Admiral Kizaru was introduced in the Sabaody Archipelago Arc in the pre-time-skip era of One Piece as a formidable presence from the World Government. As one of the Marine powerhouses, he was practically untouchable when he targeted the pirates on the island, including the Straw Hats. Kizaru has the power of the Light-Light fruit, a Logia type that not only makes him as fast as light, but anyone without Haki can’t even hope to damage him. He also had a major role to play in the Marineford Arc of the Summit War Saga. The incident, culminating in the Paramount War, was a major event in the series, and it even triggered the two-year time-skip. With Whitebeard’s death, the power system in the world shifted massively, and even the Marines underwent several changes, with Kizaru’s dominance even more frightening.
Sengoku retired as the Fleet Admiral and was hoping for Kuzan to take his place. However, Akainu challenged Kuzan to a duel and ended up winning the fight by a small margin. Kuzan left the Navy after the duel, but the only one unaffected by the shift in power was Kizaru. He continued to work for the Marines as an Admiral and followed their orders. Kizaru was also a major antagonist in the Egghead Incident Arc, where he fought against Luffy and the others on behalf of the World Government. Despite his complex emotions for targeting his old friend, Kizaru once again showed his prowess. However, while he is still one of the strongest characters in the series, the story has come a long way to prove the Admirals aren’t as strong as we thought.
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1) Shanks
Shanks’ rank in the power scaling has always been debatable among One Piece fans because of Mihawk’s “World’s Strongest Swordsman” title, while having nothing to show for it. However, when it comes to someone other than Mihawk, there’s no room for any argument, considering how Shanks easily surpasses them. Although we have yet to see the full extent of his power, his Haki is the strongest we have seen so far. Kizaru won’t be able to win against Shanks’ Advanced Conqueror’s Haki. Even without a Devil Fruit, Shanks can easily give Kizaru a run for his money.
2) Monkey D. Luffy
Luffy and Kizaru fought in the Egghead Incident Arc, and it’s clear our protagonist is way stronger now. While there have been debates regarding Kizaru being more powerful due to his anguish, the story proves otherwise. Luffy’s biggest drawback is his stamina, and he had to overexert himself because he was facing countless enemies. Even so, the unpredictable nature of his Devil Fruit and his Advanced Conqueror’s Haki gives him an edge against the Admiral.
3) Monkey D. Garp
Garp may have lost against the Blackbeard Pirates after being outnumbered, but his strength can’t be denied. As the “Hero of the Marines,” Garp was offered the role of an Admiral several years ago, but he declined since he never wanted to work directly under the Celestial Dragons. However, without any Devil Fruit, Garp used to rival Gol D. Roger in his prime. He may have been weakened due to his old age, but taking down Kizaru wouldn’t be impossible for him.
4) Akainu
As Kizaru’s superior and someone with a much more offensive Devil Fruit, it’s not a surprise that Akainu would rank higher in power scaling. With his Magma-Magma fruit, he was the one who caused the most damage in the Marineford Arc. Although the story hasn’t confirmed Akainu has Conqueror’s Haki, his Armament, and his Devil Fruit are more than enough to overwhelm almost every opponent.
5) Kuzan
Despite having a considerable disadvantage against Akainu with his Devil Fruit powers, Kuzan still managed to go toe-to-toe with the current Fleet Admiral for ten days. The duel between those two changed the climate of Punk Hazard forever. While Kuzan lost the battle, it was by a small margin. He may not be as fast as Kizaru, but his offensive powers put him at a significant advantage.
6) Blackbeard
Blackbeard is one of the most mysterious and powerful villains in the series. He’s the only character in the series who has the power of two devil fruits, the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Both are ranked among the strongest devil fruits in the world, and that’s what makes Blackbeard practically untouchable. It’s not Kizaru, but there’s a possibility that no Admiral can hold a candle against that force of nature.
7) Imu
Imu is widely recognized as the final villain of One Piece because of their mysterious history. They are also an immortal being who has existed since the Void Century, or maybe even before that. While there are several hints about Imu, the story has yet to reveal everything about them. Imu may be a mystery to us all, but their powers can’t be denied, especially after their actions in the Elbaf Arc. Not only are they able to cast spells and control others, but they are also able to do so from a long distance.
Imu’s latest appearances reveal abilities to grant immortality, regeneration, take control of gargantuan beings like the Giants Dorry and Brogy, and more. Given Imu’s particularly deadly hold over the Five Elders and ability to revoke their immortality on a whim, this not only allows Imu an easy spot on any strongest One Piece characters list, but that the Five Elders are only still alive because of Imu to begin with.
One Piece Has Several Characters That Are Likely Stronger Than Kizaru
After the Final Saga, Kizaru has ranked lower in the power scaling. While this list includes the characters that are alive, we can’t rule out Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, who are deceased now. Additionally, Kaido and Big Mom’s status is unknown, but they would easily rank higher than Akainu. Mihawk hasn’t revealed his full strength either, but he will likely be stronger than Kizaru as well. The Admirals were introduced much earlier in the story, and they used to be a force to reckon with.
However, now that the story is in its Final Saga, many powerful and emerging characters, such as the Holy Knights, the Five Elders, and more, are coming out of the shadows. The story is in a crucial phase, and while Kizaru has a major role to play, it’s not enough to have him rank among the most powerful fighters anymore.
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