Every Giant in One Piece

Key Takeaways

Elbaf giants like Dorry and Broggy have a warrior culture, which places a huge emphasis on honorable deaths.
Non-Elbaf giants like Jaguar D. Saul and Sanjuan Wolf are confirmed to exist, and seem less directly connected to the warrior culture.
Yetis like the Yeti Cool Brothers, Ancient Giants like Oars, and hybrids like Wotans bring diversity to the giant race.

As a seasoned sailor and pirate enthusiast who has traversed the Grand Line for decades, I can’t help but be captivated by the enigmatic figures of Buccaneers and Numbers in One Piece.

In the world of One Piece, giants are a significant and recurring race, making occasional appearances across the series. They’re usually portrayed as valuable allies, with many powerful entities, such as pirate crews and even the Marines, leveraging their strength. As the story unfolds, we see various types of giants, often distinguished by their origins or physical attributes. With the forthcoming arc taking place on the giant kingdom of Elbaf, we can expect more focus on these colossal beings in the future. Here’s a glance at the diverse types of giants that have been featured so far in the series, along with some notable individuals among them.

7 Elbaf Giants

Examples: Dorry and Broggy

In the land of Elbaf, the giant inhabitants possess a battle-centric society where conflicts can escalate into life-or-death duels. An ongoing feud between Dorry and Broggy, commanders of the Giant Warrior Pirates, has lasted for over a century due to a disagreement about who was the taller giant. Yet, this age-old rivalry appears to have temporarily ceased, as both giants were spotted away from their homeland – Dorry and Broggy joined forces with Shanks against Eustass Kidd, and later supported Luffy during the Egghead incident. The emphasis on honorable conduct in death led these giants to oppose Charlotte Linlin, as she executed Jorul, a previous Captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates, dishonorably.

As a devotee, I share that on an island within the vast Grand Line, their Winter Solstice celebration is marked by a 12-day fast following a feast of semla. Unfortunately, my empress, Linlin, couldn’t abide by this custom, leading to actions that earned her infamy among all giants worldwide. In an attempt to reconcile with Elbaf, she proposed marriage between her daughter, Lola, and their prince, Loki. However, young Lola found the idea less appealing and fled the wedding, deepening the antipathy towards Linlin. This unique distinction—few emperors lacking giant allies or followers—poses a challenge for her ambition of Totto Land being a haven for all races.

In the given region, there existed an orphanage known as Sheep’s House, managed by Mother Carmel. On the surface, it seemed like a sanctuary for orphans of all races; however, it served as a cover for her illicit trafficking business. Orphans with exceptional potential were surreptitiously handed over to the World Government in return for substantial monetary compensation. This underhanded deal led to the recruitment of giants from Elbaf into the marines, including John Giant, who became the first-ever giant marine and was part of this clandestine exchange. Interestingly, five giants from Elbaf are also a part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and have formed their own crew, the New Giant Warrior Pirates, honoring the original crew in name.

6 Non-Elbaf Giants

Examples: Jaguar D. Saul and Sanjuan Wolf

The Island Kingdom of Elbaf is known as the home of some giants, but it’s clear that there are other regions where these massive beings originate. Jaguar D. Saul, a giant from South Blue and a former Marine Vice Admiral, is an example of one who does not follow the values of Elbaf. He was an ally to Nico Robin and is the only known non-human character with the initial ‘D’ in his name. According to him, every member of his family also carries this initial. Saul left the Marines after losing faith in the World Government and went on to become one of Robin’s first friends. It was believed that he had been killed by a former comrade, Kuzan, but it turned out this wasn’t true. Instead, Saul survived and successfully protected documents saved by scholars of Ohara. Giants from Elbaf helped him transport these valuable documents.

In addition, there are two colossal beings, Sanjuan Wolf and Morley, who hail from the Western Blue instead of Elbaf. Sanjuan Wolf, a mischievous giant, consumed the Deka Deka no Mi, a Devil Fruit that amplified his already massive size even further. He was incarcerated for horrific acts so heinous they warranted erasing his name from historical records. However, Blackbeard secured his release and made him part of his crew, eventually bestowing upon him the title of captain. Morley, a relatively diminutive newkama giant, was formerly an Impel Down inmate. She might be the first to successfully escape the prison, thanks to her Oshi Oshi no Mi, which enables her to sculpt solid ground. Since then, she has risen through the ranks to become the West Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army.

5 Yetis (?)

Examples: Rock and Scotch

Not much information exists about this possible type of giant, as it’s unclear if it’s categorically different from others. Similarly, the two recognized individuals, often referred to as the Yeti Cool Brothers, are equally enveloped in secrecy. In the Punk Hazard storyline, they served as assassins under Caesar Clown, but were ultimately defeated by characters such as Franky, who temporarily inhabited Chopper’s body, and Trafalgar D. Water Law.

These characters seem well adapted to the cold, sporting mostly white fur on their bodies. In the series, their faces have always been veiled by shadows, but Oda has depicted them without shadows, as seen in One Piece 15th Anniversary: Dive to Grand World. Not much else is known about them other than they hail from the Grand Line. It’s likely that this particular group may not be explored further since their role in the story has been rather minor.

4 Ancient Giants

Examples: Oars and Little Oars Jr.

This particular group of Giants stands out due to their extraordinary size, with only Sanjuan Wolf, who transforms through a Devil Fruit, being the recognized exception. Instead of resembling typical humanoid giants, their appearance seems inspired by Oni, demonic ogre-like creatures from yokai folklore. This influence is reflected in their distinctive skin tones, horns, and even pointed teeth. Moreover, they are often depicted with less clothing compared to smaller giants.

One version could be: Oars, nicknamed the Land-Tugger, belongs to an uncommon race and is one of just two known members. His notoriety was so great that following his demise, Gecko Moria, commander of the Thriller Bark Pirates, opted to turn him into his 900th zombie. Since being resurrected using Monkey D. Luffy’s stolen shadow, he started displaying some of the pirate’s traits and characteristics. Not much is known about his original personality, but it appears that he wasn’t overly intelligent, according to Chopper, who concluded his death was due to wandering around in a cold climate while wearing only a loincloth.

Little Oars Jr. is the only other known ancient giant, and is descended from Oars, as his name implies. He is captain of the Little Pirates, a subordinate crew of the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace was a close friend of his, which is why he was one of many pirates to fight for his sake during the Summit War. He is shown to be far physically stronger than other giants, even beating down a high-ranking marine giant, Vice Admiral Lacroix, with little-to-no-effort. However, he was eventually wounded by various members of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Despite this, he manages to soldier on, and continue to aid Whitebeard during the war, however his ultimate fate is unknown.

3 Wotans

Examples: Big Pan and Sebastian

The Wotans represent a unique blend of species, with ancestry tracing back to both giants and fish-humans. Consequently, they stand out due to their towering stature compared to most human beings, albeit smaller than actual giants. They inherit the increased physical power and aquatic skills from their fish-human forebears. Given their giant heritage, they exhibit a more human-like appearance compared to typical fish-men.

In the saga of One Piece, Wotans play a relatively minor role in the storyline, with only one appearing canonically in a supporting position. Big Pan, a pond loach Wotan, was part of the Foxy Pirates. He engaged in combat with Zoro and Sanji during the Davy Back Fight between the Foxy Pirates and Straw Hat Pirates. Despite showing good camaraderie with Pickles and Hamburg, the trio couldn’t match the strength of Zoro and Sanji when they began working together harmoniously. For reasons yet to be clarified, Big Pan departed from the crew, along with most of its members. The only other known Wotan is Sebastian, a kelpfish Wotan who doesn’t appear in the canonical storyline but is featured in the anime as a member of the World Pirates.

2 Buccaneers

Examples: Bartholomew Kuma and Clapp

Buccaneers are not full-fledged giants themselves, but rather a species with giant lineage. They can be hard to tell apart from larger humans without genetic testing. The origins of the buccaneers remain unknown, as Kuma is classified as one despite having a human mother exclusively. Similarly, Clapp, who is Kuma’s father, also has an unclear parentage.

They are largely wiped out, with Kuma being the only surviving member of the species. It is said they committed a great crime against the world, which led to them being mercilessly hunted by the World Government. Buccaneers were either enslaved or put to death, which ended up being the ultimate fate of Clapp.

Although the World Government continually suppresses them, pirates play a substantial role in its power structure, as Kuma serves as the blueprint for their weaponized clones known as Pacifistas. S-Bear, a member of the Seraphim group, is an unusual type of Pacifista who traces his lineage to both the pirate faction and the Lunarians, another rare species that is largely believed to be extinct except for those cloned by the government.

People worshipped the Sun Deity, Nika, whom they considered a bringer of happiness and liberation for the world. In another land called Elbaf, Nika is equally respected, though whether there’s a link between these two religious beliefs remains unknown at this time.

1 Numbers

Examples: Inbi and Fuga

The island known as Punk Hazard was a research facility where Dr. Vegapunk, among others, once carried out experiments. One of these experiments by his ex-apprentice Caesar Clown aimed to transform human children into giants. This process indeed increased their size and strength, but it also significantly reduced their lifespan. Fortunately, a group of pirates and marines intervened before any deaths took place, aiming to rescue the children. However, this was not the only attempt at creating giants on that island.

In Punk Hazard, another experiment was carried out to artificially revive the ancient giants. Although they look different, these creatures share many characteristics with the original giants. They have the same long lives and immense heights. However, they’re considered failures primarily because of their limited intelligence. Despite this, Kaido bought them, making them part of the Beasts Pirates. They are big and strong, but not as skilled as crews like the Straw Hat Pirates. They also have a reputation for getting drunk easily, which weakens them in battle.

As a devoted fan, I’d rephrase it this way: Among all the notable characters, Fuga stands out as unique. His extraordinary feat involved consuming a Smile-Smile Fruit that transformed him into a centaur, complete with horse legs. Unfortunately for him, this act earned him punishment from Kaido for stealing the fruit and ridicule from his peers due to his new physique. However, Yamato, intrigued by his transformation, found it cool. This acceptance eventually led Fuga to align himself with Yamato rather than his fellow numbers. The fate of these characters following the Wano arc remains unknown.

2024-09-08 12:34