One Piece: Oda Just Officially Confirmed Shanks As The Strongest In The Series 

One Piece fans know very well that Shanks is an absolute monster when it comes to strength. Known to be a phenomenal pirate, Shanks is one of the Four Emperors of the Sea and he established himself among his peers around 6 years ago. Shanks has consistently grown in power over the years. That said, many considered him to be somewhat inferior to the likes of Roger and Whitebeard in terms of power.

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Now, it seems that Oda has officially confirmed to the fans that Shanks is, indeed, on a level above most Yonko of the One Piece world. In fact, he might just be the strongest pirate in the series, even above the likes of Whitebeard and Roger, according to what Eiichiro Oda revealed in One Piece 1158. Shanks seems to have surpassed the likes of Roger, Whitebeard, and he poses a big threat to Luffy.

Shanks Is The Strongest In One Piece Based On The Current Information

Shanks Was Able To Defeat Loki

• Loki killed King Harald
• Harald was equal to Rocks D. Xebec

Fans might be confused about knowing that Shanks is the strongest pirate in One Piece, at least in the modern age. But, that is what Oda seems to have established in the plot right now. For one, fans always knew that Shanks was a monster. It was just unclear how strong he was compared to the old legends, such as Whitebeard and Roger. One Piece chapter 1158 seems to have fully answered that question for the fans.

In One Piece chapter 1158, fans saw a full-scale battle between Rocks D. Xebec and Harald. In a shocking turn of events, Oda officially revealed that Harald is just as strong as Rocks. The two fought an elaborate battle which ended in a draw. Later on, around 14 years ago, when Harald was still in his prime, he fought against Loki in Aurust Castle and was slain by him. What's even more shocking is the fact that this version of Harald was likely even stronger, since decades had passed since this God Valley Incident, and more than that, he appeared to have turned into a demon by Imu, which has already been confirmed to be a power buff. If Loki managed to kill that Harald, then he's clearly stronger than him, and shocking as it might sound, stronger than Rocks D. Xebec.

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Yet, despite everything, Loki was eventually beaten by none other than Shanks 6 years ago in One Piece. It is this magnificent feat that earned him the title of Yonko, and clearly, Oda seems to be establishing a hierarchy here. The first thing fans need to remember is that they're all on the same tier, hence relative in strength. But, if Roger and Whitebeard were equal to Rocks, and Rocks was as strong as Harald, who was eventually beaten by Loki in a buffed state, who then went on to be defeated by Shanks, then it is clear that Shanks is the strongest pirate in the world.

Shanks Should Be Pirate King Level

Shanks Might Be One Piece's Strongest Character

Shanks is now officially confirmed to be on the same level as the Pirate King of the One Piece world. He might not have claimed the One Piece itself, but he is clearly on the same level as Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks. In fact, if what Oda is establishing turns out to be true, then Shanks might very well be one step above even these legends, which would make things very exciting for the future of the story, as it would confirm that the new generation has surpassed the old one. Either way, fans hope that Oda goes on to reveal more about this later down the line in the Elbaf Arc of One Piece.

One Piece Chapter 1160 will be out this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on September 14. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1160 is September 14, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.