Every Powerful Marine in One Piece Who Can Beat Shanks, Ranked Least to Most Probable

Which Marine is strong enough to beat Shanks? It’s the burning question One Piece fans just can’t stop arguing about. When it comes to Shanks, Oda doesn’t even need to show us much. The guy walks into Marineford, drops a few lines, flexes that crazy Haki aura, and all of a sudden, the biggest war in decades just stops. That’s not normal. That’s Yonko-level dominance.

But One Piece also gave us the Marines, who are essentially the world government’s hammer. And at the very top of that hammer sit a few monsters who can go toe-to-toe with Emperors. So, the question is which of these Marines (or ex-Marines) could actually take down Shanks in a straight-up fight?

How We’re Judging This One Piece Ranking

So, we are ranking them here, from least to most probable, based only on canon feats, powers, and the insane matchups we’ve seen or been told about. And yes, we’re counting Garp in here, especially prime Garp, because that’s where things get spicy.

This isn’t a popularity contest or ‘my headcanon says so.’ We are looking at:

• Actual fights we’ve seen (Marineford, Dressrosa, Punk Hazard, Wano).
• Confirmed Devil Fruits and Haki levels.
• Historical feats (like Garp vs Roger).
• How their powers would specifically clash with Shanks’ main arsenal: his Haki (especially Supreme King/Conqueror’s Haki) and swordsmanship.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that power in One Piece is partly explicit and partly interpretive. So, we have based the ranking on concrete canonical touchstones (chapters and arcs) rather than fan polls, along with the reliable arc references where the most decisive evidence appears. So let’s break it down.

7. Kizaru (Borsalino) vs Shanks

Let’s start with the shiniest guy in the room. Kizaru’s Pika Pika no Mi is busted on paper: light-speed movement, laser beams, instant teleportation-style attacks. He can tag whole squads before they blink.

But here’s the thing: being fast doesn’t necessarily make you capable of defeating Haki. Shanks has arguably one of the strongest Conqueror’s Haki we’ve ever seen in the series, and Observation Haki can literally foresee even the wildest fast attacks.

Unless Kizaru manages the most perfect surprise one-shot in history (which is hard when your opponent is literally a Haki monster), Shanks can and will counter. Fun to imagine? Yes. Likely to happen? Nah. Shanks has the edge here.

6. Fujitora (Issho) vs Shanks

Fujitora’s Zushi Zushi no Mi is crazy! He pulls meteors out of the sky like it’s casual Tuesday, manipulates gravity, and can squash entire battlefields with a flick of his sword. Dressrosa literally showed us that this man is dangerous.

Now, if this were about controlling an army or a fleet, Fujitora’s your guy. But Shanks is no ordinary swordsman; his mastery over his Haki lets him ignore terrain disadvantage and fight through overwhelming conditions.

Unless Fujitora somehow crushes him with a planet-sized gravity trick, Shanks still comes out on top in a duel. Awesome matchup though: swordsman against swordsman, both having crazy abilities.

5. Ryokugyu (Green Bull) vs Shanks

Green Bull’s the wild card. When he rolled up in Wano, Oda finally pulled back the curtain: plant-based Logia, sucking the life out of people, sprouting forests like it’s nothing, and casually taking down Kaido’s leftover All-Stars. He’s creepy, cruel, and his abilities are nasty.

Against Shanks, however? The question mark here is durability. Shanks’ Haki-coated sword strikes are the kind that are able to cut through logias. Sure, Ryokugyu can drain and entangle, but if Shanks is able to get close enough to deliver that black-blade Haki slash, it’s game over. So yes, deadly, but not quite enough evidence he could take on a Yonko solo.

4. Aokiji (Kuzan) vs Shanks

Here’s where it gets real. Kuzan fought Akainu for ten days straight on Punk Hazard, reshaping an entire island into half magma, half ice. That’s not a metaphor; the island is still like that. That alone tells us Aokiji’s ceiling: Yonko-tier at minimum.

His Hie Hie no Mi provides him with insane battlefield control: freezing seas, keeping ships in place, paralyzing anyone who lacks insane Haki. Against Shanks, this could drag into a brutal endurance match. Shanks has the edge in raw Haki pressure, but Kuzan has the stamina and control to even things out. If anyone below Akainu on this list can push Shanks into a draw, it’s Kuzan.

3. Sengoku vs Shanks

Don’t underestimate Sengoku. The guy was Fleet Admiral for a reason. His Mythical Zoan, Hito Hito no Mi: Model Daibutsu, allows him to turn into a giant golden Buddha and release shockwaves large enough to destroy Marineford’s battlefield.

He may not have Shanks’ swordsmanship skills, but Sengoku’s strength lies in sheer scale. Those shockwaves would be able to cut through defenses and interrupt the rhythm of Shanks, allowing Sengoku an opening to overwhelm him.

Throw in decades of experience and a strategic mind, and this is a whole lot closer than people realize. Shanks probably still edges out most old-guard Marines. Sengoku? Not so sure.

2. The ‘Hero of the Marines’ Monkey D Garp vs Shanks

Alright, this is the spicy one. Garp vs Shanks, who’s gonna win? One Piece tells us that Garp and Roger ‘almost killed each other many times.’ That means prime Garp was trading evenly with the Pirate King himself. If you can do that, then yeah, you definitely have what it takes to fight and perhaps even defeat Shanks.

What made Garp terrifying wasn’t a Devil Fruit; it was raw physical strength and monstrous Haki. We’ve seen him smash mountains, toss cannonballs like pebbles, and cave in heads with fists. If Prime Garp got his hands on Shanks, that fight’s ending ugly.

Current Garp? He’s old, still strong, but not Yonko-killer strong anymore. Prime Garp, though? Shanks might’ve been the one walking away with scars.

1. Akainu (Sakazuki) vs Shanks

And here we are: the Marine most likely to knock Shanks down. Sakazuki has three chilling credentials: He fought Aokiji for ten days and came out on top, earning Fleet Admiral. His Magu Magu no Mi magma punches aren’t just powerful, they’re among the deadliest hits in the entire series. Ace’s death is the prime example.

He’s merciless. No hesitation, no restraint, no messing around. Shanks thrives on control and intimidation. Akainu thrives on smashing through that with pure destructive power. In a straight-up death match, Akainu has the highest chance of pulling it off. He’s the only Marine alive with both the feats and the attitude to go the distance.

So, here’s a quick recap:

So, if Shanks walked into Marine HQ tomorrow in One Piece? He’s scaring off most of them, but Akainu’s magma and prime Garp’s fists are the two things we’d actually be worried about. So, who’s the one Marine strong enough to bring down Shanks? Share your thoughts and join the discussion in the comments section below.

One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.