This article contains spoilers from the final saga of One Piece.
When it comes to the Straw Hat Pirates, fans know that they are not all equally powerful. Some Straw Hats are weaker than others, such as the weak trio made up of Chopper, Usopp, and Nami. Then there are the more powerful ones, and that includes the likes of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. After all, when it comes to exciting battles, there are two characters that fans often look forward to seeing in battles, and they are Luffy and Zoro.
One Piece: Yonko level members Straw Hats, explained
The Straw Hat Pirates are now Yonko's team. Here are Yonko level members in one piece.
Zoro was the first person that Luffy recruited for his crew, and that was purely due to his reputation as a pirate hunter and his demonic personality. Luffy and Zoro make an iconic couple, and together, they have faced many hardships, pulling through the worst obstacles and defeating even the strongest enemies. but, While both Luffy and Zoro are incredibly powerful, that doesn't stop fans from often pitting them against each other.. Fans often wonder who is the stronger of the two, and some have even claimed that Zoro is actually stronger than his own captain.. author of the story, Eiichiro Oda, it is already clear who is the stronger of the two.
Luffy and Zoro are a powerful duo in one piece
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Zoro was Luffy's first crew
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Zoro often fights the second strongest in one piece
From the very beginning a piece, Luffy and Zoro have formed a very powerful coupleA combination against much stronger foes over the years. Soon after Zoro joins the Straw Hat Pirates, the two team up to defeat Axehand Morgan. Later, in a battle against Buggy, once again, Luffy and Zoro put their powers together and take down the Genius Jester's team. The pair continued to make waves as the story progressed, whether in the battle against Krieg Armada or later down the line at Arlong Park.
In Arabia, both did what they could and helped save the country in their own way, and of course, in Anise Lobby, Luffy and Zoro were instrumental in saving Robin. It is also here in the Enies lobby that the two receive their first major power-up. For Luffy, it was the invention of Gears, and for Zoro, it was tapping into Asura.
Let's see who is stronger among the two… Is it a swordsman or a brawler? – Zoro to Luffy, Whiskey Peak
It was in Annie's lobby that some of the people traveling with the Straw Hat team began to wonder if Zoro was the captain of the Straw Hats based on his powers. However, the fact that they thought of Zoro as a captain only shows that Luffy is even more unreliable in person. Anyway, this is where the debate between Luffy and Zoro started, and while some fans consider the Straw Hat captain to be the stronger of the two, there are others who believe that Zoro is either equal to Luffy, or even stronger than him, which is quite surprising to see.
Luffy is now much stronger than Zoro
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There is no comparison between the two
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Zoro's power level is lower than Luffy's
Luffy vs Zoro is always going to be an exciting debate among fans, but the truth of the matter is that Luffy is leagues above Zoro, And that will always be the case. That doesn't mean Zoro isn't strong. It simply means that Luffy is in a league of his own and above any other member of the Straw Hat Pirates. For starters, Luffy is a very powerful user of the legendary Devil Fruit and has access to Gear 5. This gives him unlimited creativity and he is only bound by his own imagination. Luffy's recovery rate, as well as his durability, is much greater than Zoro's, among other things.
What's wrong, Zoro? Do you need help in battle? — Luffy watching Zoro struggle vs Lucci
Then someone comes to his Haki, and fans know that Luffy is a great user of all three types of Haki, with his specialty being Conqueror's Haki, meaning he can excel in this form of Haki the most. Zoro also has access to all three types of Haki, along with his specialty Armament Haki, and this automatically puts him at a disadvantage against Luffy.
Comparing their current power levels, Zoro is the one who struggles against Luchi in a fight, while Luffy is the one who can easily shoot someone like him.. In the confrontation between Luffy and Zoro, it doesn't take more than two minutes for Luffy to completely destroy the Straw Hat Swordsman, and that's the truth of the matter that fans need to accept.
Zoro is still not on Yonko's level
At this point in the story Luffy is a Yonko, and even among Yonko, it's pretty obvious, Luffy is slowly growing stronger. Zoro is nowhere near Yonko-level at this point. Of course, that doesn't mean Zoro isn't strong or that he can't reach Yonko's level. That means he's not there yet, and when he gets to that level, Luffy will probably be a level higher, since they're all always progressing.
The latest One Piece databook officially confirms who is stronger between Zoro and Sanji
Zoro and Sanji are great rivals. Oda states in a piece that he is the stronger of the two.
In order to reach Zoro Yonko's level, he would have to put himself through great trials and learn to better control his powers. For starters, Zoro doesn't even know how to properly control his Conqueror's Haki, and that should really change in the one-piece Elbaf arc. Once Zoro learns to better control his powers, he will stand a great chance against Yonko-level enemies, as well as the Admirals of a fragmented world. Until then, Zoro is no match for the top tier and will struggle greatly against them in battle.
Zoro and Sanji are equal opponents
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Sanji will always be Zoro's equal
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Two Wings of the Pirate King
As far as the Straw Hat Pirates equals inside, fans should keep that in mind Zoro and Luffy will definitely never be equals. Instead, Oda has already established Zoro's equal on the team, and that is Sanji. Zoro and Sanji are both wings of the Pirate King, and regardless of what fans think, they will always progress at the same pace.
even now, Both Zoro and Sanji are on the same levelAnd regardless of what the fans might think, Sanji will always be with her because their rivalry is the key to the most important dynamic of the entire story. Both Zoro and Sanji are going to make a lot of progress in the Elbaf Arc, both unlocking the true power of Conqueror's Haki here.
Just like the Roger Pirates had three monsters, the Straw Hat Pirates will have three monsters of their own.. Oda has highlighted many times that Rayle and Gaban were rivals and that they were equal in terms of power. Similarly, Zoro and Sanji would be equal in terms of power, regardless of fan opinion.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they travel the seas to claim the great treasure known as One Piece. The manga is now on its final saga. One piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1171 is January 18, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops on Mondays at 12AM JST, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps. Doing this will ensure that fans will always support the author.
