One Piece Marines vs Pirates: Best Picks, PS5 Guide (2026)

In One Piece, the Marines are framed as the heavy-handed enforcers of “justice,” meant to keep pirates and other lawbreakers from tearing the world apart. Without them, the setting would quickly spiral into chaos. Still, “justice” doesn’t look the same for everyone inside the ranks—different Marines interpret their duty in conflicting ways, and some respond to criminals in ways that feel more like personal conviction than policy. In that sense, several of them might have fit better on the sea as pirates.

Key takeaways

Monkey D. Garp took part in the God Valley Incident, fighting against a corrupted Rocks D. Xebec.
Smoker built his reputation in Loguetown by stopping pirates from reaching the Grand Line.
Sengoku is the former Fleet Admiral who can use all three types of Haki and has a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
Koby rose from an overlooked recruit to become a Captain, but dislikes how the Marines discard innocent lives.
Kuzan left the Marines after rejecting “Absolute Justice,” and later joined the Blackbeard Pirates.
Jaguar D. Saul rebelled against the World Government’s decision to erase Ohara and helped Robin escape at the cost of his own life.

7 Monkey D. Garp

Position: Vice Admiral

Monkey D. Garp is known as the Hero of the Marines. He took part in the God Valley Incident, where he fought against a demonic version of Rocks D. Xebec. In that event, the pirate was turned into a terrifying creature without his consent, and Imu ordered that every person on the island be eliminated.

Garp ended up teaming with Roger—his longtime rival—and together they stopped Xebec’s rampage. The incident helped prove that Garp doesn’t simply follow orders without question. In fact, once he reached the rank of Vice Admiral, he stopped accepting promotions. He also refused to become an Admiral or Fleet Admiral, saying he didn’t want to serve as a tool for the Celestial Dragons. Given how stubbornly principled he is, the argument is that he’d have been better suited to piracy than Marine life.

6 Smoker

Smoker is a Vice Admiral with a strong personal definition of justice, much like several other high-ranking Marines. Early in the series, he’s stationed in Loguetown and tasked with preventing pirates from entering the Grand Line—something many readers would agree he handled exceptionally well. A major reason for his effectiveness is the Moku Moku no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that lets him transform into smoke. After the time skip, Smoker also learned to use Haki.

Smoker has already decided what justice should mean to him. He’s among the few Marines who openly dislikes the higher-ups, especially when they attempt to bury the truth. He also cares about his subordinates, highlighted by the sacrifice he makes during Punk Hazard.

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5 Sengoku

Position: Fleet Admiral

Sengoku is the former Fleet Admiral of the Marines. He assumed leadership sometime before the current timeline, and under his command the organization reached new heights. The Marines’ success under him is emphasized by their victory in the Paramount War, during which they also managed to execute Portgas D. Ace. Beyond that, Sengoku is portrayed as both extraordinarily intelligent and extremely physically capable. He can use all three types of Haki, and he also has a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit.

Even though he has served the organization faithfully, Sengoku has always held himself back, with limits likely influenced by Kong and possibly the Five Elders. He’s demonstrated multiple times that he isn’t “evil,” and that he doesn’t treat achievement as the only value that matters.

4 Koby

Position: Captain

When Koby first appears, he’s treated like a background character who won’t matter much as the story moves on. That assumption doesn’t hold. Since Koby began training under Garp, his life has taken a clear turn for the better. Garp teaches him everything he knows about Haki, and he also subjects Koby to intense physical training to push his limits.

Today, Koby is presented as one of the Marines’ most promising figures. He has already earned the rank of Captain, and the story expects he will keep climbing. However, Koby doesn’t like how the Marines operate. He doesn’t want innocent people to be sacrificed for something trivial. Because his beliefs don’t match the organization’s behavior, the conclusion is that he’d be better off as a pirate.

3 Kuzan

Position: Admiral

Kuzan, also known as Aokiji, served as a Marine Admiral, putting him among the Marines’ strongest fighters. He was trained by Garp, which is cited as the reason he learned Haki and improved his physical abilities. Kuzan also has the Hie Hie no Mi, a Devil Fruit that gives him the ability to freeze anything at will.

The freezing process is described as instantaneous, making escape nearly impossible once it starts. Kuzan has long been opposed to “Absolute Justice,” which is why he ultimately left the Marines to live by his own standards. At present, Kuzan is a member of the Blackbeard Pirates.

2 Fujitora

Fujitora entered the Marines through the World Military Draft. He carried a heavy responsibility, needing to fill the gap left by Sakazuki and Kuzan. Despite the pressure, Fujitora quickly made the role his own.

Fujitora has the Zushi Zushi no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to control gravity. That means he can either raise or lower gravitational force in a given area. By increasing gravity, he can stop an opponent from moving, then finish them off in a flashy, decisive way. Even with that kind of power, Fujitora is characterized as compassionate—he’s willing to break rules to help innocent people. Considering how Marines are often portrayed as bending to Imu’s will, the argument is that Fujitora would also be better off as a pirate.

One Piece previously had a weaker anime adaptation, but the claim is that in February 2027 it will officially become the best anime of all time.

1 Jaguar D. Saul

Jaguar D. Saul is one of only two Marines in One Piece who has the letter “D” in his name, making his rebellion against the World Government’s decision to erase Ohara feel unsurprising. He even assists Robin in escaping from Ohara and sacrifices himself during the process. There’s also an assertion that Saul would have become an excellent pirate. He’s further noted to be a giant, meaning he has exceptional physical strength, and he’s said to know how to use at least two types of Haki.

One Piece

Cast

Mayumi Tanaka — Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
Kazuya Nakai — Roronoa Zoro (voice)