One Piece: Oda Officially Confirms A Pirate That Has Surpassed Monkey D. Luffy

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This article contains spoilers for One Piece‘s Elbaf Arc.

Wow, it’s been incredible watching One Piece unfold, especially after the time skip! I’ve been following Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates for a long time, and seeing how much they’ve grown is amazing. They definitely had their struggles, but they pushed through everything and became so much stronger. Honestly, right now, I think you could easily say they’re one of the most powerful pirate crews in One Piece!

Following the events in Wano Country – a major shift in the storyline – Luffy achieved the status of a Yonko, also called the Four Emperors. Despite this accomplishment, he hasn’t reached his full potential yet. Luffy is capable of growing even more powerful, and he’ll require a substantial boost in strength if he hopes to challenge Red-haired Shanks, another Emperor.

Luffy Became A Yonko After Beating Kaido

  • Kaido Was The World’s Strongest Creature
  • Luffy Beat Kaido With Gear 5

It’s clear that Kaido presented the greatest challenge Luffy has ever encountered as a pirate. As one of the Four Emperors, Kaido was incredibly powerful in battle. Many believed he was not only the strongest pirate alive, but also the strongest creature in the world. Defeating him in the Wano Country arc was no easy feat, but Luffy pushed his abilities to their absolute limit and ultimately matched Kaido’s strength. He was able to fight Kaido head-on by mastering Advanced Conqueror’s Haki, a significant power-up. This was a pivotal moment in the series.

So you’ve finally Awakened. Awakening is the point when a user’s mind and body fully develop to match their inherent ability. – Kaido

When that wasn’t enough, Luffy unlocked Gear 5, which is the full awakening of his Devil Fruit ability. This gave him the power to fight Kaido on equal footing, and even gain the upper hand at times. Ultimately, Luffy defeated Kaido, liberating Wano Country from oppression. As a result, he was recognized as a Yonko, placing him among the four most powerful pirates currently sailing the seas. However, he still needs to grow stronger to be able to defeat a pirate like Shanks.

Luffy Doesn’t Have Refined Advanced Haki Control

Shanks Is On A Different Level Entirely

One Piece enthusiasts widely acknowledge that Shanks is an incredibly strong pirate. Although Kaido held the title of the World’s Strongest Creature, he wasn’t as powerful as Shanks, who is essentially the equivalent of Roger in the current era. Shanks possesses similar abilities to Roger and has even adopted his combat techniques. Unlike Big Mom and Kaido, who struggled against even a single member of the Worst Generation, Shanks defeated two with just one swing of his sword.

Listen, Straw Hat. Bear in mind how you use your Conqueror’s Haki. They’re not immortal. — Gaban

Honestly, I always got the sense that Nika’s arrival was the real goal for Shanks – he wasn’t really focused on becoming a big name or anything. It just proves he was playing the long game! And while Luffy’s victory over Kaido was incredible, let’s be real, he’s not beating Shanks *right now*. He’s going to need a serious power-up to even stand a chance of reaching Shanks’ level.

Shanks’s Haki Is Far Stronger

Luffy’s only path to potentially defeating Shanks lies in strengthening his Haki, and the groundwork for this was laid during the Elbaf arc. As Gaban pointed out, Luffy needs to fully master how to use Haki effectively, implying his current skill level isn’t optimal. Luffy’s Haki is significantly weaker than Shanks’, and as Kaido stated, Haki is the ultimate power. While Shanks currently has the upper hand, Luffy is destined to eventually surpass him.

The next chapter of One Piece, Chapter 1162, will be released next week, as is typical. New chapters usually come out on Sundays. In Japan, it will be available at 12 AM JST on Monday. But most fans around the world will be able to read it on October 12. The official release date for One Piece Chapter 1162 is October 12, 2025. You can read the chapter legally and for free on Manga Plus.

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2025-10-03 15:04