One Piece: Strongest Garp Students, Ranked

This list contains spoilers for all of One Piece.

Summary

Garp’s students, like Helmeppo and Koby, grow into powerhouses after enduring intense training.
Ace’s strength stems from Garp’s brutal training and his Flame Flame fruit, despite choosing piracy.
Aokiji’s training with Garp focused on physical prowess, making him one of the most durable fighters.

In the world of One Piece, Monkey D. Garp stands out among the many formidable characters, a testament to his strength and influence. Even though he’s not as active as he once was during his peak years with the Marines, Garp continues to impart his abilities and wisdom to several students, some of whom have not pursued a career in the Marines.

During the Egghead Island storyline in “One Piece,” viewers got a vivid understanding of this Marine’s immense power when he demolished an entire island with a solitary punch. It’s no secret that trainees under Garp become incredibly formidable, given their dedication and hard work. However, let’s examine how Garp’s students compare in terms of strength and achievements within the series. Here’s a breakdown of their relative standing.

5. Helmeppo

Helmeppo Soared Through the Marine Ranks Thanks to Garp

First Appearance: Episode 2

Helmeppo, unlike his partner Koby, has had limited screen time in the story so far, which can sometimes make it hard to fully grasp his strength. However, after training under Garp for several years, he quickly rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant commander in just a few short years. Additionally, during their journey to the new world, he managed to keep pace with Koby, suggesting that he has significantly grown in power since making his series debut.

Indeed, Helmeppo managed to stand his ground against an entire pirate crew, emerging victorious. This demonstrates that he is far from just an ordinary Marine recruit. Although he may not be as powerful as Garp’s other students, Helmeppo has earned recognition for enduring Garp’s rigorous training and transforming himself in the process.

4. Portgas D. Ace

Ace Learned How to Survive and Put His Talents to Good Use

First Appearance: Episode 91

Garp raised Ace from a young age, fulfilling a promise he made with his legendary father, Gol D. Roger, who was known as the Pirate King. Due to their shared past, Garp and Roger had a complex relationship. Growing up, Ace often had to survive on his own due to being a constant target, but it was under Garp’s guidance that he learned how to do so effectively. This training involved intense, even dangerous methods, designed to push Ace’s limits. In the past, we see that Garp didn’t hesitate to challenge Ace’s strength and endurance by assaulting him with his powerful Fist of Love, or instilling in him the importance of preparing food for battle beforehand.

Despite a challenging childhood, Garp’s efforts to shape Ace into an ideal Marine had an unexpected outcome: it made him exceptionally strong. However, Ace opted for the life of a pirate instead. It’s worth noting that a significant portion of Ace’s strength is attributed to his Fire Fire fruit, a highly valued offensive fruit in the series. Despite this, as a physical combatant, he was also incredibly formidable, much of which can be credited to his renowned mentor, Garp.

3. Koby

Koby Has Been Able to Mimic Some of Garp’s Strongest Abilities

First Appearance: Episode 1

Initially, Koby was just a trembling messenger boy, but now he’s transformed into a highly influential Marine, his strength rivaling that of Garp, demonstrated by his execution of some of Garp’s signature moves. A striking display of his hidden potential is when he launched the destructive Honesty Impact at Pizarro, who was then merged with an entire island.

Koby managed to weaken and ultimately defeat Pizarro, causing him harm both externally and internally. This might not be as powerful as Garp’s Galaxy Impact, but the fact that Koby can imitate this move shows how much he has improved. Even the Marines themselves recognize Koby’s strength, as they have assigned him to the secret SWORD team, and even sent him on a mission to capture Boa Hancock after the elimination of the Warlords. Such a mission isn’t usually given to ordinary Marines.

2. Aokiji

Despite Being at Odds With Garp, Aokiji Always Respects Him as a Teacher

First Appearance: Episode 227

In the ongoing narrative, although Aokiji and Garp may not fully agree on certain matters given that Aokiji is now part of the Blackbeard Pirates, there remains a notable respect between them due to their shared past as teacher and student. Back when Aokiji was a Marine apprentice, Garp chose to mentor him personally. Garp often employed an unconventional training technique for Aokiji, which involved having him destroy battleship bags using only his bare hands, thus encouraging him to refrain from utilizing his ice powers or Haki during combat.

Reflecting on the multitude of characters in “One Piece” who heavily depend on their Devil Fruits, Garp’s method of urging Aokiji to prioritize his physical strength was a smart move, which significantly contributes to his durability throughout the main storyline. Nowadays, Aokiji ranks among the most formidable pirates, even holding his own against Akainu, despite suffering defeat. Luffy and the Straw Hat crew firsthand experienced Aokiji’s might on Long Ring Long Island, making one wonder how they would match up against him now that they have all grown stronger.

1. Monkey D. Luffy

Garp Could Never Have Expected Luffy Would Become a Yonko When He Was Still a Young Boy

First Appearance: Episode 1

In the tale of “One Piece,” Luffy has had various mentors, but it was Garp who initially took up this role when Luffy was just a child. Much like Ace, Garp’s training methods for Luffy were far from gentle, often involving tests such as surviving in a dark and dense jungle filled with fierce animals. Fortunately, these trials instilled in Luffy the self-reliance he needed to navigate the dangerous oceans on his own. Despite Garp’s aspirations for Luffy to join the Marines, he could never have imagined that his spirited pupil would eventually rise to become a Yonko instead.

Throughout the storyline, Luffy has defeated numerous powerful adversaries, such as several Warlords and even Kaido himself, following his mastery of the Gear 5 technique. Recently, he’s gone head-to-head with Admirals without showing any signs of strain, leading some characters to view him as a deity given his immense power. It’s evident that Grandpa Garp made the right call in initiating Luffy’s training at an early age. By doing so, he launched the young boy on a journey towards greatness not only as a pirate, but also as a savior of the world.

2025-08-22 07:04