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Out of any franchise out there, none seem to compare, in terms of character development and world-building, toOne Piece. Featuring a massive cast of characters, all intricately moving around a complex world, it’s amazing how Oda keeps every storyline and plot point straight. Fantastic development like this is what helps the heroes ofOne Piecefeel so realistic and likable. However, at the same time, it also creates some of the best villains in all the anime as well.
Villains inOne Pieceare a different breed of character in the story. Often becoming some of the most beloved characters in the series,One Piecevillains stand out with their amazing designs, cool powers, and interesting motivations. Although the fights were on a smaller scale back then, this is still true for pre-time skip villains just as much as it is for post-time skip. Now the question is, if all the villains in pre-time skipOne Pieceare so good, which one is the best pre-time skip villain inOne Piece?
One Piece’s Pre-Time Skip Villains
From the East Blue and Beyond
Before entering the Grand Line, on theEast Blue inOne Piece, Luffy faced off against a fair number of villains. Mainly, Luffy fought and defeated Buggy the Clown, Captain Kuro, Don Krieg, and Arlong. Although these aren’tthe only enemies that Luffy fought, overall, they’re arguably far more important than smaller villains like Captain Axe Morgan.
People do not fear God. Fear itself is God. - Enel
Moving on to theStraw Hats adventures in the Grand Line, Luffy had to face off against enemies like Wapol, Crocodile, Enel, Foxy, Rob Lucci, Magellan, and Gecko Moria. Additionally, while Luffy does face off against enemies like Blackbeard, Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu, fundamentally making them villains, although they are amazing antagonists, only villains that were made to be the “main” villain of the arc will be considered.
Each Villain is Special in Their Own Way
Yes, Even Foxy
Firstly, a few characters that definitely aren’t the best villains inpre-time skipOne Pieceare Captain Kuro, Don Krieg, Wapol, and Foxy. While these characters are interesting on their own, none of them really stand out in terms of character development and greater significance to theOne Pieceworld. While Wapol’s recent development redeems him a little, in terms of being a pre-time skip villain, he very well may be worse than Foxy.
Moving on, the next villains out would have to be Buggy, Magellan, and Gecko Moria. AlthoughLuffy’s first major villain, Buggy, was an imposing figure, and arguably the closest to defeating Luffy out of any other character in Louguetown, the clown needed a bit more development before becoming the lovable fan-favorite he is today. As for Gecko and Magellan, while they both had interesting powers, the idealistic clash between Luffy and these two was not as interesting as some of the other characters on this list.
Next of thevillains inOne Piecewho are out, although it’s very close from here on out, should be Enel and Rob Lucci. Both of these characters have some of the best designs and some of the coolest powers in all ofOne Piece. The build-up to both villains is great, making each fight with Luffy against them feel like an epic encounter. However, both are sadly lacking in the personality department. Although Rob Lucci is designed to be a government lapdog, sadly, this doesn’t translate well to having interesting conversations with the hero. A similar thing could be said about Enel and his arrogance.
Crocodile is the King of One Piece Villains
A Combo of Class and Conquering
Finally, arguably the best villain in pre-time skip would have to be Crocodile fromOne Piece’sAlabasta Arc. As a villain, Crocodile changed the game. With an amazing aesthetic, strong power, and an interesting plan, Crocodile sets the bar for how One Piece villains should be. As a villain, he clashes perfectly with Luffy, both physically and idealistically. Additionally, he teaches Luffy an important lesson throughout their encounters on Alabasta. In many ways, Crocodile is one of the premiere examples of what a final villain of an arc should be.
What good are your happy ideals if you can’t do anything to make them a reality? - Crocodile to Vivi
An honorable mention would have to go to Arlong fromOne Piece’sArlong Park Arc. The villain, besides having an interesting motivation, and presenting a strong threat to Luffy, felt especially intimidating due to his personal connection to Nami. In many ways, Arlong felt like the first major threat in all ofOne Pieceand deserves more recognition as a villain.
In the end, it’s hard to find abad villain inOne Piece, with the worst only being average. That goes to show just how well Oda has crafted the story ofOne Piece, making a veritable and lovable rogue’s gallery of villains, each with their own strengths and weaknesses in terms of lore and storytelling. Although many do believe that Crocodile is the best villain in pre-time skipOne Piece, any other villain could easily fill the number one spot in the eyes of another fan.
