How Strong Is Shanks in One Piece?

“Red-Haired” Shanks is the captain of the Red Hair Pirates and one of the Four Emperors (Yonko) In One Piece. He is also a former member of the legendary Roger Pirates, the only group to have successfully conquered the Grand Line. He is the pirate who inspired Luffy on his journey as a pirate. He is the penultimate emperor to have joined the small group 6 years ago and is the youngest of the four.

Shanks is most certainly one of the strongest characters in One Piece, although it is difficult to assess his actual power as much of it hasn’t been revealed yet. Still, despite that, he is on par with the other Emperors and is feared all over the world of pirates in One Piece.

The rest of this article is going to further elaborate on the answer we have given you. You are going to find out, in detail, how and why Shanks is so strong, as well as how strong his Red Hair Pirates crew is.

How Strong Is Shanks?

Shanks’ actual abilities remain unknown, as he has yet to be seen seriously engaged in battle. However, as a member of the Four New World Emperors, his raw physical power is believed to be immense, and he is known to be one of the four most powerful pirates in the world.

Shanks did not fear Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, and even had enough strength to stand against him, while some pirate captains trembled at the mere mention of his name. He was able to swim ten years before Luffy set out on his adventure, meaning he didn’t consume Devil Fruit when he was Mihawk’s rival.

RELATED: Shanks’ Full Name and 25 Other Things You Need to Know About Him

He was also declared by the Five Elders to be one of the few people able to stop Marshall D. Teach. His power must be significant enough since Admiral Akainu had fought many men and a few Grand Corsairs in Marineford until he came to Luffy, but did not challenge Shanks when the feared pirate Emperor made his appearance there.

He also appears to be an excellent swimmer, having reached young Luffy in the middle of the sea before the Lord of the Coast could devour him.

According to Baggy, Shanks was a powerful fighter at a young age, and if he hadn’t been “naive” Baggy would have taken him into his crew.

As a member of the Four Emperors, Shanks is not only a key figure in piracy but also one of the most feared in the New World: his simple name exudes great power, as Baggy himself has proven; his claim that he previously had a “brotherly bond” with Shanks was one of the many things that earned him the respect of ex-inmates at Impel Down.

In addition, Baggy did not hesitate to use the names of Shanks and his former captain, Gol D. Roger, to maintain his respect among them. Even the fact that Baggy was seen talking to Shanks was seen as a testament to Baggy’s own power to the former prisoners, they were unaware that the two had always done so. They mistakenly thought it was because Baggy was not afraid of an Emperor due to his own strength.

Shanks is powerful enough to end the war at Marineford with just words; when he said there should be no more fighting, no one stood up to challenge him. When Shanks proposed a fight to Blackbeard, Blackbeard declined and decided to leave, as it was too early for him and his crew to fight Shanks.

Furthermore, when Shanks demanded that the dignity of Whitebeard and Portgas D. Ace, following their deaths, not be violated, Sengoku himself also decided to end the war and took that responsibility upon himself, showing that despite his pirate rank, Shanks is highly respected by Sengoku.

Another testament to his influence: he managed to secure a special interview with the Council of Five Elders, despite his status; this nevertheless shows that he knows how to distinguish himself among his peers as being a reasoned and cooperative person.

RELATED: Strongest One Piece Characters (RANKED)

What Weapons Does Shanks Use?

Shanks is usually depicted with a sword. Although his use was only briefly displayed, the fact that he was able to match a Whitebeard hit with just one arm is a clear indication of the strength of his attacks.

Shanks is also powerful enough to stop Akainu’s Magma Fist using his sword and the Armament Haki. Mihawk is classified as the greatest swordsman in the world, and Shanks is a former rival of the latter which makes it possible to judge his mastery of the weapon.

Shanks appears to have favored the use of his left arm before losing it, as we always see holding his sword with his left hand during flashbacks. He is presumed to have been left-handed.

So far, Shanks has only wielded a sword in combat. His sword, Griffon, is a large saber with a single edge blade. Shanks wielded three different swords at different times in the past: two different swords as an apprentice pirate aboard Gol D. Roger’s ship, and one while in Luffy’s hometown.

Haki

Shanks can use all three types of Haki. Even Whitebeard complimented him on his Haki when he used it during his “visit”. He demonstrated the use of the Haki of Kings and the Haki of Armament.

How Strong Is Shanks’ Red Pirates Crew?

The Red Pirates crew is very powerful, since its Captain is one of the Four Emperors, thus being counted among the four most powerful crews in the world. The latter also used his influence (due to his great reputation) to stop the Greatest War, namely the Summit War of Marineford, which brought to light the most formidable pirates and the most famous navies in the world.

In addition, the crew seems to have gained in power by the new faces that they have recruited (notably the entry into the team of a powerful rookie, Rockstar). Like the other crews of Yonko, that of the Red Pirates crew seems to control dozens of allied pirate ships, and has various territories of the New World. According to Shanks, they never recruit children aboard their ship.

How Strong Is Shanks with Both Arms?

If you believe Eiichiro Oda, he was equally strong; that might not make sense, but it is the official canon explanation and we cannot really doubt it. We don’t actually know this for ourselves, as we’ve never seen Shanks fight, let alone fight with both hands, so we cannot testify whether Oda was lying or not, but we’re certain that he is at least as powerful as he is now.

How Is Shanks So Strong Without a Devil Fruit?

Although all the other Emperors have a Devil Fruit, Shanks is still enormously powerful without any Devil Fruit whatsoever. He is a very formidable fighter and has trained himself to be on par with the best; he is a swordsman whose skills match those of Mihawk and Zoro. Also, he has mastered various Haki techniques that made him so enormously powerful.