Every One Piece Crew Member, Ranked From Worst To Best

One Piece Straw Hat Crew

With One Piece hot on the mind of the public right now (and with us being mega-fans of the series in all its forms), we thought we’d take a look at what makes One Piece great. Sure, the storytelling is great, otherwise it wouldn’t have lasted for over 20 years, but One Piece shines due to its characters.

But which member of the Straw Hat Pirates is the best? And which is the worst? Well that’s what we’re here to answer today, with our definitive ranking of every One Piece crew member, from worst to best.

Nico Robin

Look, there are no outright bad members of the Straw Hat crew, but somebody has to be at the bottom of the list, and Robin is the unlucky one. She’s got interesting powers that are unfortunately underutilized, and much of her storyline is told early on in the series. While it’s happening, that’s great, but after that she’s just kind of present. Given her knowledge there’s likely some big stuff coming up for Robin, but for far too much of the series she’s not got much to do.

Usopp

I like Usopp a lot, but like Robin he’s largely underutilized. He’s the team’s sharpshooter, and definitely had a huge glow up after the timeskip, but outside of a few key moments in Water 7 and Enies Lobby what, exactly, has Usopp done? Not a whole lot. That’s a shame, because it feels like there’s huge untapped potential here, but like Robin, we’re mostly just waiting around and hoping it happens someday.

Luffy

Monkey D. Luffy this far down the list? Third-worst Straw Hat crew member? It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. Luffy is an excellent protagonist, there’s no doubting that, but because he has to be likable and enjoyable all the time, he often comes off as a bit one-note. He cares about his friends, and he’ll fight for justice and what’s right, but that’s most protagonists in most media. He does, at least, have a bunch of interesting storylines, fantastic powers (especially with Gear 5 now), and an enjoyable personality that doesn’t overstay its welcome after 20 years.

Franky

Franky is the second-most ridiculous of the Straw Hat crew, being a big, hulking android man in tiny little speedos. His introduction is hilarious, his skills as an inventor and shipwright are interesting, and he is always there to provide a bit of comic relief. He’s not the strongest fighter, nor is he the most interesting, but whenever he’s on-screen (or on the page, for the manga readers), it’s always a fun time.

Brook

The idea of a 90-year old skeleton being kept alive and reanimated through the use of a devil fruit is absolutely absurd. The idea that said skeleton is an over-the-top rock musician who asks mermaids if he can see their underwear takes it even further over the top. Brook is a competent swordsman, an eclectic character, and his utterly tragic backstory doesn’t stop him from being an absolute blast on screen. When it’s time to be serious, Brook stands with the best of them, delivering some intensely cool moments that stick in your brain for years.

Chopper

Chopper is the cute little doctor/mascot of the team, and while his pre-timeskip appearance is obviously better, he’s still great after the skip. Chopper is a reindeer who ate a fruit that gives him human powers, and he can transform into a number of different forms. You’d think that would make him a regular combatant, but it’s his medical prowess that makes the most of his abilities. Honestly, Chopper is so high up the list mostly because he’s cute, but this is my list so I get to put him where I want.

Nami

Every pirate crew needs a navigator and a thief, and Nami is both. Her backstory (explored in the Netflix live-action One Piece series fairly well) is both tragic and empowering, and her sharp wit and quick thinking gets the Straw Hat crew out of more than a few binds. After the timeskip, she unfortunately becomes quite ridiculously proportioned, but her weather manipulation skills add a great dynamic to battles, and they’re even better implemented after Zeus is introduced.

Zoro

When Zoro is introduced as a ruthless pirate hunter, you kind of get the vibe that he’s going to be a battle-hardened killing machine. To some degree he is, but he’s also pretty representative of the Straw Hat crew as a whole. He’s kind-hearted, has a strong sense of justice, and fights damn hard to achieve his dreams. He says he’s going to be the world’s greatest swordsman, and there’s absolutely no doubt he will — his resolve is unmatched, and he’s a fantastic character to both watch and read.

Sanji

If we’re being entirely honest, a few years ago Sanji would have been way lower on the list. Probably somewhere above Robin and somewhere below Brook. He’s an interesting character, of course, being a passionate chef with a penchant for beautiful (or all) women, but that’s not exactly enough to make it to the top of the list. Everything changed during the Whole Cake Island arc. Sanji showed incredible resolve, willing to abandon his dreams to make the world a better place, and when it was all revealed to be a hoax, he still fought his hardest to make things right. It’s hard to walk away from the arc without feeling a great deal for Sanji, and it will have a lasting impression on me and everyone else who experienced it for decades to come.

Jinbe

I will gladly admit that Jinbe is at the top of the list due to bias. I think he’s deeply cool, has an utterly fantastic design, and has one of the best backstories of the crew. That said, Jinbe being a seasoned pirate with decades of experience adds a fresh new dynamic to the crew — for the first time there’s experience on board, gently guiding the crew to the One Piece. He’s also a remarkably competent fighter, possibly the strongest on the crew even without a Devil Fruit, but uses those skills only when absolutely necessary. Finally, there’s still so much potential for Jinbe and his place in both the story and the crew, and the only thing more important than history is potential.