25 Most Popular One Piece Characters, Ranked (2024)

Even decades later, One Piece continues to dominate both the anime and manga popularity charts. The One Piece universe is vast and home to more than 1,000 characters. During this journey, the anime has successfully provided us with a lot of characters to cheer for. Every character in the One Piece world has left a mark on the viewers, but only a few are considered fan favorites. That said, we have compiled a list of the 25 most popular characters in One Piece in this guide.

Spoiler Warning:

This post includes spoilers for characters in One Piece. We suggest you watch the anime or read the manga first to avoid ruining the intended experience.

We have ranked the characters based on their rankings in popularity polls and popularity among the fans while also assessing their role in the One Piece series. So, without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into our list of the most popular One Piece characters.

25. Bon Clay

Bentham of the Wild, more popularly known as Bon Clay worked as Mr. 2 in the Baroque Works organization. Although he was introduced as one of the antagonists in the Arabasta saga he became one of the best friends of Luffy during the Impel Down arc.

Bon Clay’s unforgettable sacrifice to help Luffy escape prison and continue heading to Marineford moved the fans profoundly. After that moment, Bon Clay instantly cemented his position as one of the all-time favorite characters in One Piece.

24. Yamato

Yamato is the famed Kaido’s daughter, and he regards her as a son. To top it all off, Yamato considers himself Oden and impersonates him. He now identifies as a guy, as he refers to himself as Oden out of respect for him. Yamato is a lovely addition to the Wano arc since he is both caring and extremely powerful.

He assisted the Straw Hats during the raid on Onigashima and has started to gain huge popularity among the fans. Yamato is likely going to be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates in the near future. So, he is undoubtedly one of the most popular characters in One Piece right now.

23. Brook

All the members of the Straw Hat Pirates are instantaneously recognized as one of the most popular faces of the One Piece franchise. Our musician Brook is also among them and he won over fan’s hearts with his skull and adult jokes throughout the series. Before becoming Soul King, Brook was a member of the Rumbar Pirates.

After the crew’s unfortunate end, Brook was later rescued by Luffy during the Thriller Bark adventures. Since then Brook has become a vital part of the crew and his wealth of experience along with Jinbe’s helps the crew extensively in achieving their goals.

22. Crocodile

Crocodile used to be the president of the Baroque Works, a crime syndicate in Arabasta. He is the very first villain we know who gave a taste of bitter defeat to Luffy. Crocodile is a perfect example of a devious villain who doesn’t care about anything else. His guileful villain acts have attracted a sufficient fanbase for him.

He has a devastating devil fruit power, which further increases his dangerous quality. To this day, he still continues as one of the longest-active antagonists in the series, big thanks to his popularity. And so, he definitely deserves a spot in our list of the most popular characters in One Piece.

21. Charlotte Katakuri

Charlotte Katakuri is one of Big Mom’s children and one of Big Mom Pirates’ sweet commanders. Katakuri was believed to have had zero defeats before facing Luffy, demonstrating how powerful he is. What distinguishes Katakuri is his respect for his opponents in battle, as seen by his encounter with Luffy.

This won him a lot of fans’ admiration, to the point that many of them wanted him to be a Straw Hat or even an ally of Luffy in the future. If we take a look at the villains who are highly admired by the fans of One Piece, then Katakuri stands tall. Therefore, he certainly belongs in this list of the most popular characters in One Piece.

20. Donquixote Doflamingo

Donquixote Doflamingo is a terrifying antagonist in One Piece who used to remind us of the Joker from the DC Universe. His sinister chuckle is enough to send shivers down the spines of the fanbase. He is known as the “Heavenly Yaksha” and led the Donquixote Pirates.

Doflamingo used to be a Warlord of the Seas and an underworld broker known as the Joker until he was arrested by the World Government. Doflamingo was a world noble, and his villainous arc began shortly after his family left Mary Geoise.

He is a bold lunatic who has achieved cult status among admirers due to his vile personality. As a result of his villainous nature, Doflamingo is one of the most popular characters in One Piece.

19. Kozuki Oden

If there is one character who captured our attention the most during the Wano Country arc, it has to be Kozuki Oden. He was an unexpected arrival who quickly established his spot in One Piece fans’ hearts. Oden was the Daimyo of Kuri and one of the few persons who had served on the crews of both the famed Roger and Whitebeard Pirates.

Oden was a careless and wild guy in his youth, but he grew into a better man later in life. Fans admire him for his captivating demeanor and his status as a formidable samurai. As a result, he is clearly the most recent addition to the list of the most popular characters in One Piece.

18. Kaido

We also have Yamato’s father on our list, Kaido, who was regarded as the strongest creature in this world. He truly lived up to his epithet as he was such an ultimate force to be reckoned with as seen in the events of the Wano Country arc. Yes, he was a ruthless villain yet left an unforgettable mark on the fans with his strong personality. After he was defeated by Luffy, his status remains unknown at the moment. But fans sincerely hope to see this character again someday and that’s the level of popularity he has among the fandom.

17. Blackbeard

Marshall D. Teach is the main antagonist of the series and the Straw Hats’ nemesis. He is the admiral of the Blackbeard Pirates and is widely known as Blackbeard. Similarly to Shanks, although having minimal screen time, his eviler personality has gained him a different and massive fan base. He also now possesses two devastating devil fruit abilities in the palm of his hand.

He has already begun to make moves and has rapidly risen to the position of Emperor with his Blackbeard Pirates. It is only a matter of time before he faces Luffy, and we are all in for an epic fight taking us on a rollercoaster ride full of emotions.

16. Franky

In line with Nico Robin, Franky initially debuted as an adversary and later turned out to be a Straw Hat in the series. The crew waited for a highly skilled shipwright for a long time and we were fortunate to recruit the uber-cool Franky during the Post Enies Lobby arc. Franky continues to be a man of integrity and a SUUUUUPER character in the series.

Although Franky didn’t take center stage in the Egghead as people expected him to, Franky always stood up against extremely powerful opponents like Big Mom, St. Saturn, etc, and has the utmost trust in his captain. Franky’s voice actor has been changed due to Kazuki Yao’s health issues. So, let’s see how the new voice actor will continue Franky’s journey in the series.

15. Jinbe

Jinbe is the helmsman of the Straw Hat Pirates and is popularly known as the Knight of the Sea. He is a Fish-man and is an expert in Fish-man Karate. He helped Luffy in the Marineford war and Luffy wanted him in his crew later, which he accepted. Jinbe went to the lengths of standing against an emperor Big Mom for his loyalty towards Luffy.

Fans waited for years to see Jinbe join the crew, and he did it recently in the Wano Country arc. Jinbe is a principled man and a senior member of the crew whose experience helps the crew greatly. He is one of the respectful characters in the show, and without a doubt, he is one of the most popular characters in One Piece.

14. Tony Tony Chopper

Tony Tony Chopper is the doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates. He is a reindeer who consumed the Hito Hito no Mi devil fruit, which allows him to transform into a human/hybrid at his will. He aims to become a doctor who can cure any disease in the world and travel across the world. That is one of the reasons why he joined the Straw Hats on their voyage.

Chopper looks kawaii and is sweetly called the “Cotton Candy Lover Chopper” in the series. He even has his own song, which is loved by the fans. But when it comes to showtime, Chopper can turn into an absolute monster to destroy his enemies. His 1000 berries bounty doesn’t make any sense, as he possesses great medical skills and is a great combatant at the same time.

13. Usopp

Usopp is the Straw Hat Pirates’ sniper. He formerly had his own Usopp Pirates but subsequently joined the Straw Hats. Yasopp of the Red-Haired Pirates is his father. He got the title God Usopp after the Dressrosa arc and is known by this name everywhere in the world. Usopp is a hilarious guy who constantly puts a smile on the faces of his followers.

As cowardly as his jokes sound, he is one of the bravest men around. He always stands up for his ideals and his friends no matter what. That demonstrates his progression over time. Now fans are waiting for his much-awaited character development in the ongoing Elbaf arc.

12. Silvers Rayleigh

Silvers Rayleigh was introduced to us in the Saboady Archipelago arc. We all thought about what this old man could do, and he went on to prove us wrong. He was the right-hand man of the Pirate King and was widely known as the Dark King. Even after he retired, he was able to fight admirals and scare off Blackbeard.

Rayleigh is a charming old man who helped the Straw Hats in the very same arc. He trained Luffy in Haki, and he is one of the reasons why Luffy became a strong haki user. Don’t let this man’s appearance fool you; he is still cool and enthusiastic as ever and has a separate fan base for him. That’s why he is one of the most popular characters in One Piece.

11. Boa Hancock

Boa Hancock is the captain of the Kuja Pirates and is popularly known as the Pirate Empress/Snake Empress. We met her for the first time in the Amazon Lily arc when Luffy was sent off to that island. She is the first and only female sea warlord we met in the series. She is regarded as the most gorgeous woman in the One Piece universe. Her beauty absolutely amazes fans, and her devil fruit abilities were tailor-made for her.

Like her adversaries, we turn into stones after witnessing her eternal beauty and how she behaves around Luffy. Beyond her beauty lies her fighting prowess and she is an absolute beast with her powers. As a result, Boa Hancock remains one of the best female characters and most popular character in the series in general as well.

10. Whitebeard

Edward Newgate Aka Whitebeard was called the strongest man in the world. He was the direct rival of our Pirate King Roger and that speaks of how mighty he was. When we were first introduced to him, he seemed like a fearless old man. But the flashback scene of his dream was more than enough to show the true colors of this man. Whilst most pirates set out to the seas to find treasure, all he ever wanted was a family.

Even when he was not in his prime, Whitebeard shook the world with his bravest acts in the Marineford War for Ace. Whitebeard is one of the most down-to-earth characters in the show and is respectfully called Oyaji like how his crewmates call him by the fans.

9. Gol D. Roger

This list wouldn’t be complete without the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. The great pirate age was inaugurated by him when he gave a rousing speech as he was about to leave this world. With the discovery of the fabled One Piece, Gol D Roger became the first Pirate King. Without using any devil fruit abilities, he accomplished all of this while dominating the seas.

He is the one that makes you say: what a strong and charming character he is! The pirate generation we are currently seeing in One Piece is highly unlikely to have existed without Roger. Roger is an essential addition to our One Piece key characters list. Having said that, Roger is Roger, and he is unquestionably one of the most popular characters in One Piece.

8. Portgas D. Ace

Portgas D. Ace was the Whitebeard Pirates’ second division commander. He was the sworn brother of Luffy and Sabo and the only son of Pirate King Roger. He was known as “Fire Fist Ace” because of his fiery devil fruit abilities. We all assumed Ace, like Luffy, was destined for greatness until the Marineford War happened.

Ace stands out as one of Luffy’s most inspiring role models. Luffy looked up to him in the same manner as we did. Although Ace’s adventure has come to an end, he will live on in our hearts as our cherished hero forever. The fire he lit inside our hearts will never be quenched, and he remains one of the most famous characters even after his death.

7. Trafalgar D. Water Law

Trafalgar Law, Heart’s Pirates’ captain, and the doctor may be a supporting character but he is one of the greatest characters in the show, and Hiroshi Kamiya does his voice, making him cooler (who is the VA for the famous Levi from AOT). That was more than enough to draw a sizable fanbase to Law when he made his entrance and his popularity was substantially increased once he allied with the Straw Hat Pirates.

To this day, Law has attracted millions of fans with his Ope Ope no Mi devil fruit powers. He is known as the Surgeon of Death and is undoubtedly one of the most popular faces in the One Piece series.

6. Nico Robin

Nico Robin is the Straw Hat Pirates’ archaeologist. She is introduced as one of the adversaries and unexpectedly joins the Straw Hats at the end of the Alabasta arc. As frightening as she appeared at first, she is the absolute opposite of that. Robin-chwan is a down-to-earth person to her nakama. Her life was filled with tragedy, but with the Straw Hats, she wanted to help her friends and fulfill her ambition of discovering the world’s history.

Robin has proven her usefulness in fights and otherwise, thanks to her vast understanding of history and poneglyphs. Robin is the strongest female member of Straw Hats and is appreciated by people all around the world. The recent Saul-Robin reunion has made the fans appreciate her character even more in the series.

5. Shanks

It would be foolish to leave Shanks off our list of the most popular One Piece characters. He is the man, the myth, and the legend type of character in One Piece. Shanks is a popular character, thanks to his fierce attitude despite getting minimal screen time but only occasionally appearing. The captain of the Red Hair Pirates became one of the sea’s emperors and did not eat any devil fruit.

Our beloved Luffy was inspired by Shanks to begin his pirate escapades. As manga readers, we can affirm that a huge treat is coming for all of the fans of the anime. Shanks continues to be in fifth place as a result. Though fans frequently argue about whether he is a hero or will soon become a villain, his legacy will always be discussed aloud.

4. Vinsmoke Sanji

The Straw Heart Pirates’ chef, Sanji, is also the second-in-command to Zoro. Along with Zoro and Luffy, he is a member of the monster trio. Sanji is a versatile character as he excels in combat with his scorching, ferocious strikes and simultaneously prepares exquisite meals for the entire crew. Sanji has a sizable following base, thanks to his regard for his attitude and respect toward women.

Luffy mentioned that he cannot become the pirate king without Sanji. So yeah, that’s how much Luffy loves him and holds him important in the crew. There will always be a lot of Sanji fans as much as Zoro has. So, the popular One Piece characters list will be incomplete without the cook of Straw Hat Pirates.

3. Nami

Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates crew. She was earlier known as Cat Burglar Nami as she used to rob pirates. But after joining the Straw Hat Pirates, she began to steal the fans’ hearts. Nami is a kind and loving character among the Straw Hats. She has excellent navigation abilities and can assist in fights when necessary.

The heart stealer, Nami, is one of the founding members of the Straw Hats and is one of the first characters we are introduced to in the OP anime. Since then, she has remained in our hearts forever. That’s why she is in the no.1 position among the best One Piece female characters as well.

2. Roronoa Zoro

Roronoa Zoro is the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates. Before becoming a pirate, he was a bounty hunter known as Pirate Hunter Zoro. He transitioned from pursuing pirates for a reward to becoming one himself after Luffy pulled him in. The Straw Hats wouldn’t be the same without Zoro, though. Zoro makes the proper choice to join the crew of the future pirate king since his goal is to become the greatest swordsman in the world.

Since Zoro was willing to risk his life in Thriller Bark to save his captain Luffy, his loyalty to his captain cannot be questioned. From that point on, Zoro went on to become one of the top most favorite of all One Piece fans. Zoro is the right-hand man of Luffy and is currently the second most popular character in One Piece as a result.

1. Monkey D. Luffy

Who else did you expect would be at the top? It’s a no-brainer that Monkey D. Luffy is the most popular character of all time in One Piece. He is our adored main character, and right now he is enjoying the time of his life while getting OP. Luffy sets off on his quest to become the next pirate king and is headed in the right direction. He started as a young child who stretched out his arms to beat enemies and became an emperor of the sea. Luffy has come a long way and continues to be an inspiration today.

So yeah, that concludes our comprehensive list of the most popular characters from the One Piece anime. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of characters in One Piece, we were not able to add every single fan favorite. However, we hope you appreciate our rankings for the most well-known OP characters. Please feel free to mention the characters you believe we left out but should have included in our list. Also, let us know your favorite One Piece character in the comments section below.