Most Beloved One Piece Characters

Summary

• One Piece is filled to the brim with iconic characters that are celebrated by many fans around the world.
• Characters like Ace, Law, and Robin resonated with audiences due to their unique Devil Fruit powers and their tragic backstories.
• The Straw Hat Pirates are full of prominent characters – like Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and Luffy himself – who are incredibly beloved by almost every single One Piece fan.

For twenty-eight years, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has introduced some of the best fictional characters ever created, who quickly captivated audiences with their unique designs, charming personalities, incredible abilities, and more. Whether they are part of the Straw Hat Pirates, another pirate crew, or even the Marines, there’s no denying that this series has an extensive but memorable cast that is beloved by millions of people around the world.

However, this has left fans with one burning question: who are the most beloved characters in all of One Piece? It’s important to clarify that, a few years ago, Shueisha actually published the results of a global popularity poll that has been used as reference for this list, but it’s not entirely based off of it, seeing as some of its information is already outdated, and it also featured characters that are controversial but who still have huge fan bases that voted for them.

8

Shanks

Luffy’s Pirate Role Model Is Just Way Too Likable

• First Appearance: Chapter 1 (Manga) Episode 4 (Anime)

The first chapter of One Piece needed to properly convey why Luffy would want to do something as risky as becoming a pirate, which is why it introduced the character of Shanks. In just a few pages, the captain of the Red Hair Pirates came off as an endearing father figure who knew how to have fun but also when to act as a ruthless pirate to protect his friends and allies. This mentality greatly inspired Luffy, and it resulted in the legendary scene in which Shanks gives him his iconic straw hat.

From that point onward, Shanks didn’t appear very often in the story, but every time he did, it felt like a special occasion. Some of his subsequent scenes, like the moment he stopped the Paramount War or any time he displayed his incredible mastery over Haki, made One Piece fans love him even more. Of course, Shanks did gain a few detractors after he was “seen” talking to the Five Elders during the Levely Arc, until it was later revealed that he has a twin brother named Shamrock who is the commander of the God’s Knights.

7

Portgas D. Ace

A Character So Popular That Many Fans’ Hearts Broke When He Died

• First Appearance: Chapter 154 (Manga) Episode 91 (Anime)

It should be no surprise that Portgas D. Ace is so popular among fans, even to this day, because he looks like a character that was specifically designed to be beloved. Not only does he look cool, but the fire-based powers of his Mera Mera no Mi are some of the most impressive and fun-to-watch in the series. On top of that, he was responsible for some hilarious comedic scenes, and his brotherly relationship with Luffy was downright adorable.

Because of all this, Ace’s inevitable death during the Marineford Arc was incredibly heartbreaking for many, seeing as he was an extremely popular character. However, it also helped to cement him as a beloved figure in the eyes of many fans, especially because he left a huge legacy behind that inspired Luffy to continue his journey to become Pirate King. While Luffy’s other brother, Sabo, is also quite popular, he’s nowhere near as beloved as Ace, since many people still see him as a mere replacement instead of his own character.

6

Trafalgar D. Water Law

A Cool-Looking Character With Fascinating Powers And A Tragic Backstory

• First Appearance: Chapter 498 (Manga) Episode 392 (Anime)

If there’s something that sets One Piece apart from other (non-shōnen) anime and manga, it is the fact that its protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is very cheerful and lighthearted. However, those who are looking for a more serious and cool-looking character are more likely to prefer Trafalgar D. Water Law, the “Surgeon of Death” and the captain of the Heart Pirates.

Many people already adore Law due to his laid-back but determined attitude, his unique design and, most importantly of all, the incredible powers of the Ope Ope no Mi that he wields (hearing Hiroshi Kamiya shout “Room!” is always very satisfying for some reason). On top of that, he has impeccable chemistry with Luffy, which makes their relationship both funny and interesting. But what finally cemented Law as one of the series’ most popular characters was his tragic backstory, which seems to have resonated with audiences who are fascinated by both his father-son relationship with Corazon and his eventual revenge plan to take down Donquixote Doflamingo.

5

Nico Robin

The “Big Sister” Of The Straw Hat Pirates Is Strong, Intelligent, And Kind

• First Appearance: Chapter 114 (Manga) Episode 67 (Anime)

From the moment she was introduced, Nico Robin was portrayed as an attractive adult woman with a seductive personality and bizarre powers, which made her immediately appealing to many fans. But she’s a lot more than that, seeing as she has slowly but surely become one of the most beloved female characters in the entire series.

For starters, Robin belongs to the villain-turned-hero trope, which is always very popular with anime and manga fans. But she also began displaying another side of her personality after she joined the Straw Hats, as she is now like the “mother” or “big sister” of the crew, and she has an endearing relationship with all of her crewmates, especially Franky, Luffy, and Chopper. The most important part of Robin’s character, however, is her heartbreaking backstory, which made fans love her and her relationship with the crew even more after the excellent Enies Lobby Arc.

4

Sanji

A Chivalrous Chef That Can Be Both Really Funny And Really Cool

• First Appearance: Chapter 43 (Manga) Episode 20 (Anime)

Sanji’s addition was a much-needed breath of fresh air for the Straw Hat Pirates, since his suave and elegant personality was a big contrast to Luffy and Zoro’s more laid-back and scruffy attitude. Because of this, he immediately resonated with audiences, especially female fans who fell in love with his elegance and his culinary skills, while still maintaining a lot of popularity among fans who prioritized a character’s battle capabilities, thanks to his incredible Black Leg Style and flashy techniques like his Diable Jambe.

Truth be told, Sanji lost a lot of his popularity around the time skip, when Oda began making more and more jokes centered on him being a pervert, a joke that could be funny at the beginning, but it eventually became annoying, repetitive, and made him come off as creepy. Fortunately, the Whole Cake Island Arc single-handedly rectified Sanji’s image by giving him a fascinating backstory and a lot of incredible character development, and by the time the Wano Country Arc started, he was back to being as lovable as always. Of course, he’s still a womanizer, but this aspect of his character has been toned down a lot ever since.

3

Nami

One Of The Most Beloved And Distinctive Female Characters In The Anime Industry

• First Appearance: Chapter 8 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)

Most shōnen anime and manga usually have a prominent female character who’s meant to be a romantic interest for the protagonist and has no real agency of her own. This is exactly why Nami has become such an iconic and beloved character, since she’s a strong, independent young woman who has an adorable relationship with Luffy, and yet it never seemed like she was supposed to be his romantic interest at all.

Nami is a beautiful woman with impressive navigation skills and a friendly but greedy personality that has resulted in some of the funniest gags in the series. Of course, she can occasionally be cowardly and corrupt, but she always knows when and how to rise to the occasion whenever she needs to protect her crew or innocent people from evil pirates and marine officers. Because of all this and more, it’s no surprise that she has always been highly regarded as the absolute best, most iconic, and most beloved female character in One Piece, a prestigious title that she will most likely carry until the conclusion of this story.

2

Roronoa Zoro

This Incredible Swordsman Has Starred In Some Of The Best Fights In The Series

• First Appearance: Chapter 3 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)

When compared to his friend and rival, Sanji, Roronoa Zoro may seem a lot simpler, but this is exactly why he’s one of the most beloved One Piece characters. Zoro is a talented and dedicated swordsman who has trained his entire life to beat Dracule Mihawk and become the world’s greatest swordsman. Because of this, he has starred in some of the most intense, cinematic, inspiring, and downright incredible action sequences in the series. After all, who doesn’t love a well-made sword fight?

But, of course, there’s a bit more to Zoro than just his battle prowess. Despite his serious personality, he has managed to form unbreakable bonds with the entire Straw Hat crew that are always a joy to witness: he and Sanji have an intense but funny rivalry, he treats Chopper like a younger brother and his close friendship with Luffy is one of the most interesting relationships in the entire series. On top of all that, Zoro’s poor sense of direction is one of the most universally beloved running gags, and it’s so hilarious that it has even transcended its fan base and has been used by people who haven’t even read or watched One Piece.

1

Monkey D. Luffy

A Lovable Protagonist Who Inspires Other People To Chase Their Dreams (Even In The Real World)

• First Appearance: Chapter 1 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)

One Piece fans may constantly argue about who their favorite characters are, but it’s almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t adore Monkey D. Luffy. Since 1998, the main character of the series has been ranked #1 in every single popularity poll ever made, which perfectly demonstrates how universally beloved he is. He deserves this title, though, because he’s one of the best protagonists in the entire shōnen action genre.

Luffy may initially come off as a simple-minded and goofy guy with an ambitious dream, but audiences slowly realize that he’s quite a complex character that’s a lot more intelligent than he may seem: he truly cares for his crew because he considers them family, and he usually doesn’t hesitate to use his immense strength to help others, but only if it doesn’t interfere with his objectives. And if that wasn’t enough, his friendly and lighthearted personality is downright contagious, and he always cheers up and inspires others, both in-universe and in the real world. Additionally, Luffy’s rubber-based powers have resulted in some of the most over-the-top and hilarious fight scenes in the history of anime and manga (especially after he unlocked Gear 5), which contributed to his reputation as one of the most distinctive and popular protagonists in the medium.