Why Luffy Isn’t Stronger Than Shanks Yet in One Piece

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This article contains spoilers for the One Piece manga.

Summary

  • Luffy’s power as a Yonko is significant but not yet the strongest in One Piece.
  • Shanks’ mastery of Haki makes him stronger than Luffy at the moment.
  • Luffy’s eventual surpassing of Shanks is hinted at due to his potential Haki growth.

In the thrilling world of “One Piece,” I, Monkey D. Luffy, am bursting with untapped potential! Currently, I’ve ascended to the ranks of the Yonko after the epic events of the Wano arc. Yet, there remains a formidable challenge ahead: surpassing all other Yonko. The enigmatic Red Haired Shanks still stands as an obstacle on my path, along with others like Blackbeard.

Shanks holds a significant edge over me, and it’s this very advantage that’s keeping me from reaching new heights. I can feel the fire within burning brighter than ever before, fueled by the desire to surpass these formidable foes!

Luffy’s Power As A Yonko

Luffy Is One Of The Strongest Characters in One Piece

In the One Piece saga, Luffy stands out as the main character, and since its inception, he’s been progressively evolving, with author Eiichiro Oda continually expanding the narrative for over three decades.

In the narrative, Luffy has made a remarkable journey from an insignificant character in East Blue to a formidable force, vanquishing progressively stronger and riskier foes. We’re now in the Final Saga, and Luffy is stronger than ever before. This impressive growth can be attributed to his recent unlocking of Gear 5, a powerful ability that he demonstrated during his battle against Yonko Kaido in Wano.

With Luffy defeating Kaido and both Kaido and Big Mom temporarily absent from the scene, Luffy was formally acknowledged as a Yonko.

Despite currently showing impressive feats, Luffy hasn’t reached his full potential yet. You see, he couldn’t confront the Five Elders during the Egghead Arc, which indicates a significant limitation. This becomes crucial when Imu comes fully into play. The power Luffy possesses now might not be enough to vanquish the adversaries that will obstruct him in this Final Saga.

Currently, Luffy hasn’t reached the status of being the strongest Yonko, since the surviving original Yonko, who is none other than Red-Haired Shanks, still outranks him in strength.

Shanks Is Still Stronger Than Luffy in One Piece

It All Comes Down to Haki Mastery

For quite a while now, Shanks has been a key figure within the Yonko, frequently appearing in the One Piece narrative albeit sporadically. Despite his occasional appearances, he has remained a pivotal character throughout the series. Currently, Shanks is among the strongest characters alive, and it’s possible that his power level surpasses fan expectations. It’s clear that Luffy still trails behind Shanks in terms of strength, and this disparity can be attributed to one significant factor: Haki.

Luffy’s skill with Haki is notable, since he can utilize all three forms: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s. Yet, there’s room for improvement in his mastery of these Haki abilities.

The bold actions you took… significantly shaped the course of our world’s destiny – whether it be for the better or the worse.

In the world of One Piece, since Shanks doesn’t possess a Devil Fruit, he relies solely on Haki, demonstrating an extraordinary mastery over all three types. His skillful use of Haki has been observed by fans, leading many to speculate that Shanks might be the strongest user of Haki currently alive in the One Piece world.

In the concluding chapter, mastery over potent Haki, particularly advanced Conqueror’s Haki, is set to play a crucial role. This is because the storyline now includes immortality among some of the Celestial Dragons, specifically the Five Elders and the Holy Knights. Haki could very well be the solution to dealing with this newfound immortality.

Luffy Will Surpass Shanks Eventually

Luffy’s Haki Will Even Surpass Joy Boy’s

Although Shanks currently has a stronger Haki, giving him an edge over Luffy now, this situation won’t last forever. Eventually, in the Final Saga, Luffy is bound to exceed Shanks in terms of strength.

Previously, followers of One Piece had the opportunity to observe the immense power that Joy Boy’s Haki held. This Haki was so potent it managed to neutralize the Abyss and return the Five Elders back to Marijoa. It even caused a shiver to run through Imu.

You can pour drinks on me… but for good reason or not, nobody hurts a friend of mine! — Shanks

To accomplish his ultimate aspirations, Luffy must excel Joy Boy in every conceivable manner. Therefore, Luffy plans to unleash a more potent form of Haki than he can currently manifest, which will undoubtedly propel him beyond Shanks, making Luffy the most powerful character in One Piece.

Where To Read The One Piece Manga Weekly

Available on Manga Plus

One Piece’s next chapter (1147) is just around the corner, set to be released later this week. Following tradition, the new chapter will come out on Sunday for us. In Japan, it will be available at 12AM JST on Monday, but most international readers can expect to read it on April 20th. The official release date worldwide is April 27, 2025. Excitingly, fans can access the chapter for free via Manga Plus!

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2025-04-29 04:04