The Marines — May, 2018
Does Rank Equal Strength in the One Piece World?
In One Piece, the Marines seem to follow a simple rule.
The higher your position, the stronger you are.
But Japanese fans aren’t sure whether that’s logic — or a contradiction.
Commanders, Death, and Defeat
1: Anonymous Pirate
If you think about how it’s basically a loss once the commander dies, then yeah, having the strongest guy in charge makes sense.
8: Anonymous Pirate
If enemies are already showing up in front of the commander, that’s a problem in itself.
12: Anonymous Pirate
>>8
There are plenty of enemies so strong that random grunts can’t do anything about them, so it can’t be helped.
16: Anonymous Pirate
Making commanders strong so they don’t die makes sense.
But having commanders fight on the front lines???
Strength as Strategic Weaponry
3: Anonymous Pirate
Fleet Admiral Kong: “Exactly.”
4: Anonymous Pirate
In the first place, strong people in that world are basically strategic weapons, so of course they’d be important.
7: Anonymous Pirate
Pirates: “The stronger you are, the higher your bounty!!”
Loyalty to the Celestial Dragons
9: Anonymous Pirate
I don’t even get why they swear loyalty to the Celestial Dragons. Just rebel already.
17: Anonymous Pirate
>>9
This isn’t like real-world navies or self-defense forces.
They’re basically the Celestial Dragons’ private army.
19: Anonymous Pirate
The Marines are under the World Government, but the World Government can’t oppose the Celestial Dragons.
Rank Gaps, Talent, and Effort
13: Anonymous Pirate
How do you think Smoker feels, losing in rank to Fujitora who joined just two years ago?
24: Anonymous Pirate
>>13
Up to Vice Admiral, effort and some talent can get you there.
Admiral is a whole different dimension.
15: Anonymous Pirate
I mean, Coby already became a Marine officer, so his dream’s basically achieved.
Devil Fruits, Exceptions, and Inconsistencies
32: Anonymous Pirate
The Five Elders look strong, but are they weaker than the Admirals?
34: Anonymous Pirate
I want to see strong Celestial Dragons other than Doflamingo.
Like a legit knight-type Haki user.
35: Anonymous Pirate
Coby being strong without eating a Devil Fruit feels unrealistic.
38: Anonymous Pirate
It’s not that important people are strong — strong people become important.
40: Anonymous Pirate
In the end, if you hit the Devil Fruit jackpot, even a scrub can become officer-class, right?
45: Anonymous Pirate
>>40
If the Rust-Rust Fruit guy had eaten something better, he probably would’ve risen way higher.
41: Anonymous Pirate
Spandam and Sengoku —
Even as leaders, they weren’t that powerful, right?
46: Anonymous Pirate
>>41
Spandam was just a puppet captain, but Sengoku used to be strong.
He just got old and important.
👉 Why Japanese Fans Think This Way
Japanese fans don’t see the Marines as a modern military.
They read them as a power-based hierarchy, where individual strength replaces systems, logistics, and protection.
In a world where single fighters function as weapons of mass destruction, leadership and combat ability collapse into the same role.
👉 This Debate Isn’t About Realism — It’s About Consistency in ONE PIECE’s World
This debate isn’t about realism — it’s about internal consistency in ONE PIECE.
Japanese readers largely accept that “the strong rise to the top,” but only because the setting demands it.
The moment strength and rank stop aligning, the Marine structure itself starts to feel unstable.
Coby figure
Helmeppo figure
Sengoku figure
ONE PIECE Vol. 1 (Kindle) 📖 Start from the beginning
ONE PIECE Vol. 110 (Kindle) 🔥 Latest volume
Comments