When Eiichiro Oda launched One Piece, he created a true maritime world filled with pirates, each more remarkable than the last. Among them is Monkey D. Luffy, the Straw Hat captain whose dream is to become the Pirate King. But the world of One Piece isn’t limited to just the main character—it teems with individuals possessing unique powers and personalities, embroiled in friendships, betrayals, and legendary battles that have captivated fans for over 20 years.
Cartoon Toi invites you to discover the most iconic characters of the One Piece manga. We will introduce not only the heroes but also those who, in Luffy’s shadow, play crucial roles. Feel free to let us know in the comments who your favorite character in the series is!
The Main Characters
Monkey D. Luffy: The Future Pirate King
Monkey D. Luffy is the charismatic main character of One Piece, driven by the burning dream of becoming the Pirate King. What makes him so unique is his tremendous determination and boundless optimism, which inspire everyone around him and attract numerous allies to his cause. He also carries the mysterious “Will of D,” adding to his enigma.
Luffy wields the power of the Gomu Gomu Fruit, which makes his body elastic, allowing him to stretch his limbs and amplify his strength to overcome physical obstacles and formidable adversaries. Together with the Mugiwara, they form the most feared pirate crew in the New World.
His empathetic nature drives him to defend the oppressed and fight against injustice, making him a hero at heart. Throughout his adventures, Luffy never loses sight of his goal. He is a true model of perseverance, teaching young viewers the importance of chasing their dreams regardless of the challenges.
Roronoa Zoro, nicknamed the Pirate Hunter, was the first to join Monkey D. Luffy’s adventure. As Luffy’s right-hand man, Zoro is not only a pillar of physical strength but also a strong symbol of loyalty and honor. His exceptional mastery of the three-sword fighting style, perfected through countless battles, makes him a formidable opponent.
His duels, often against equally imposing foes, rank among the most memorable moments of the series. Zoro aspires to become the greatest swordsman in the world, a goal that drives him to overcome nearly insurmountable challenges—a testament to his incredible determination and unwavering personal honor.
Nami: The Cat Burglar
Nami, the talented navigator of the Straw Hat crew, plays an indispensable role in the success of their sea voyages. Highly intelligent, she has a remarkable knack for cartography and meteorology, enabling her to read the weather and the seas like no one else. Nami is not just a shrewd strategist; her emotionally rich past adds depth to her character.
Her cleverness makes her extremely valuable when it comes to negotiating or resolving conflicts, and her strategic insights benefit the crew immensely. Her evolution from a thief to an outstanding navigator underscores just how smart and integral she is to the story.
Usopp: The King of Snipers
Usopp, the marksman of the Straw Hat crew, embodies personal growth and courage... against all odds. Initially portrayed as a compulsive liar and a coward, Usopp evolves significantly throughout the series. His creativity and ingenuity in crafting and using a variety of projectiles make him indispensable during tactical battles.
His bravery shines through in moments when, despite his fears, he stands up to defend his friends and convictions. This evolution not only highlights his personal growth but also cements his crucial role within the crew. Moreover, Usopp adds a touch of humor to the pirates’ adventures.
Sanji: The Black Leg
Sanji, the charismatic chef of the crew, plays a role far beyond just preparing meals. His world-class culinary skills ensure the crew’s well-being and stamina—crucial for survival at sea. Yet, Sanji is also an excellent fighter, relying primarily on his legs to deliver powerful strikes, thereby keeping his hands free for cooking.
His moral code, which forbids him from striking a woman under any circumstances, along with his unwavering loyalty to his friends, marks him as a man of honor and principle. Coupled with his irresistible charm, Sanji is indispensable as both the moral and physical backbone of the crew.
Tony Tony Chopper: The Blue-Nosed Reindeer
Tony Tony Chopper, the adorable and devoted doctor of the Straw Hat crew, is a reindeer who ate the Hito Hito Fruit. This granted him human abilities, enabling him to communicate and interact like a human. Chopper is not only the tender heart of the crew but also a caregiver whose medical skills have saved his friends on numerous occasions.
His journey from an ostracized reindeer to a respected doctor underscores his vital importance to the crew—even if his acceptance wasn’t immediate. His passion for medicine and his innocent nature make him all the more determined when facing adversaries.
Nico Robin: The Demon Child
Nico Robin, the mysterious and intelligent archaeologist of the crew, plays a key role in Luffy’s quest. As the only person capable of reading the Poneglyphs (the ancient artifacts that hold the secrets of the world’s history), her very existence is a threat to the World Government.
Robin isn’t merely driven by personal curiosity to unearth the world’s hidden secrets; she is determined to reveal the true history—a quest that could change the world. Her integrity, immense intelligence, and the mystery that surrounds her make her one of One Piece’s central characters, with revelations that often defy expectations.
Luffy and His Crew’s Allies
Portgas D. Ace: Fire Fist Ace
Portgas D. Ace is the spiritual brother of Monkey D. Luffy and the true son of Gol D. Roger, the legendary Pirate King. Proud and charismatic, Ace has sailed the seas in search of his own path, earning him a respected position as a commander in Whitebeard’s second division. He is wholly devoted to protecting his loved ones and standing by his convictions, regardless of the risks involved.
The Marineford Arc—where he ultimately sacrifices himself—is a pivotal moment in One Piece that underscores the importance of family, whether chosen or biological. With his confident smile and protective nature, Ace remains a central figure whose legacy continues to inspire Luffy and many others.
Brook: The Crooner
Brook is the musician and secondary swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates. He is a living skeleton capable of detaching himself and even reviving his soul. As a musician, he plays the violin and sings—a talent that earned him the nickname Soul King after the timeskip. He is also adept with a sword, employing a dual-sword style.
Although shy and polite, Brook can sometimes be a bit overbearing, especially when he asks women to show him their underwear. His dream is to see Laboon again—a whale he met before his death.
Franky: The Cyborg
Franky Shogun is a shipwright and former leader of the Franky Family in Water 7. He was rebuilt as a cyborg after being crushed by a Marine train. An ingenious engineer, he is the one who designed the Thousand Sunny. Despite his imposing appearance, Franky is a sensitive man who isn’t afraid to shed tears. He holds deep respect for his mentor Tom and for the "men of the sea."
Proud and determined, Franky shows plenty of nerve—as when he confronted Luffy at Enies Lobby to convince him to let him join the crew. His sense of honor and loyalty make him an essential member.
Jinbe: The Paladin of the Seas
Jinbe is a character belonging to the species of Red Fish-Men. A former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he joined the Straw Hat crew after the Marineford War. He is a formidable martial arts master with colossal strength and the ability to project high-pressure jets of water.
Jinbe renounced his Shichibukai title to protest the oppression of the fish-men by the Celestial Dragons. He later joined Big Mom’s crew before betraying her. A man of honor, he places justice and the protection of the weak above all. His dream is to enable peaceful coexistence among humans, fish-men, and other races.
Boa Hancock: The Snake Princess
Boa Hancock is the empress of the Amazons’ kingdom at Amazon Lily. She is a woman of breathtaking beauty, capable of petrifying men with her Mero Mero Fruit. A former Shichibukai, she joined the Revolutionaries after the Marineford War. Hancock harbors a fierce hatred towards men due to her tragic past, though she makes an exception for Luffy after he saved her.
Despite her cold exterior, she is deeply passionate and even helped Luffy escape from the ultra-secure prison of Impel Down. A formidable fighter, she masters both Armament and Observation Haki techniques.
Trafalgar Law: The Surgeon of Death
Trafalgar Law is the captain of the Heart Pirates. As a user of the Ope Ope no Mi, he can create a "Room" and manipulate everything within it. His formidable techniques—such as the "Mes" and the "Counter Shock"—make him a fearsome adversary. He temporarily joined the Straw Hats to defeat Doflamingo in Dressrosa.
Cold and calculating, he does not hesitate to sacrifice lives to achieve his goals. Yet, Law remains loyal to his allies and holds Luffy in the highest regard. He too dreams of discovering the legendary treasure left by the Pirate King, the One Piece. After the timeskip, Law rises to become one of the Four Emperors.
Shanks: The Red-Haired
Red-Haired Shanks is also one of the Four Emperors who reign over the seas of the New World. A former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew, he saved young Luffy’s life and entrusted him with his precious straw hat. He even lost his left arm protecting Luffy from a sea monster… A brave and powerful pirate, he masters Haki and is now the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates.
His intervention during the Marineford War—where he played a key role in ending the conflict—proves his influence. Today, Shanks continues to watch over Luffy’s progress from afar, confirming his role as a caring mentor despite their separation.
Sabo: The Revolutionary
Sabo is a former noble who joined the Revolutionary Army after being saved by Monkey D. Dragon. A sworn brother to Luffy and Ace, he was presumed dead after an incident during his childhood. He wields the Logia power of the Mera Mera no Mi, once held by Ace. Thanks to his Devil Fruit, he can transform into flames and use devastating techniques such as Hiken.
Sabo is a skilled close-combat fighter and also wields a metallic bō. Determined to change the world, he became the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army after the timeskip. His dream is to bring freedom to all those oppressed by the World Government.
Nefertari Vivi: Miss Wednesday
Nefertari Vivi is the princess of the Alabasta kingdom. She secretly infiltrated Baroque Works under the code name Miss Wednesday. This allowed her to uncover the organization’s plans and thwart Crocodile’s scheme to seize control of Alabasta.
Vivi traveled with Luffy’s crew during the Alabasta arc and forged strong bonds with them. Although gentle and compassionate, she is ready to fight to protect her kingdom and friends. After defeating Crocodile, Vivi decided to remain on her island while staying very close to the Straw Hats. Her dream is to lead her people to prosperity as their future queen.
The Antagonists
Baggy the Clown
Baggy the Clown is an infamous pirate from the first part of One Piece. A former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew, he consumed the Bara Bara Fruit, which allows him to separate the parts of his body. Despite his ridiculous appearance, Baggy is a tough adversary who does not hesitate to betray his allies. He maintains a rivalry with Red-Haired Shanks and the Straw Hats.
Don Quixote Doflamingo
Doflamingo was a cruel and ruthless Warlord of the Sea, captain of the Don Quixote Family. As the user of the Ito Ito Devil Fruit, he could create and control unbreakable strings. He ruled Dressrosa as a tyrant for years before being defeated by Luffy and Law.
Greedy for power, he dreamed of destroying the world to reshape it in his own image. Despite his might, Doflamingo was betrayed by his right-hand man Corazon, who saved Law’s life when he was a child... His arrogance and cruelty ultimately led to his downfall.
Blackbeard
Marshall D. Teach, better known as Blackbeard, is the captain of his own crew and one of the Four Emperors. A wielder of both the Yami Yami and Gura Gura Devil Fruits, he is immensely powerful. Blackbeard is a cruel and ambitious pirate who doesn’t hesitate to betray his allies—he notably assassinated Whitebeard to seize his power. His ultimate goal is to conquer the world by becoming the Pirate King.
Big Mom
As the captain of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Linlin possesses monstrous strength thanks to her Soul Soul Devil Fruit. She can extract and manipulate living souls, granting her near-immortality. Despite her gentle appearance, she is ruthless and won’t hesitate to sacrifice even her own children. Her obsessive dream is to collect legendary souls to create the most powerful army.
Akainu
Sakazuki, known as Akainu, is the Fleet Admiral of the Marines and embodies the dark, corrupt side of the World Government. As the user of the Magma Magma Devil Fruit, he can transform his body into lava and hurl devastating masses of magma. Akainu is a ruthless and merciless man, prepared to do anything to wipe out the pirates. He severely injured Luffy and killed Ace during the Marineford War.
Crocodile
Sir Crocodile was a former Warlord of the Sea and the main antagonist of the Alabasta arc. He schemed to take control of Alabasta with the aim of resurrecting the Ancient Kingdom. Despite his strength, his arrogance led to his defeat at the hands of Luffy. He later joined the prisoners of Impel Down before being freed by Marshall D. Teach.
Rob Lucci
Rob Lucci was the most formidable agent of Cipher Pol, the World Government’s intelligence organization. A master of the Rokushiki martial art, Lucci also consumed the Neko Neko Devil Fruit, which allows him to transform into a leopard. He violently confronted the Straw Hat Pirates at Enies Lobby in an attempt to capture Nico Robin, but was ultimately defeated. His fanatical loyalty to the World Government makes him one of the series’ most feared antagonists.
Dracule Mihawk
Nicknamed the Hawk-Eye, Dracule Mihawk is the greatest swordsman in the world. A former rival of Red-Haired Shanks, he became a Warlord of the Sea under the World Government. Cold and stoic, he effortlessly bested Roronoa Zoro in a duel before training him for two years. Mihawk stands as the ideal Zoro strives to reach on his quest to become the world’s finest swordsman.
Imu
Imu is the mysterious supreme sovereign of the World Government in One Piece. Although his true identity remains unknown, Imu wields absolute authority—even over the Five Elders. Some theories suggest that Imu might be an immortal being created by the Ancient Kingdom. He seeks to eliminate Luffy and preserve the secrets of the Void Century, establishing himself as a major antagonist in One Piece.
The Five Elders (Gorosei)
The Five Elders, also known as the Gorosei, are the highest-ranking officials within the World Government. Rarely seen in public, they convene at Mary Geoise to discuss threats to their power—be it from pirates or revolutionaries. Their loyalty to the World Government is unwavering, and they are prepared to sacrifice countless lives to achieve their goals. Their primary mission is to maintain order and crush any rebellion, even if it means employing ancient weapons.
Which One Piece Character Are You?
In this article, we introduced you to the key characters of the One Piece anime, each playing a vital role in the story’s evolution. Whether through the challenges posed by antagonists or the support of allies, every character enriches Luffy’s quest and his crew’s journey. And you, which character has left the deepest impression on you and why? Let us know in the comments 😊