In the manga One Piece, the Seven Great Corsairs are legendary pirates who have made a pact with the World Government . Also called the Shichibukai , they sail the Grand Line and the New World. Their power rivals that of the Emperors in One Piece !
From Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, to Blackbeard, each of these characters has left their mark on history with their exploits. Discover our Top 7 of the most powerful Grand Corsairs to have held this title. We'll tell you why we think they deserve their place in this ranking.
Dracule Mihawk: Hawkeye
What do we really know about Dracule Mihawk's origins? Not much, to be honest. But some clues suggest that he could have been part of Gol D. Roger's legendary crew . Considered the greatest swordsman in the world, he notably trained Zoro during the Two-Year Time Skip. Mihawk has a natural class with his black and red coat, his hat and his golden cross. His look gives off something both elegant and intimidating , which fits well with his solitary character and his contempt for cowardice.
As a Shichibukai, Mihawk is a free privateer, but he still serves the interests of the World Government. He is so strong that he is considered at the level of the Yonkos, the four most powerful pirates in the world. For example, his right arm can destroy entire ships with a single sword strike... We'll let you imagine his power! Moreover, he is also the only character to have his own sound effect , showing how special he is.
Despite his formidable strength , Mihawk is always looking for an opponent who is worthy of him, ready to risk his skin to face him. It is this quest for the ultimate challenge that makes him a cult character that all fans adore. Who will be crazy enough to take on the challenge?
Marshall D. Teach: Blackbeard
Before becoming the villain we know, Blackbeard was part of the legendary Whitebeard crew . But he cowardly betrayed his own captain to get hold of the Yami Yami no Mi, one of the most powerful Devil Fruits. He then fought Portgas D. Ace and captured him and delivered him to the Navy. As a reward, the World Government granted him the status of Grand Corsair. A title he did not keep for long, using it to infiltrate Impel Down and recruit nefarious prisoners into his pirate crew.
When you see Blackbeard arrive with his colossus build and his demonic laugh, you only want to hide! Thanks to the Yami Yami no Mi , Blackbeard can suck up all forms of energy, including those of other Devil Fruits. This is how he was able to steal Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi, becoming the only man to master two fruit powers.
In any case, what fascinates us about Blackbeard is his diabolical intelligence and his determination... He is ready for anything! His rapid rise makes him one of the biggest dangers in the New World. He is considered Luffy's future great enemy in his race for the title of Pirate King and some see him as the main antagonist of One Piece.
Sir Crocodile: Lord of the Desert
Before he was a Grand Corsair, Crocodile was the leader of the criminal organization Baroque Works . His goal was to take complete control of the kingdom of Alabasta to get his hands on the ancient weapon Pluton. He was feared for his cold and menacing appearance, with his scaly skin and scars. But what made him even more terrifying was the power of his Sand-Sand Devil Fruit... With this logia, Crocodile could transform himself into sand, control sandstorms and even dry up everything in his path!
A former feared pirate with a bounty of 81 million berries on his head, he became a privateer by making a deal with the World Government. In exchange for his status, Crocodile had to fight in the service of the organization. He is Luffy's first real enemy in the One Piece manga, he even defeated him twice before losing their 3rd fight.
Following his defeat by the young Straw Hat Pirate, Crocodile was stripped of his title as a Corsair and imprisoned on Level 6 of Impel Down. He escaped during Luffy's breakout and unwillingly participated in the Marineford Summit War alongside Whitebeard .
Boa Hancock: The Pirate Empress
Boa Hancock is the only woman to have been part of the 7 Great Corsairs. This snake princess reigns over the island of Amazon Lily with her two sisters Sandersonia and Marigold . And when you see her captivating beauty, you quickly understand why she is nicknamed "the most beautiful woman in the world". But this formidable warrior possesses the Mero Mero no Mi , which allows her to petrify all those who find her attractive! With that and her mastery of the 3 types of Haki, including the extremely rare Haki of Kings , she is a fighter of the first order.
Behind her strength, however, lies a heavy past. As children, Hancock and her sisters were kidnapped and enslaved by the merciless Celestial Dragons . Fortunately, they were freed by Fisher Tiger and were able to return to Amazon Lily, where they hid their trauma. Boa Hancock then became captain of the Kuja pirates. And when she was only between 20 and 25 years old, she obtained the ultra-prestigious title of Shichibukai by making a deal with the World Government.
A status that allowed her to protect her island while continuing piracy. Boa Hancock was considered one of the most powerful and loyal Corsairs to the Government. But everything changed when she met Luffy . Falling in love with him , the beauty put her position as a Corsair in danger several times to help him.
Trafalgar Law: The Surgeon of Death
The captain of the Heart Pirates and one of the worst generation of pirates. Originally from the North Blue, Trafalgar Law ate one of the most powerful Devil Fruits, the Ope Ope no Mi. With this incredible paramecia, Law can create a sphere in which he controls everything in it! A power that makes him a fearsomely effective fighter. Before becoming a Corsair, Law already had a huge bounty of 200 million berries when he arrived in Sabaody.
But in order to obtain his title as Shichibukai, he orchestrated the Rocky Port Incident where he literally ripped out the hearts of 100 pirates to offer them to the Navy. This allowed Law to access Punk Hazard to set in motion his plan to bring down the dastardly Doflamingo. It was there that he allied with Luffy , in order to avenge his mentor Corazon whom Doflamingo had killed in the past. After his enemy's defeat, Law's bounty increased to 440 million berries!
And that was just the beginning for Law... By participating in the defeat of Empress Big Mom in Wano, alongside his ally Kid, the Surgeon's bounty has exploded to reach 3 billion berries ! An insane amount that makes him one of the most wanted pirates in the world.
Don Quixote Doflamingo: Joker
Born into the world's nobility of the Celestial Dragons , Doflamingo's family left Marie Joie to live among normal humans. After his father's murder, this odious character developed a violent hatred towards the entire world. Becoming a pirate, Doflamingo founded his own crew and forged a reputation for himself as a raving madman, with a bounty of 340 million berries . Thanks to his Ito Ito no Mi , he has the ability to manipulate people like puppets.
Between the ages of 20 and 25, Doflamingo managed to become one of the 7 Great Corsairs. But not in the normal way, oh no! This smart guy blackmailed the World Government with the dark secrets he had about them. A most dubious deal... Doflamingo was able to extend his influence everywhere and became King of Dressrosa and leader of the underworld under the code name Joker . From his throne, he was able to continue his dark machinations, such as trafficking in weapons and artificial SMILE devil fruits.
Fortunately, the reign of this monster came to an end during the Dressrosa arc, thanks to Luffy! Defeated , Doflamingo lost his title of Corsair and was sent to rot on level 6 of the terrible prison of Impel Down.
Baggy: The clown with a thousand pieces
Before becoming captain of the Clown Crew, Buggy started out as a cabin boy on Gol D. Roger 's ship. At the time, he was already rubbing shoulders with his eternal rival Red Shanks. He ate the Bara Bara no Mi which allows him to separate his body parts into a thousand pieces. A power that makes him immune to sharp attacks and allows for crazy fights.
While Buggy is anything but a big brute, he makes up for it with his talent for manipulating others. That's how he managed to gather a crew of devoted pirates, despite his notorious selfishness and cruelty. After being locked up in Impel Down prison, the clown managed to escape alongside... Luffy. An alliance that we didn't expect at all. But the highlight of the show is that his heroic (albeit unintentional) participation in the Summit War earned him the title of Grand Corsair.
After the recent fall of Big Mom and Kaido's crew, Buggy was even promoted to the rank of Emperor . Lunar! Now, he is part of the Cross Guild, alongside Mihawk and Crocodile, where he apparently serves as a cover for the more powerful members.
The other Great Corsairs
Over the course of the chapters of One Piece, other pirates have also been part of the 7 Great Corsairs. A little less iconic, they still have their importance in the story. We find in particular characters like:
- Bartholomew Kuma aka The Tyrant. A mysterious man who was transformed into a cyborg by the legendary Dr. Vegapunk. With his insane strength, he notably protected the Straw Hats in Sabaody and Marineford.
- Jinbei , the captain of the Sun Pirates, renowned for his strength and sense of honor. This fish-man with herculean strength is renowned for his unfailing sense of honor.
- Gecko Moria , a formidable opponent with his army of zombies and his power of the Kage Kage no Mi. Despite his defeat against Luffy at Thriller Bark, he remains one of our favorite characters.
- Edward Weevil , the self-proclaimed son of Emperor Whitebeard. Pretentious, but when you know his immense physical strength, you'd think he was worthy of one of the greatest Corsairs.
Although they don't have the fame of the greatest corsairs, these four pirates have all left their mark on the One Piece manga and anime in their own way. Whether it's through their powers, their actions or their charisma, they deserve a place in the pantheon of legends! And who do you think would be the best Shichibukai in One Piece ?
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