One Piece Author Oda Reveals A Marine Strong Enough To Become The Pirate King

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This article contains spoilers from the One Piece series.

Becoming the Pirate King is widely considered the greatest challenge in the world of One Piece. So far, only Gol D. Roger has achieved this title by sailing around the entire world and mastering the treacherous Grand Line, earning him immense wealth, fame, and power. Before Roger, Joy Boy was likely the only other person capable of such an incredible accomplishment.

Even the most powerful pirates, like the Yonko, haven’t been able to achieve this, but according to the author, Oda, there’s a Marine capable of finding the One Piece and becoming Pirate King within a year. This isn’t an overstatement; it highlights just how strong the Marines are, particularly their leaders. Many fans suspect, and it appears to be true, that this Marine is Akainu, the current Fleet Admiral. He possesses the incredibly powerful Magu Magu no Mi ability.

Oda Reveals Akainu Could Become The Pirate King In A Year

Image by Toei Animation

In One Piece, the Navy is consistently portrayed as a major force to be reckoned with. They possess immense power, with Admirals capable of battling the strongest pirates, the Yonko. The Fleet Admiral, who leads the Navy, is even more powerful – truly on par with the Yonko. Currently, Akainu holds the position of Fleet Admiral, and many fans believe he’s strong enough to challenge even Luffy himself.

I’m most concerned with Luffy because he has a tendency to quickly defeat the main villain unless I find a way to delay his arrival. That’s why, when creating a main character for manga, it’s best not to make them overwhelmingly powerful. If someone like Akainu were the protagonist, for instance, One Piece would likely end within a year.

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series, has indicated just how powerful Akainu is. He suggested that if Akainu were the main character, he could find the One Piece within a year. However, Oda also believes a protagonist shouldn’t be overwhelmingly strong. When he imagines Akainu finding the treasure so quickly, he’s picturing the current, incredibly powerful Akainu – at the level of a Yonko – taking on a role similar to Luffy and leading his own crew. Oda points out that most exceptionally strong characters would likely be able to achieve the same feat in that timeframe.

I overheard Nico Robin talking about the Navy’s top guys – the Admirals. She called them Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu, and said they were basically the strongest fighters the Marines had.

That said, Akainu is incredibly powerful too. To have a chance at finding the One Piece, you need to be able to defeat the Four Emperors, and Akainu definitely has the strength to take on a few of them.

Akainu Is A Yonko Level Monster

Image by Toei Animation

Honestly, it’s pretty clear now that Akainu is a total powerhouse, easily on the level of a Yonko in One Piece! I think he’s right up there with Luffy in terms of strength, and that automatically puts him among the strongest characters in the whole series. It makes perfect sense too, considering he’s at the head of one of the biggest organizations – just like Dragon with the Revolutionary Army. He’s a major player, and his power reflects that!

Garp Would Easily Have Become The Pirate King As Well

Image by Toei Animation

Garp is another Marine with the potential to have become the Pirate King. Many fans believe Garp is actually stronger than Akainu and possesses incredibly powerful Haki. He was strong enough to fight on equal footing with the Rocks Pirates and fought alongside Roger. If Garp had chosen a life of piracy, he likely would have become Pirate King quickly, just like Roger.

Listen, Kuzan! Those who hesitate are lost! — Garp to Kuzan, Egghead Arc

Garp is widely considered the strongest Marine, and the author clearly favors him. However, Garp wasn’t interested in becoming a pirate, preferring to follow his own moral code. This means Luffy is the only one with the potential to find Joy Boy’s treasure after Roger, but he’ll need to become stronger than both Akainu and Garp to do so.

The newest chapter of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, Chapter 1166, will be available in this week’s Weekly Shonen Jump. It officially releases on November 23, 2025. In Japan, it will be released at midnight on Monday, which translates to 11:00 AM Eastern Time or 8:00 AM Pacific Time. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump app.

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2025-11-20 00:36