This is because Krieg focused primarily on gathering as many pirates as he could for a strategy based on numerical superiority. By the time the story began, their numbers had reduced to just 100 members, most of whom were not exceptional pirates. The lesson here is that each pirate’s individual skills are far more crucial than the total number of them.

2. Beasts Pirates

About 20,000 Members

Captain: Kaido

The Beast Pirates, among pirate crews with recorded sizes, are quite substantial. According to Chapter 955 and Episode 956, they are estimated to have around 20,000 members. Similar to other large organizations, they manage their numbers with a hierarchical structure that includes both high-ranking positions based on skills and lower-tier divisions for the less experienced. Directly under Kaido are the All-Stars: Arber (known as King), Scien (Queen), and Jack. The second tier officers are known as the Tobiroppo, which include Page One, Ulti, Black Maria, Who’s-Who, Sasaki, and X Drake. Recently, Page One, Ulti, and Yamato, Kaido’s son, who defected from the crew, have been seen together. This leaves their positions within the Beast Pirates uncertain. However, it is clear that X Drake has defected, having joined only as a spy for SWORD.

As an observer, I’ve noticed that Shinuchi, a more frequent rank among them, make up about 20 identified individuals so far in this group. They stand out as they are the highest rank to utilize SMILES, artificially created Zoan Devil Fruits produced by Caesar Clown and Donquixote Doflamingo. Initially, Kaido aspired to form an entire pirate crew with these Zoan-possessing members, but his dream was thwarted due to a mere 10% success rate in producing these SMILES and their production eventually ceasing.

The common grunt ranks consist of Gifters, Pleasures, and Waiters. The Gifters represent approximately 500 individuals who are considered both worthy of consuming a SMILE and fortunate enough to experience the intended animal powers. Unfortunately, the remaining 90% of grunts, numbering around 4,500, are called Pleasures; they are deemed worthy of SMILES but are unfortunate recipients of losing all ability to express negative emotions, which is the origin of the SMILE’s name. Lastly, there are Waiters, those who have yet to consume a SMILE.

Notable subgroups within the crew are the Numbers, a team of ten individuals who were unsuccessful experiments aimed at replicating the Ancients, and the Marys, a surveillance unit consisting of both humans and cyborg animals equipped with masks that allow them to exchange information and detect intruders. Additionally, there were crew members who didn’t fall under any specific category, such as Scratchmen Apoo, holding the unique title of “informant,” and the Orochi Oniwabanshu, many of whom allied with Kaido after their former master, Kurozumi Orochi, was betrayed.

Although the main vessel of the Beasts Pirates has not been seen, it seems that high-ranking members possess individual ships. However, not all of these ships have made an appearance in the series so far. Additionally, there are common ships like those spotted in Wano, as well as a fleet featuring scorpion emblems, which accompanied Jack’s ship, Mammoth, to Zou. The scarcity of scenes showing Beasts Pirates’ ships may be due to their primary base being Wano, their home territory.

1. New Fish-Man Pirates

Over 100,000 Members

Captain: Hody Jones

The New Fish-Man Pirates, a group established by Hody Jones (a powerful shark Fish-Man), serve as a spiritual successor to the Arlong Pirates. Before aligning with Arlong’s anti-human sentiments, Hody had minimal interaction with humans. However, his conviction in the cause was so strong that he orchestrated a deceptive attack.

Tragically, Hody murdered Otohime, the cherished mermaid queen of Ryugu Kingdom, who advocated for peace between surface-dwellers and underwater beings. To shift the blame onto humans, Hody staged the killing.

Similar to Arlong disregarding his bias to coerce Nami into joining his gang, Hody didn’t hesitate to exploit humans for his purposes. He imprisoned tens of thousands for forced labor. Besides his five lieutenants, Hody had a vast array of Fish-Men and Mermaids under his command as part of his underwater army. His crew was made up of a few sea creatures as well and formed an alliance with the Flying Pirates led by Vander Decken IX. The crew, as revealed in Chapter 632 (equivalent to Episode 542), boasted over 100,000 members, with approximately 70,000 Fish-Men and 30,000 human slaves. However, the strength of the crew wasn’t particularly impressive. Luffy managed to knock out most of the Fish-Men using Conqueror’s Haki. Even the top officers were compelled to use energy steroids to sustain their physical power, but this came with the detrimental side effect of accelerating their aging in combat.

2025-07-05 12:05