While Roger and Luffy are believed to be the best, there is someone who has surpassed both of them as the best captain in One Piece.

Every decision in the One Piece world is a matter of life and death. The vast, treacherous seas are unforgiving, and so are the pirates who risk their lives for their goals. With such high stakes, captains, as the leading forces, play a crucial role in the story. The best captain in One Piece would always ensure that they take decisions and calculated risks that are in the crew’s best interest. After all, the crew members have put their faith in the captain, and most would follow him to death.

Monkey D. Luffy | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

Eiichiro Oda has created many captains with different values and things they hold dear. There are captains like Law and Whitebeard who share a close bond with their crew. On the other hand, we also have fierce and ruthless captains like Blackbeard, who would not think twice before achieving his goals at the expense of others. With that, it becomes quite difficult to determine who reigns supreme as the Best Captain in One Piece.

Eiichiro Oda Has Written Some of The Best Anime Captains

Akagami no Shanks | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

The first full-fledged captain that we were introduced to was Shanks. He was heroic and risked his life to save Luffy. He seemed to share an unspoken and deep understanding with his crewmates. However, since then Eiichiro Oda has given us a few scenes with the character and his crew. Only recently in the manga has he started actively showing up in the story.

We might not know much about Shanks but it’s safe to assume that he’s an extremely strong captain from everything we have seen so far. There are many instances in the series that draw parallels between Luffy and Roger. Luffy’s devotion to his crew is unmatched. Whenever his crew members were endangered, he didn’t think twice before putting up a fight. He challenged the Marines, the admirals, and even an emperor for his crewmates.

Gol D. Roger | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

However, sometimes his irrational and impulsive thinking gets everyone in trouble. If it had not been for Kuma, the Straw Hats probably wouldn’t have survived Kizaru’s attacks on Sabaody or the buster call that would have ensued. In that respect, Luffy’s courage and impulsiveness lands the crew in great trouble. Roger is believed to be the best captain but there are two captains who could surpass him in that respect.

And the Best Captain in One Piece is…

Before Kuma’s flashback and the incompetence of the Revolutionary Army were shown, Monkey D. Dragon could easily have contested and won the best captain title. If Oda delves into why the revolutionaries were unable to do anything for Ginny, he might redeem Dragon and put him back in the race of the greatest captains.

Whitebeard | Credits: Studio Toei Animation

As for the best captain, Whitebeard created a family rather than a crew. He treated them with kindness and called them his sons. He wreaked havoc for Ace, and even when Squard betrayed him, he didn’t show any signs of anger.

He always respected his crew members and trusted their decision-making skills. Just like every other captain in the series, Whitebeard made some mistakes as well. But even when his sons defied him, he had their back at all times and ensured their safety. Whitebeard is the best captain in One Piece, and Luffy is gradually catching up to take over that title.