[One Piece] Is Doflamingo Really Stronger Than Katakuri? Japanese Fans Argue Power, Context, and Misread Fights
Baroque Works
2026.01.13
Donquixote Doflamingo vs Charlotte Katakuri (2018/06/17): Was This Ever a Fair Comparison?
Was Doflamingo actually on Katakuri’s level, or does that idea fall apart once you look closely? Japanese fans keep circling the same question: strength, or circumstance? This thread isn’t about hype — it’s about how fights are remembered.
How Strong Was Doflamingo at His Peak?
326: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 No way Doffy is Yonko level, but putting him on the same tier as Katakuri seems fair. Mihawk is clearly the strongest Warlord, and Doffy is easily No.2.
338: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>326 Katakuri is the strongest Sweet Commander and was undefeated. There’s no real reason Doffy should be that strong. Even at best, Doffy is around Cracker or Jack level.
308: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Doffy actually had a pretty “good” loss. He fought Law together, took Gamma Knife, had his organs wrecked, and Luffy still said he was weakened. Hard to say his true strength, but that also means you can’t say he’s above Katakuri.
316: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>308 True, but Luffy was also said to be worn out. So yeah, hard to judge.
Did Context Save or Expose Him?
304: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Why does everyone ignore that Luffy got beaten up by Bellamy first in the Doffy fight? That always gets glossed over.
314: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>304 Bellamy’s attacks wouldn’t do anything. Even if you’re generous, maybe 20% damage at most.
313: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Doffy was using Birdcage — a super high-cost ability — while fighting hundreds of enemies, then still fought Luffy. That basically makes him Yonko class.
Fujitora: “That so-called Birdcage is getting in the way… isn’t it cutting through our meteor as well…?”
318: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>313 Yonko is pushing it way too far.
323: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Luffy and Bellamy aren’t even comparable in Haki. For Luffy it’s just surface damage. Meanwhile Doffy took a surprise heavy hit from Law and still fought while restraining Zoro and an Admiral.
Is Katakuri Clearly Above Him?
324: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Rayleigh said Haki grows through fighting strong opponents. That means Katakuri was a stronger enemy than Doffy. Doffy wasn’t a true 1v1 anyway.
327: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Overall strength aside, Katakuri and Cracker clearly have stronger Armament Haki than Doffy. Boundman > Katakuri (base Luffy hurts his fists) > Snakeman.
Charlotte Cracker: “Hard Biscuit!!!” Luffy: “…Damn!!!” “So hard…!! His Armament Haki!!!”
329: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 You could beat a Yonko by trapping them in Birdcage and shredding them from outside. Even if attacks don’t work, they’d starve eventually.
336: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>329 If that worked, Doffy wouldn’t be scared of Kaido. Big Mom maybe, but Kaido is on another level.
330: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Didn’t Katakuri also get overwhelmed by Gear 4 Haki? His ability is just defense-focused.
337: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>330 That only happened when he couldn’t use Haki. Once he could again, he dominated — even after injuring himself.
Luffy: “Kong Gun!!!”
Power Scaling and Warlord Reputation
343: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Doffy is Joker. He should be above King, Queen, and Jack.
359: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>343 He’s Joker because he’s the world’s biggest broker. That has nothing to do with combat strength. Yonko commanders > Warlords is the basic hierarchy.
369: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>359 So Jozu getting restrained by Doffy means Jozu is weak? Vista being below Mihawk means Whitebeard’s commanders are trash? Then Big Mom getting blocked by Jinbe means she’s weak too?
Doflamingo: “Fufufufufu!!” “You’ve got some nerve showing your face, Crocodile!! How was the temperature of the blood pool?” Crocodile: “……Doflamingo…!!!” Jozu: Glares “…………” Crocodile: “Don’t get any funny ideas. You wanna get killed?”
Doflamingo: “Such a foul mouth…!! Heh heh!! So what do you say—care to team up with me?”
385: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>369 Jozu was freed offscreen anyway. He might’ve just broken out with brute strength.
398: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>385 He was freed because of the sandstorm. If Crocodile and Doffy were serious, Jozu would’ve died.
Crocodile: “You and me… teaming up!?” Jozu: “…………” Crocodile: “Don’t lump us together.” “You mean making me your underling, don’t you?” Doflamingo: “Fufufufufu!! I thought you might’ve come up with something smarter.” Crocodile: “Then I wouldn’t have shown up in the first place.” “Sables!!” “Disappear, you damn flamingo bastard!!!”
Final Comparisons
373: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Sorry but Katakuri >>>>> Marco. Marco only has regeneration and even that has limits. Katakuri has future sight, absurd Armament, mochi attacks like Akainu, awakening, no losses in his generation. It’s not even close.
381: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 People trash the Warlords too much. Crocodile losing early really damaged their image.
400: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>381 Compared to Marco, Jozu, and Vista, the Warlords are clearly weaker overall.
511: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Doffy can be beaten if Gear 4 lasts long enough. Katakuri can’t — even with Gear 4.
526: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 >>511 Luffy would’ve lost without Law. They needed to wear Doffy down first, while he was maintaining Birdcage.
535: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Dressrosa Luffy had it rough. Punk Hazard, Coliseum, Chinjao, the whole country chasing him, Bellamy fights — nonstop pressure.
634: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 People focus on fistfights, but Doffy’s strongest weapon is Birdcage. If you can’t break it, nobody can win.
382: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/13 Both Katakuri and Doffy have Conqueror’s Haki. Either way, they’re both undeniably strong.
👉 Why Japanese Fans Rarely Call Doflamingo “Weaker”
What stands out isn’t disrespect — it’s hesitation. Most Japanese commenters don’t frame Doflamingo as “weak,” but as context-dependent. His loss involved allies, attrition, and constant multitasking. That ambiguity protects his reputation — but also prevents people from placing him above Katakuri.
👉 Katakuri as the Benchmark, Not the Rival
Katakuri isn’t treated as just another commander here. He’s used as a measuring stick: future sight, pure 1v1 endurance, and Haki growth through adversity. In that framing, Doflamingo doesn’t fail — he simply doesn’t qualify for the same test.
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