10 One Piece Villains Even More Popular Than The Heroes

Throughout One Piece’s long-running narrative, the series features many memorable villains, including some who are more popular than the heroes.

Since its debut in 1997, One Piece has become one of the most beloved anime franchises in the entire world. Its protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is an icon of the shonen genre, but he’s far from the only character in the series with their own fervent fan base.

Hundreds of named characters appear throughout One Piece, including a long list of memorable villains that leave their mark on the series’ narrative. Although not every major villain that Luffy encounters has been a hit with fans, some have become so popular that they’re even more well-liked than the heroes of the Grand Line.

10. Buggy The Clown’s Charisma Has Carried Him To Greatness

Debut
Chapter 9 / Episode 4

Age
39

Voice Actor
Shigeru Chiba (JAP) / Mike McFarland (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Chop-Chop Fruit

Although Buggy the Clown isn’t one of One Piece‘s main characters, he’s been part of the series for longer than almost any character in the entire franchise. The inept pirate makes his debut shortly after Monkey D. Luffy starts his journey, and following their initial encounter in Orange Town, he begins a spectacular trend of failing upward that continues throughout the narrative.

More so than most One Piece villains, Buggy the Clown exists for the sake of comedic value. The former Roger Pirate regularly embarrasses himself, but no matter how significant his mistakes are, he is somehow rewarded for his actions. Buggy “earns” the titles of Warlord and Emperor of the Sea, both of which are exclusively reserved for One Piece‘s strongest pirates, and while he doesn’t actually deserve either honor, fans are more than happy to watch him stumble his way to the top of the pirate world.

9Crocodile Proves How Strong The Warlords Truly Are

Debut
Chapter 126 / Episode 76

Age
46

Voice Actor
Ryuzaburo Otomo (JAP) / John Swasey (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Chop-Chop Fruit

Luffy has lost quite a few battles, which have only made him stronger. Here are all the times Luffy lost a major battle in One Piece.

The East Blue Saga sees the formation of the Straw Hat Pirates, but it isn’t until One Piece‘s protagonists square off with Baroque Works in Alabasta Kingdom that they announce themselves as major players in the Grand Line. The criminal organization’s leader, Crocodile, is the first reigning Warlord of the Sea that Monkey D. Luffy fights in the series, and he immediately has a lasting impact.

Crocodile fights Luffy three separate times in the Alabasta Arc before returning in the Impel Down Arc, Marineford Arc, and One Piece‘s final saga, giving him ample opportunities to earn fans. This, as well as his powerful Devil Fruit and mob boss aesthetic, have made him one of the most popular characters in the entire series.

8.Blackbeard Is The Most Notorious Pirate In The Grand Line

Debut
Chapter 223 / Episode 146

Age
40

Voice Actor
Akio Otsuka (JAP) / Cole Brown (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Dark-Dark Fruit / Tremor-Tremor Fruit

Unlike most shonen anime, One Piece doesn’t have a well-defined primary antagonist. That said, Marshall D. Teach — better known as Blackbeard — has a strong claim as Monkey D. Luffy’s greatest adversary, and from the villain’s introduction in the Jaya Arc, he’s presented as the true inverse of One Piece‘s protagonist.

Blackbeard is ruthlessly productive as a pirate, and before One Piece‘s two-year timeskip, he earns a spot among the Worst Generation, captures Portgas D. Ace, becomes a Warlord of the Sea, kills an Emperor of the Sea, and obtains two of the world’s strongest Devil Fruit. His meteoric rise is rivaled only by Monkey D. Luffy, which should come as no surprise, seeing as the two embody the duality of piracy. With a showdown between the two bound to come in One Piece‘s final saga, Blackbeard has somehow yet to leave his final mark on the best-selling manga of all time.

7.Donquixote Doflamingo Represents The Chaotic Nature Of The Celestial Dragon

Debut
Chapter 233 / Episode 151

Age
41

Voice Actor
Hideyuki Tanaka (JAP) / Robert McCollum (ENG)

Devil Fruit
String-String Fruit

Few characters represent the chaotic nature of One Piece‘s Grand Line better than the former Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo. Born into the world as a member of the Celestial Dragons, Doflamingo lost this lofty title after his father denounced his status as a World Noble. Over time, Doflamingo grew to resent his father’s decision so much that he murdered him, only to be denied reentry into the Celestial Dragons shortly after.

This dramatic upbringing sets Doflamingo on the path to becoming one of the most notorious criminals in the history of the Grand Line, as well as arguably One Piece‘s greatest villain. His undeniable charisma is backed up by powerful Conqueror’s Haki and an Awakened Devil Fruit, and as the primary antagonist of the series’ second-longest arc, he has plenty of time to earn the begrudging respect of fans and Straw Hat Pirates alike.

6.Enel Is Unlike Any Other Character In One Piece

Debut
Chapter 254 / Episode 167

Age
39

Voice Actor
Toshiyuki Morikawa (JAP) / J. Michael Tatum (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Rumble-Rumble Fruit

Nami and Nico Robin aren’t the only amazing women One Piece has to offer; other female characters, like Perona and Dr. Kureha, also deserve some love.

The Skypiea Arc was the subject of undue criticism for many years, but over time, it’s come to hold a bit of a soft spot in the hearts of many die-hard One Piece fans. The arc’s antagonist, Enel, is incredibly powerful, boasting an overpowered, Logia-type Devil Fruit and Observation Haki that rivals any in the series. His raw power and godly presence carry large parts of the sequence, and even though he’s ultimately defeated by Luffy, he eventually returns in the form of the manga-only cover story, “Enel’s Great Space Operations.”

Compared to the rest of One Piece‘s villains, Enel is largely removed from the rest of the series’ characters. Skypiea’s hidden nature keeps it isolated, so there are almost no opportunities for the ruler of Sky Island to interact with other adventurers. Still, even without the benefit of being connected to the rest of the series, Enel will always rank among One Piece‘s most popular antagonists.

5.Kuzan Straddles The Line Between Pirate And Marine

Debut
Chapter 303 / Episode 225

Age
49

Devil Fruit
Ice-Ice Fruit

Since One Piece is presented from the perspective of pirates, the Marines patrolling the seas naturally serve as the villains of the story. No character knows this better than Kuzan, who holds the position of Marine Admiral before abandoning the military’s ranks for a life of piracy post-timeskip.

Unlike most Marines, Kuzan uses his own discretion to determine the difference between right and wrong — a trait he likely learned from his former mentor, Monkey D. Garp. Thanks to his cool attitude and matching Logia-type Devil Fruit, Kuzan has managed to earn a spot as one of the most popular antagonists in One Piece; however, now that Kuzan has helped the Blackbeard Pirates capture Garp, his status as a villain may soon intensify

4.Rob Lucci Became The Greatest Assassin In The History Of The Grand Line

Debut
Chapter 323 / Episode 230

Age
30

Voice Actor
Tomokazu Seki (JAP) / Jason Liebrecht (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard

Most of One Piece‘s villains are presented as surprisingly sympathetic characters, but there is one extreme exception to this trend: Cipher Pol’s premiere assassin, Rob Lucci. The primary antagonist of the Water 7 Saga has been a ruthless killer since he was a child, making him the perfect soldier for a sinister organization like the World Government.

Few villains give the Straw Hat Pirates more trouble than Lucci, who proves to be one of the strongest characters that One Piece‘s protagonists square off against pre-timeskip. His Leopard-Leopard Fruit gives him an iconic design that fits his lethal personality, and thanks to a handful of appearances in the New World, he’s still a major part of the series’ narrative. While no rational fan would ever root for Rob Lucci to achieve his goals, he’s the perfect foil to Luff’s easy-going personality.

3.Eustass Kid Causes As Much Chaos As He Can

Debut
Chapter 498 / Episode 392

Age
23

Voice Actor
Daisuke Namikawa (JAP) / Justin Cook (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Magnet-Magnet Fruit

The Worst Generation consists of the most notorious up-and-coming pirates in the Grand Line, and among their ranks, none are more prone to random acts of violence than Eustass Kid. The owner of the Magnet-Magnet Fruit has no problem laying waste to civilians, which is why he commands the highest bounty of the rookie pirates who arrive in Sabaody Archipelago pre-timeskip.

Because Monkey D. Luffy and Eustass Kid share a desire to defeat an Emperor of the Sea, the pair form an unlikely alliance during the events of One Piece‘s Wano Country Arc. Kid performs admirably for a young pirate, and at the end of the Raid on Onigashima, he Awakens his Devil Fruit and helps Trafalgar D. Law defeat Big Mom. Now that the conflict is over, Eustass Kid is once again a rival of Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, making him one of the most unexpectedly beloved villains in the entire series.

2.Kaido Embodies The Strength Of An Emperor

Debut
Chapter 795 / Episode 736

Age
59

Voice Actor
Tessho Gendo (JAP) / David Sobolov (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon

The world of One Piece is full of powerful Devil Fruits, including a few that could potentially Awaken in the series’ final saga.

When it comes to One Piece‘s antagonists, none are more feared throughout the Grand Line than the World’s Strongest Creature, Kaido. The captain of the Beast Pirates served as part of the legendary Rocks Pirates during his youth, but after consuming the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, he began a rapid rise through the pirate world that saw him gather his own powerful subordinates.

As an Emperor of the Sea, Kaido is one of the most important figures in the New World, so it comes as no surprise that One Piece teases his arrival for several arcs. When the monstrous villain finally arrives, he’s even stronger than promised, and throughout the Wano Country Arc and Raid on Onigashima, he holds off a legitimate army of pirates by himself. Although Kaido ultimately falls to Luffy’s Gear 5 onslaught, he’ll forever be one of the series’ most awe-inspiring characters — even if he is a villain.

1.Charlotte Katakuri Is One Of The Grand Line’s Most Honorable Pirates

Debut
Chapter 860 / Episode 825

Age
48

Voice Actor
Tomokazu Sugita (JAP) / Jonah Scott (ENG)

Devil Fruit
Mochi-Mochi Fruit

Generally, Monkey D. Luffy squares off against pirate captains, rather than their subordinates; however, in the case of the Whole Cake Island Arc, Luffy’s final opponent is none other than Charlotte Katakuri — the second-in-command of the Big Mom Pirates. Although Katakuri is far weaker than his mother, Charlotte Linlin, he’s still one of the New World’s most impressive fighters.

In addition to his incredible Observation Haki, Charlotte Katakuri also wields the Mochi-Mochi Fruit, a Special Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to create, manipulate, and transform into mochi. These abilities, as well as his intimidating appearance, push Luffy to the brink, but not before showcasing Katakuri’s legitimate care for his siblings. Altogether, he’s one of the most respectable villains in shonen history, which is a major reason why so many One Piece fans have sung his praises.