One Piece Chapter 5: Zoro’s Arrival Marks the Crew’s Official Start

The Straw Hat Pirates are captained by Monkey D. Luffy, and the crew’s “official” start is often traced to the moment Roronoa Zoro joined him on the road. That joining is dated to One Piece Chapter 5, released in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #39 on August 25, 1997. Since then, Luffy’s roster has expanded into something far more imposing—both in headcount and in raw combat power. At present, Luffy has nine major underlings, and the tenth seat is widely framed as the last piece that Eiichiro Oda is preparing to add to the crew.

With the Elbaf arc reaching its climax, that tenth slot isn’t just “coming soon” in a generic sense; the current setup points toward the final Straw Hat being a God in one form or another. Several of the most discussed candidates for the last position share a common thread: each is tied to a major divine figure within the One Piece world.

One Piece’s Final Straw Hat Position Has 3 Gods Lined Up By Eiichiro Oda

Eiichiro Oda left a clear breadcrumb early on by bringing up the idea of Luffy needing at least ten crew members right at the beginning of the story. In One Piece Chapter 1, officially released on July 18, 1997 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #34, Luffy states that when he forms his own crew, he wants no fewer than ten people under him. Today, he’s still short—he has nine—so there’s space for one more to complete the count.

“Let’s see…I’ve got to get some crewmates first. I hope I can at least find 10 people!” — Luffy explains how many crewmates he wants, One Piece Chapter #1

The logic gets reinforced when you compare Luffy to his major rivals. The Blackbeard Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates both operate with ten-person structures beneath their captains: Blackbeard’s Ten Titanic Captains, and Shanks’ ten powerful Officers. Luffy’s crew currently doesn’t match that fully, so the final member feels inevitable. What makes the Elbaf arc especially relevant is that it has already presented multiple standout figures as plausible “last Straw Hat” candidates—and in each case, the character is connected to a God-level presence.

1. Loki is the most direct and high-profile option. Monkey D. Luffy formally invites him to join in One Piece Chapter 1152, which was officially released on June 23, 2025. In that chapter, Luffy welcomes Loki aboard, but the Giant rejects the offer. Even so, the situation isn’t treated as final; Loki is likely to remain in Elbaf, yet the possibility of him joining Luffy still exists. Later confirmation comes in One Piece Chapter 1175, where Loki is described as Elbaf’s new God of War. He also possesses a godly ability tied to the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Nidhoggr. In Elbaf’s old belief system, this dragon is treated like a God and is framed as capable of destroying the entire world—an angle that keeps Loki firmly in “God-level Straw Hat” territory.
2. Another character often discussed as a potential fit is Princess Shuri, who is also referred to as Gunko and is described as a Celestial Dragon. Because she is a Celestial Dragon, she’s positioned as a God-like figure within the world’s hierarchy, connected to the Manmayer lineage as one of its descendants. Her backstory has been explored recently, and Eiichiro Oda’s treatment of it has a clear endpoint: the flashback is said to have been fully wrapped up on June 28, 2026, with the official release of One Piece Chapter 1186 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #31.
3. Vivi is the third candidate that fits the “God connection” theme, even though her status is more complicated. She is described as someone who technically should count among Celestial Dragons, but she isn’t classified that way because Lily chose to remain on the surface rather than taking on that divine status 800 years ago. Still, even without the full Celestial Dragon label, Vivi is being positioned for the power of the Rain God Zaza. That reveal is tied to One Piece Chapter 1182, officially released on May 10, 2026. The idea here is that Zaza appears specifically in response to prayers for rain—and Vivi has a direct connection to that same divine concept—so the story logic suggests she could eat the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Zaza and become the user of a God-like ability.

Beyond the character roster talk, the Elbaf climax is also being framed as the place where One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is setting up a new Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit transformation for Luffy.

Why The Celestial Dragon Shuri Is The Likeliest God To Join The Straw Hats

There are multiple deities and divine-linked figures that could plausibly fill the final Straw Hat seat. Yamato is one example, with the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Okichi no Makami presented as another official God-type ability. However, the most likely candidate at this stage is Princess Shuri—also known as Gunko—because she is explicitly a Celestial Dragon, and therefore a God within the story’s structure.

One major reason Shuri stands out is that One Piece Chapter 1186, released on June 28, 2026, establishes a major goal for Brook and the Straw Hat Pirates: they aim to rescue Princess Shuri from the World Government’s control. The emotional throughline is also clear. Shuri has endured extreme suffering for more than 50 years, and Brook wants to save the Princess who once treated him as the most beloved person in her life. The narrative frames Brook’s renewed faith as a deliberate choice—he wants to help the woman who was forced to play the role of a God in the One Piece world.

“If that was a hallucination and the Princess was actually a victim back then, then, can I please ask your support in putting my faith in Princess Shuri once again? Would you give me your strength to save the Princess?” — Brook declares his goal to save Shuri, One Piece Chapter #1186

Rescuing Shuri would also remove her from every “default” destination. In One Piece Chapter 1183, officially released on May 25, 2026 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #26, Brook confirms that Esperia—his hometown—does not exist anymore. While this fact is directly about Brook, it functions narratively as part of the bigger picture: once Shuri is freed, she has nowhere safe to fall back on. With Imu and the Holy Knights positioned behind her, the only place she can plausibly call home becomes the Straw Hat Pirates. That makes her one of the strongest candidates for the final seat—and for being a God within the crew at the same time.

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Why The Straw Hat Pirates Will Be Stronger Than Ever After The Last Straw Hat Joins

No matter which God-linked figure ends up joining after the Elbaf arc, the crew’s overall power is expected to rise sharply. The biggest direct boost—at least on paper—comes from Loki. As the God of War of Elbaf, Loki carries the power of Nidhoggr, and his abilities are described as comparable to Luffy’s. There’s even room for Loki to surpass that baseline depending on how his kit fully develops. Still, One Piece Chapter 1180 sets up an important constraint: Loki may be staying in Elbaf rather than leaving immediately.

“Elbaf is the only place you’ll ever find me in. Here, you deal with me. Got that, you idiot?” — Loki declares his intention to stay in Elbaf, One Piece Chapter #1180

Vivi is another scenario that could meaningfully change the crew’s threat profile. If she returns to the Straw Hats, and especially if she manages to consume the Rain God Zaza power—something the story frames as a strong match for her—then her presence would likely elevate the team in a major way. Finally, Princess Shuri’s combat potential is already shown across multiple chapters. Her command of the Aro Aro no Mi is described as exceptional, and her god-level strength is illustrated when she takes down half of the Straw Hat crew in One Piece chapter 1146 with near effortless efficiency. That puts her among the strongest fighters in the crew, close to the Monster Trio.

So the real question isn’t whether the last seat will add a “God” element—it’s which God Eiichiro Oda ultimately chooses. The throughline remains consistent: whoever gets picked, the result is a new God for the Straw Hat roster.

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All the One Piece manga chapters by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.