6 characters who can become pirate king instead of Luffy

Become a pirate king in One Piece is a major undertaking for any aspirant at sea, including Luffy himself. Simply proclaiming that they want to take Gol D. Roger's former title won't do wonders, especially if they lack the power, resources and influence necessary to be recognized as a true contender.

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While many fans are ready to meet the next Pirate King in One PieceEiichiro Oda is not yet ready to introduce the next in line. Luffy is the leading candidate to be the recipient of such a respected title, but there are a few characters in One Piece who could still become the Pirate King instead of Luffy before the story reaches its grand finale.

Buggy

It's pretty hard to take Buggy seriously One Piecemostly because of his hilarious antics, laziness, and endless luck that have taken him to incredible heights. It's almost as if he was destined for greatness from the very beginning, much like Monkey D. Luffy himself, as he was given multiple opportunities to rise through the ranks, despite rarely earning them through his own efforts.

However, all this does not stop the fans from supporting Buggy, as the resident clown One Piece is a prime candidate to become the next Pirate King instead of Luffy. He may not have an overly powerful devil fruit power, but the number of people who support him combined with his ridiculous luck, pride, and knack for stumbling into success make him a legitimate contender for Gol D. Roger's throne.

Blackbeard

For those with big dreams like Luffy and Blackbeard, no island is too dangerous to conquer, and no enemy is too powerful to overcome as long as they continue to chase their dreams without fear. Their dream only ends when they die, so there is nothing stopping these two characters from realizing their ambition, no matter how difficult the journey.

While Blackbeard's ultimate goal remains unclear, he undoubtedly possesses the qualities needed to claim the title of Pirate King before anyone else does. With two devil fruit powers, a formidable pirate crew, and in addition to being a haki user of weaponry and observation, Blackbeard has the strength and influence to pull off the impossible by claiming the elusive Pirate King recognition that many, including Luffy, long to attach to their names.

Shanks

To find One Piece is now part of Red-Haired Shank's bucket list in the series, technically making him Luffy's toughest challenger. In fact, Shanks and his crew are now on the move, hoping to get their hands on the treasure before anyone else does. It has clearly become one of their top priorities, and it seems that Shanks will no longer hold back in the hunt for the legendary treasure.

From the beginning, Shanks has always been a mysterious figure in the series. Even the authorities refuse to mess with him, and such powerful characters as Whitebeard and Mihawk recognize his monstrous abilities. Although he has a friendly face for a powerful pirate, nothing and no one can stop him when he wants to do something.

Usopp

The brave warrior who hails from Syrup Village, Usopp, is also receiving nominations from fans as one of Luffy's rivals to become the next Pirate King. Although Usopp doesn't have the strength that Luffy and all the other characters mentioned on this list possess, his bravery, unwavering determination, and ambitious dream prove that even the weakest can become icons.

The best thing about Usopp is that he never fails to hype himself up, constantly comparing himself to Luffy and the others, determined to show that even a sniper from a small island can hang with the big shots. Even though he doesn't have the same ambition as Luffy, that doesn't mean he's out of the running to become a true Pirate King contender.

Eustace Kid

It's a shame how Eustass Kid went from defeating Big Mom in Wano to suffering a miserable defeat at the hands of Shanks on the coast of Elbaph. As a result, Kid's status remains unconfirmed, whether dead or alive, but given Oda's habit of writing fake deaths, it is highly likely that Kidd somehow survived Shank's divine departure despite the wreckage that left the area in ruins.

On that note, those who still believe the Kid is alive continue to hope he'll get back on track and fight for the race to be the next Pirate King. Although he lost to Shanks, he is still a formidable pirate who can use three types of Haki. His abilities alone suggest that his comeback to the series is not impossible.

Crocodile

Who will ever forget Crocodile and his plans in Alabasta? The Sandman himself once dreamed of becoming the next Pirate King, but his defeat at the hands of Whitebeard and Luffy knocked some sense into him, resulting in his decision to temper his ambitions and choose a more subtle and stable path to power.

But Crocodile is still the charismatic man he's always been, so vying for the Pirate King title seems like a challenge he could embrace again, especially now that Buggy has revealed his intention to stake his claim as well.

Release date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Ma Shihi Endo, Toshihiro Ma Shihi Endo, Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

Author

Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda

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  Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

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  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)