One Piece - Red-Haired Shanks

Red-Haired Shanks is the captain of the Red Hair Pirates and one of the Yonko. He is the pirate who inspired Luffy to go on his journey as a pirate. He found the Gomu Gomu no Mi which was accidentally eaten by Luffy. Little is known about what Shanks can do, as he has not been seen heavily engaged in battle yet; however, as a member of the Yonko in the New World, his raw physical power is immense. Shanks did not fear Whitebeard, the world's strongest pirate, whereas some pirate captains quivered at the mere mention of his name. Rockstar also used his captain's name to convey to Whitebeard the importance of the letter he delivered to him. With enough strength to clash with Whitebeard, Shanks is feared by almost all pirates. It was also stated by the Gorosei that he is one of the few people capable of stopping Teach. Admiral Akainu fought through many men and a few Shichibukai to get to Luffy but when Shanks appeared, he did not challenge the Yonko.


He appears to be an excellent swimmer as well, having reached the young Luffy out in the middle of the sea before the Sea King could devour him. According to Buggy as a young man, Shanks was a strong fighter and had it not been for his ideals, he (Buggy) would have wanted him on his crew. As a member of the Yonko, Shanks' name alone commands great power, as Buggy himself proved; his assertion that he previously had a "brotherly bond" with Shanks was one of the many things that earned him respect from the Impel Down inmates. In addition, Buggy did not shy from using Shanks' and his previous Captain's name Gol D. Roger to maintain his respect amongst them. Even the fact Buggy was seen back talking to Shanks was seen as a testament of Buggy's own power to the former prisoners, not aware that the two had always acted like this and mistaking that it was because Buggy was not afraid of a Yonko. Shanks commands enough power to end the war at Marineford with just words; when he stated there was to be no more fighting, no one stepped up to challenge him, even though the Marines were fired up after the death of Ace and Whitebeard. When he offered to fight the very overconfident and pompous Blackbeard Teach, who moments before boasted about destroying the island and taking down Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp he declined and decided to leave, as it was too soon for them to take Shanks on. This is quite interesting because Teach had rushed to finish off Whitebeard although it should be noted that Whitebeard was already heavily wounded, who was considered the most powerful man in the world and a monster like no other, yet declined to fight Shanks. Furthermore, when he requested that Whitebeard's and Portgas D. Ace's dignity at death not to be violated, Sengoku himself decided to call off the war, and offered to take responsibility, showing that despite being a pirate, he has earned Sengoku’s respect, something that no pirate other than Whitebeard is known to have achieved.


Haki -  Shanks can utilize at least two of the three types of Haki. Shanks has shown mastery over the two types of Haki he has used. Even Whitebeard revered Shanks for his Haki when he used it on his visit. Busoshoku Haki - When Shanks and Whitebeard clashed with their weapons, the "heavens" above them split, hinting the incredible Busōshoku Haki that the Yonko had imbued in them. During the Battle of Marineford he was able to imbue Busoshoku Haki into his sword. Haoshoku Haki - Shanks' Haoshoku Haki Shanks' Haoshoku Haki knocks out the weaker members of Whitebeard's crew. Shanks is capable of using Haoshoku Haki, an ability that only one in a million people can use. After saving Luffy from a Sea King, Shanks was able to frighten it off with a single angry glare using this ability. Later, while boarding Whitebeard's ship for their meeting, a large amount of Whitebeard's crew experienced men who have survived in the New World lapsed into unconsciousness and the ship itself began to take damage from Shanks' mere presence. Whitebeard's men attributed this to his superior Haki. Oda mentioned in a SBS that Shanks could have knocked out all 100,000 pirates and fishmen opposing the Straw Hats during the Fishman Island Arc with his Haoushoku Haki (Luffy managed to overwhelm 50,000).

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