HIGHLIGHTS

Shanks is a top pirate with the highest bounty, mastering all Haki types and a rival of Luffy and Buggy.
He clashed with Whitebeard and shoulder to shoulder with Kaido. Blackbeard scarred Shanks in the past.
Dracule Mihawk, known as strongest swordsman, used to be rivals with Shanks, with Mihawk’s skill surpassing.

Shanks is one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. He cemented himself as one of the biggest pirates in the world at a very young age, which is hardly surprising as Roger entrusted the Straw Hat to him. Currently, Shanks has the highest active bounty in One Piece, and it is possible that it might increase before the series reaches its end.

Shanks is a master of using Haki, and he has demonstrated his prowess multiple times. Shanks can use the advanced variants of all three types of Haki. He can imbue his attacks with Conqueror’s Haki to make them more potent, and he can use it to prevent others from using Observation Haki. Over time, Shanks has made enemies out of many people, and here are the ones who pushed him the most.

6Monkey D. Luffy

Bounty: 3,000,000,000 Berries

Monkey D. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. He set out on his pirating adventure when he was still rather young. However, it didn’t stop him from making a name for himself and becoming one of the most renowned pirates in the world. Over the years, Luffy has grown a lot and become an Emperor of the Sea. He has successfully awakened his Devil Fruit, and can even use all types of Haki.

Luffy was inspired by Shanks to become a pirate. The latter even entrusted his prized Straw Hat to Luffy as a sign of belief. It is rather obvious that the two do not bear any sort of animosity towards each other, but they do have the same goals. Luffy and Shanks are looking for the One Piece, and they will not back down from the fight. So, in a sense, Luffy and Shanks are rivals as they are aiming to obtain the same thing.

5Buggy

Bounty: 3,189,000,000 Berries

When Buggy was first introduced in One Piece, who would’ve thought that he had some kind of past with Shanks? Buggy is extremely weak, but he rose to the top with deception and misunderstandings. This prompted the World Government to recognize Buggy as a threat, after which he was named one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.

In a 1v1 fight, Buggy will never be able to beat Shanks, but he has managed to become the leader of Cross Guild. Buggy expressed his desire to claim the One Piece, announcing it after Shanks revealed that he wanted the treasure. If Shanks and Buggy come face-to-face, the former will not go easy on him.

4Whitebeard

Bounty: 5,046,000,000 Berries

Whitebeard was known as the strongest man alive, so there were very few people who dared to challenge him. In fact, the Marines had to assemble the Shichibukai, the three Admirals, and thousands of other soldiers to fight Whitebeard and his crew.

However, Shanks was not afraid of Whitebeard. This was evidenced by their minor clash on the Moby Dick, which caused the skies to be split into two. While Shanks and Whitebeard were not openly hostile towards each other, they were still elite pirates vying to reach the top.

3Kaido

Bounty: 4,611,100,000 Berries

Kaido was the captain of the Beasts Pirates and one of the strongest pirates in the world. He was a cruel and dangerous individual who didn’t care about others as long as he got what he desired. Kaido ate the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit. This gave him the ability to turn into an Azure Dragon at will. In any of his forms, Kaido had enough power to cause widespread destruction.

Kaido and Shanks never clashed on screen, but there was one instance where the two went shoulder to shoulder. This incident occurred before the Paramount War, and it ended with Kaido retreating. Given Kaido’s hunger for combat, it is likely that the two fought multiple times before as well.

2Blackbeard

Bounty: 3,996,000,000 Berries

Blackbeard became an Emperor of the Sea after beating the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates in the Payback War. While the explicit details remain unclear, it is safe to say that the Whitebeard Pirates would not have posed much danger without their captain. Blackbeard possesses two Devil Fruits: Gura Gura no Mi and Yami Yami no Mi. The first is a Paramecia-type that grants him immense destructive powers, and the second is a Logia that can nullify the powers of other Devil Fruits.

Blackbeard and Shanks have a history, and the latter has expressed his disgust multiple times. It is implied that Blackbeard struck Shanks in the past, resulting in the scars above his left eye. It makes sense for the two to fight again to settle the score. But Blackbeard won’t make things easy for his enemy, and he will make sure to use both his Devil Fruits.

1Dracule Mihawk

Bounty: 3,590,000,000 Berries

Dracule Mihawk is known as the strongest swordsman in the world. He possesses Yoru, a Saijo O Wazamono-grade sword, making it one of the most prized weapons in the series. The blade is massive, but Mihawk is able to wield it effortlessly.

It has been stated many times that Mihawk and Shanks used to be rivals in the past, and they were always fighting each other. According to Whitebeard, the battles between the two would shake the entire Grand Line. Oda has clearly stated in the manga that Mihawk’s swordsmanship surpasses Shanks, but that doesn’t mean they are equal. The Emperor of the Sea holds the edge, but a fight between them would be close. At the moment, Dracule Mihawk is without a doubt Shanks’ strongest rival.