Put up yer dukes, ye’ scurvy landlubber. I’ll fight ye tooth and nail!
So ya wish to know the greatest of all the battles in all the vast seas of the world? Well, shiver me timbers! How the hell am I supposed ta’ know that? One Piece be a Shonen anime—everyone in the world is fighting all the damn time! Why just afore breakfast I bested ten men myself! And I’ll best ten more come lunchtime! I’ve been in every kind of fight there is! Wedding fights, funeral fights, why I’ve even challenged some of literature’s finest minds to a brawl!
But I’ll tell ye one thing, I count me lucky stars each night that I never was in a fight like one of these I’m bout to name. Thar’ be right powerful people sailing these seas, and I don’t think I would have survived an encounter with any o’ these mighty sailors and soldiers. No sir’ee. And I’ll count them off on what digits I’ve got left on me hands and feet!
15. Luffy vs. Captain Kuro
Luffy’s battle with Captain Kuro was one of the first major battles in the series. After all, Kuro was the SCURVIEST of sea dogs (cats) for his treatment of Usopp’s friend/love interest Kaya. Kuro spent THREE YEARS serving Kaya in order to earn her trust, and then betrayed her in the cruelest of all possible ways! Kuro is a man to be despised, and it warmed my heart to see his ass kicked across the East Blue.
14. Smoker vs. Vergo
This is one of the few fights where NONE of the Straw Hat Pirates are involved! What a relief, eh? As much as I enjoy a battle featuring the protagonists, I’m keenly aware that nothing will ever pierce their plot armor. Watching side characters fight is a different matter entirely. These two side characters just so happen to be two of the most powerful men to ever sail the All Blue. With a dizzying display of Devil Fruit and Haki powers, Smoker and Vergo prove to us all why they both deserve the title of Navy Vice Admiral.
13. Nami vs. Miss Doublefinger
Robbing, thieving, and murdering are all criminal, but nothing is as criminal as how underrated this glorious fight scene is! In a rare display of martial prowess, Straw Hat navigator Nami faces off against the spiny-headed Miss Doublefinger. What Nami lacks in brawn she makes up for in brains, and baffles her foe with the power of science! Stay in school, pirates!
12. Sanji vs. Jabra
While Zoro and Sanji tend to be shooed out of the spotlight to make way for a show-stopping Monkey D. Luffy fight scene, Sanji’s battle with Jabra proves to be the exception to the rule. Set during the Enies Lobby arc, Sanji unlocks a main character level power-up in order to defeat his foe … by setting his feet on fire. The technique is called Diable Jambe, and he uses his burning toesies to make short work of Jabra.
11. Arlong vs. Luffy
While Luffy’s battle with Captain Kuro was the series’ first nail-biter battle, Luffy’s fight with Arlong was where things truly got personal. Arlong’s wanton cruelty quickly made him one of the most despicable characters on the show. He murdered Nami’s mom! Unforgivable. Luffy’s vengeance against the captain of the Arlong Pirates was gloriously satisfying.
10. Mihawk vs. Zoro
This fight is a perfect example of what would happen if I went up against any one of the devils on this list. It would be a one-sided beatdown! We’d been introduced to Zoro at this point, the three sword-wielding demon who seemed like the greatest in all the seas. Then Zoro takes on Mihawk and we’re quickly shown that isn’t quite the case. Zoro fights with his three blades, while Mihawk uses a sword that’s half the size of a letter opener! It’s the first time narratively we’ve seen such a power gap between two mighty men! Zoro was defeated in a fight that shivered all our timbers from aft to fore.
9. The Scabbards vs. Kaido
The Scabbards had been hoping for a go at the “World’s Strongest Creature” for going on twenty years, And what a glorious go it was! Team attacks! Combination strikes! And then ended it all with some of the finest swordplay this pirate has ever laid eyes on! The Oden Two Sword Style attack: Paradise Totsuka! Sadly, it was still no match for the right powerful Kaido. They should count their lucky stars as well though, as most who fight Kaido never make a scratch on him at all!
8. Ace vs. Blackbeard
It’s the first time in the series that we were all given a clear look at the powers of two great pirates! Ace’s Mera Mera no Mi and Blackbeard’s Yami Yami no Mi Devil Fruit powers were a thing to behold! Ace managed to get some fine hits but in the end, he was no match for Blackbeard’s power. This fight is one of the most important narratively, as it started a damn war! The biggest that these oceans have ever seen.
7. Zoro vs. Mr. 1
Zoro had been bested by a man more powerful than him before, and he wasn’t keen on having it happen again! Things were looking grim for the three-bladed swordsman during this fight. Zoro simply couldn’t land a hit! One can see why, as Mr. 1 had quite a few more swords, considering that he could sharpen his physical body. I thought Zoro was gonna have a date with Davey Jones for sure, but at the last moment, he finally understood the Breath of All Things, and was able to use this new understanding to best his foe! We love a good moment of spiritual enlightenment!
6. Luffy vs. Katakuri
This was one of the most action stuffed fights in the entire series! And one of the longest! Luffy and Katakuri fought for over twelve hours straight. That’s the length of my average day! Luffy took a beating in the Mirror World as a keen tactical decision that allowed him to improve his Observation Haki. Luffy’s efforts were rewarded, and he was gifted with the ability to peep into the future! This combined with his Snakeman ability allowed Luffy to best his super speedy foe in a battle that will echo through the ages!
5. Luffy vs. Sanji
This battle landed killer blow after killer blow on my shriveled pirate heart. Got the saltwater pourin’ from my eyes watching two crew mates tangle with one another in such a way. It wasn’t a fight so much as a one-sided beat down, with poor Luffy beggin’ Sanji to come back to the Straw Hats once more! Broke poor Sanji’s heart too. After he’d beaten his best friend bloody, he sat down and had a cry. And so did I! So did we all.
4. Whitebeard vs. Everyone
And the tears keep on flowing! This fight was a tragic and beautiful affair, and ended in the most legendary death of a pirate in the history of the world! Whitebeard was a giant of a man, both in his physical size and the size of his character. He loved each of his crew members like family, and fought tooth and nail to protect them from Blackbeard and his nefarious crew. After being stabbed, shot, and pierced with cannonballs, Whitebeard said his final farewell and died on his feet, standing straight up. He was a giant in death just as he was in life. No man beheld it and kept a dry eye.
3. Luffy vs. Lucci
Another fight where a character learned somethin’! Does me heart good to watch this kid figure it out! Luffy’s opponent Lucci was fighting fiercely, and the little rubber boy was nearly bested. Nearly I say! For Luffy cleverly created two new powers in his Second and Third Gear in order to defeat his opponent. He was fightin’ with every ounce of his strength to save his crew mate Robin, and his love and dedication for her allowed him to land a killer final blow in the form of a Jet Gatling that trounced the devil Lucci!
2. Luffy vs. Usopp
Oh this fight was another that cleaved me heart in twain! Luffy had to fight one of his very first friends and crewmates, the sniper Usopp! Usopp had challenged the straw hatted lad to a duel, as Luffy was going to take their beloved ship Going Merry out of commission. The sniper couldn’t bear to give the old girl up! Usopp was a formidable foe in battle, using his deadly marksmanship and his superior tactical intellect to great effect! However, he was eventually defeated by his captain and forced to say goodbye to his beloved vessel. A tragedy.
1. Luffy vs. Kaido
This is indeed the finest fight in the history of the world to date! And it’s still happening! I’ve been watching through my telescope from 20,000 leagues away! The attacks have been so powerful that I dare not risk my life and limb getting any closer. Oh, what a thrill it is to see Luffy and the Worst Generation go up against the World’s Strongest Creature. I don’t know how this battle will turn out, but those young pirates may just be the ones to slay the old dragon once and for all!
(Featured image: Toei)
