A New Apex: Why Eiichiro Oda Officially Confirms Shanks as the Strongest Pirate of the Modern Era

For decades, the title of “strongest pirate” in One Piece has been a subject of intense debate among fans. While characters like Whitebeard, Kaido, and eventually, Monkey D. Luffy have all laid claim to the title, a recent series of revelations and official statements from manga creator Eiichiro Oda has finally put the matter to rest. In a surprising but conclusive development, Oda has officially confirmed that Red-Haired Shanks is the most powerful pirate of the current era, a statement that redefines the power hierarchy of the New World and cements Shanks’s status as a living legend.

Beyond the Yonko: Shanks’s Unrivaled Haki

The core of Oda’s recent confirmation lies in the nature of Shanks’s power, which is not rooted in a formidable Devil Fruit but in an unparalleled mastery of Haki. While other top-tier pirates, including the former Yonko Kaido and Big Mom, relied on the immense power of their Devil Fruits, Shanks’s strength is a pure testament to his incredible Haki. This is not just a standard application of the three Haki types; it is a level of mastery that has been directly compared to that of Joy Boy himself, the legendary figure from the Void Century.

The most compelling evidence of Shanks’s Haki supremacy comes from the events of the Wano arc and the recent final saga. With a single, overwhelming burst of Conqueror’s Haki, Shanks was able to effortlessly incapacitate Admiral Ryokugyu, an Admiral of the Marines with a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit. He also demonstrated the ability to completely bypass the Future Sight of a formidable opponent like Eustass Kid, a feat that no other character has been shown to do. This “Haki-blasting” ability, a technique that allows him to damage opponents with his sword like a hammer, puts him in a league of his own, and directly confirms that his Haki is a tier above any other living character.

The Final Emperor and the New Roger

Oda’s statements paint a clear picture of Shanks as the “new Roger,” a pirate who has inherited the same rare power and ambition as the former Pirate King. Unlike other Yonko, Shanks’s crew, the Red-Haired Pirates, boasts an incredibly high average bounty, a testament to the immense strength of every crew member, not just their captain. This balance and collective power make them the strongest crew in the current era, capable of dominating the seas and contending with any foe.

While Monkey D. Luffy’s recent ascent and the awakening of his Mythical Zoan, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, has put him on a path to surpass even Roger, Oda has been clear that Luffy has not yet reached his full potential. Luffy’s Gear 5 is an incredible power-up, but it is still a new ability that he is learning to master. Shanks, on the other hand, is at his absolute prime, with decades of experience and a level of Haki control that is unmatched. This confirms that while Luffy is the strongest of the new generation, Shanks is the undeniable king of the current era, a pirate who could theoretically stop the Final War with a single act, just as he did at Marineford.

The Battle to Come: Shanks and the Fate of the Seas

The official confirmation of Shanks’s power adds a new layer of tension and anticipation to the final saga. It establishes him as a definitive final hurdle for Luffy to overcome on his journey to become the Pirate King. Luffy must not only find the One Piece but also prove that his own brand of freedom and power, rooted in the will of Nika, can stand against the absolute pinnacle of Haki mastery. The inevitable clash between these two titans will not just be a fight for a title; it will be a battle for the soul of the new pirate age, a generational clash that will decide the ultimate fate of the seas. For now, however, the throne of the strongest pirate is rightfully held by the red-haired emperor, and the world holds its breath in anticipation of what he will do next.