Why the Buster Call is Overrated and Fails in One Piece

Summary

Buster Call, touted as strongest Marine weapon, fails to deliver as expected.
Lack of strategic planning makes Buster Call ineffective against real threats.
New powers and threats introduced in One Piece overshadow Buster Call’s impact.

In the fictional universe of One Piece, the World Government is widely regarded as one of the largest and most influential organizations ever depicted in anime. Comprised of numerous marines, admirals, and elders, this powerful entity holds sway over all pirates sailing on the Grand Line and the New World. The World Government’s Admirals and Commander-in-Chiefs wield immense destructive power, but their deadliest weapon might just be the Buster Call – a military strike by the marines that personifies the World Government’s unwavering commitment to justice at any cost.

In the world of “One Piece,” this destructive tool is often employed to obliterate entire islands and all their inhabitants, effectively neutralizing any threats against the World Government. However, the Buster Call’s appearances in the series suggest that its power may not live up to the hype. Each time it has been utilized, it seems to fall short of expectations, casting doubt on its true capabilities. Despite this, the Buster Call remains a potent weapon of the World Government. Yet, the instances within “One Piece” imply that there are even more formidable weapons hidden among their ranks, which downgrades the Buster Call to merely an overrated tool in the World Government’s arsenal.

What Is the Buster Call?

Touted to be The Marine’s Strongest Weapon

First Mention	One Piece Episode 276 “The Fated Parent and Child! The Mother’s Name is Olvia!”
Air Date	September 10, 2006
Targets	Ohara, Enies Lobby, Egghead

The World Government boasts a variety of powerful tools and threats, but the Buster Call stands out as one of its most potent resources. This weapon manifests as a massive assault on an isolated landmass, involving ten navy battle groups and five high-ranking officers known as Vice Admirals commanding them. Given the prestige associated with the Vice Admiral rank within the World Government, the Buster Call holds immense destructive power against its intended target island.

This is a ruthless, heartless assault! It’s an all-out destruction that the Buster Call will bring upon Enies Lobby!

1. The outcome is catastrophic devastation, as the island and its people are completely wiped out. The Buster Call adheres to the Marine principle of Absolute Justice, which posits that anyone defying the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation regardless of any unintended damage. Consequently, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, friend or foe.

2. The aftermath is catastrophic destruction, with the entire island and its populace being eradicated entirely. The Buster Call follows the Marine code of Absolute Justice, which asserts that anyone challenging the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation without regard for any collateral damage. Thus, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, be they friend or foe.

3. The end result is catastrophic destruction, with the island and its inhabitants being obliterated completely. The Buster Call adheres to the Marine doctrine of Absolute Justice, which believes that anyone opposing the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation regardless of any damage caused unintentionally. As such, the Buster Call erases everyone, whether they are friend or foe.

4. The consequence is catastrophic devastation, as the island and its people are completely eliminated. The Buster Call follows the Marine principle of Absolute Justice, which contends that anyone defying the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation, regardless of any damage incurred accidentally. In turn, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, whether they are friend or foe.

5. The outcome is catastrophic destruction, as the island and its inhabitants are completely eliminated. The Buster Call adheres to the Marine doctrine of Absolute Justice, which deems anyone opposing the World Government a criminal, deserving of annihilation, regardless of any incidental damage. Therefore, the Buster Call erases everyone, friend or foe.

6. The aftermath is catastrophic devastation, with the entire island and its population being obliterated completely. The Buster Call follows the Marine principle of Absolute Justice, which states that anyone defying the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation without regard for any unintended damage. Consequently, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, friend or foe.

7. The result is catastrophic destruction, as the island and its people are completely erased. The Buster Call adheres to the Marine doctrine of Absolute Justice, which maintains that anyone opposing the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation regardless of any damage caused accidentally. As a result, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, whether they are friend or foe.

8. The end result is catastrophic devastation, with the island and its inhabitants being obliterated entirely. The Buster Call follows the Marine principle of Absolute Justice, which posits that anyone challenging the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation regardless of any damage incurred unintentionally. Thus, the Buster Call erases everyone, friend or foe.

9. The consequence is catastrophic destruction, as the island and its people are completely eliminated. The Buster Call adheres to the Marine doctrine of Absolute Justice, which asserts that anyone defying the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation regardless of any damage caused accidentally. In turn, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, friend or foe.

10. The outcome is catastrophic destruction, as the island and its inhabitants are completely wiped out. The Buster Call follows the Marine principle of Absolute Justice, which contends that anyone opposing the World Government is a criminal, deserving of annihilation, regardless of any damage incurred unintentionally. Consequently, the Buster Call eliminates everyone, friend or foe.

The Buster Call becomes even deadlier because the naval warships strike down anyone they encounter, including their own marines and higher-ranking officials if they get caught in the line of fire. This reckless killing is what makes the Buster Call infamous; it symbolizes the World Government’s merciless authority over the seas, a rule that shows no mercy to even its own personnel or innocent civilians on the unfortunate islands they encounter.

Why The Buster Call Failed to Deliver

The Buster Call Failed to Live Up to Expectations

The Buster Call, with such a heavy burden attached and an exciting unveiling, fell short of its anticipation. Initially presented as the World Government’s most powerful weapon, it was supposed to indiscriminately wipe out everything in its path, friend or foe. However, its debut in Ohara served more as a display of power against innocent civilians and unarmed archaeologists who were helpless under the control of the battle fleets.

Despite the Buster Call’s impressive ability to obliterate structures like Enies Lobby, it proved largely ineffective against real threats such as pirates or Devil Fruit users, as demonstrated during the Enies Lobby Arc. While it successfully destroyed the target location, it failed to eliminate any of its intended targets, such as the Straw Hats, the Franky family, and the Giants. This performance highlighted the weaknesses in the Buster Call’s capabilities and the exaggerated expectations set by its initial presentation.

The Buster Call Is Blunt Force Over Strategy

The Buster Call Lacks Strategic Planning

The main disadvantage of the Buster Call lies in its excessive reliance on the brute strength and firepower of ten Marine Battleship fleets. Beyond their raw power, the Buster Call lacks significant resources, with only five Vice Admirals who, during the enemy’s lobby arc, were found to be as weak as the Marines they led. Furthermore, the Buster Call struggles to inflict meaningful damage against formidable opponents such as pirates or Devil Fruit users.

For true justice, you must be merciless at times.

From my perspective, the Enies Lobby saga serves as an illustration of how the Straw Hats managed to evade any damage from the Battleship Fleet’s formidable firepower. Quite ironically, it was the Marines who suffered casualties, their ranks dwindling bit by bit due to their own arsenal. To add to that, even non-pirate characters like the Franky family and Galley-La shipwrights miraculously survived the Buster Call’s direct assault. It’s remarkable to consider these seemingly powerless individuals were able to withstand a full-blown navy battleship attack head-on. This only serves to diminish the initial awe surrounding the Buster Call, as it failed to neutralize such ancillary characters who had no real power in their grasp.

Newer Threats Make the Buster Call Seem Like Child’s Play

One Piece Has Introduced New Antagonistic Threats and Powers That Render the Buster Call Useless

In the ongoing tale of “One Piece,” fresh weapons and perils keep emerging, rendering the Buster Call seemingly obsolete. Originally, the Buster Call was designed to symbolize the Marines’ peak power, but it has since transformed into a relic, serving only as a hollow threat. For example, Dr. Vegapunk’s Mother Flame outshines the Buster Call significantly; this potent artifact, created for the World Government, possesses capabilities far beyond those of the Buster Call. It can empower ancient weapons capable of wiping out entire islands instantly.

To add to that, there are remarkable characters within the series who possess the ability to wreak havoc far greater than any Buster Call in an instant. Take Akainu’s Magma Devil Fruit, Magu Magu no Mi, for example, or Blackbeard’s Gura Gura no Mi – these powers alone could obliterate entire islands in a blink of an eye! This degree of destructive potential makes the Buster Call seem like a mere toy compared to these formidable warriors. In fact, any character with even a hint of intelligence and power can easily counter it.

The Buster Call Has Never Been Successful

The World Government Has Never Reached Its Objectives Through This Weapon

From my perspective, the Buster Call operation has numerous flaws that hinder its success significantly. The most striking proof of its inefficacy lies in the fact that it’s never accomplished its intended goals. Although the initial Buster Call in Ohara may have annihilated the island and the archaeologists, it failed to eradicate the legacy of Ohara as Nico Robin managed to evade capture. Similarly, the Buster Call at Enies Lobby was a colossal flop, as not only did it fail to apprehend Nico Robin and the Straw Hats, but it also resulted in Marine casualties.

The most notable blunder might be the Buster Call on Egghead, given it was carried out by nine high-ranking Admirals, CP0, and even the Elders themselves, yet it didn’t reach its intended goal. The Straw Hats, accompanied by Kuma, successfully eluded capture, adding another unsuccessful chapter to the World Government’s record. Repeated uses of this weapon have demonstrated that it no longer instills fear or advances the story effectively, as each instance has ended in failure.

One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

2025-06-03 15:15