This article contains spoilers from the Final Saga of One Piece.
When it comes to the Straw Hat Pirates, fans know that not all are equally strong. Some Straw Hats are too weak compared to others, such as the Weak Trio of Chopper, Usopp, and Nami. Then there are some others who are tremendously powerful, including Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. Regardless of the exciting fight, there are two characters that fans often look forward to seeing in battle and that is Luffy and Zoro.
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Zoro was the first individual Luffy recruited into his crew, purely because of his reputation as a pirate hunter and his demonic personality. An iconic duo, Luffy and Zoro have faced many adversities together, overcoming the worst and defeating even the most powerful enemies. However, while Luffy and Zoro are both incredibly strong, that doesn't stop fans from often pitting them against each other. Fans often question who is the stronger of the two, with some even claiming that Zoro is actually stronger than his own captain.. author of the story, Eiichiro Oda has already made it clear who is the stronger of the two.
Luffy and Zoro are a powerful duo in one
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Zoro was Luffy's first crewmate
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Zoro often fights the second strongest in One Piece
Right from the beginning One piece, Luffy and Zoro made a very powerful duocomboing against many powerful enemies over the years. Immediately after Zoro joined the Straw Hat Pirates, the two teamed up to defeat Axehand Morgan. Later in the turn, in a battle against Buggy, once again Luffy and Zoro joined forces and took down the crew of the Genius Jester. The duo continued to make waves as the story moved forward, whether in the battle against the Krieg Armada or later in Arlong Park.
In Arabasta they both did what they could and helped in their way to free the land and of course in Enies Lobby Luffy and Zoro were instrumental in saving Robin. It's also here in Enies Lobby that they both ended up with the first big power-up. For Luffy it was the invention of Gears and for Zoro it was tapping into Asura.
Let's see who is stronger of the two…is he a swordsman or a brawler? — Zoro to Luffy, Whiskey Peak
It was in Enies Lobby that some individuals traveling with the Straw Hat crew began to wonder if Zoro was the Straw Hat captain based on his strength. However, the fact that they considered Zoro to be the captain only proves that Luffy is an even more incredible individual. Regardless, this is where the debates between Luffy and Zoro started, and while some fans clearly see the Straw Hat captain as the stronger of the two, there are others who believe that Zoro is either equal to Luffy or even stronger than him, which is quite surprising.
Luffy is now much stronger than Zoro
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There is no comparison between the two
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Zoro's power levels are lower than Luffy's
Luffy vs Zoro will always be an exciting debate among fans, but the truth is that it is Luffy is leagues above Zoro, and so it will always be. That doesn't mean Zoro isn't strong. It simply means that Luffy is in a league of his own and taller than any other member of the Straw Hat Pirates. For starters, Luffy is a user of the very powerful legendary Devil Fruit and has access to Gear 5. This gives him unlimited creativity and he is only bound by his own imagination. Luffy's recovery rate, as well as his durability, along with many others, are much greater than Zoro's.
What's going on Zoro? Need help in battle? — Luffy watches the Zora vs Lucci match
Then one comes to his Haki, and fans know that Luffy is a tremendous user of all three types of Haki, with Conqueror's Haki being his specialty, meaning he can push this form of Haki the most. Zoro also has access to all three types of Haki, with Armament Haki being his specialty, and this automatically puts him at a disadvantage against Luffy.
Comparing their current level of performance, Zoro is someone who would fight against Lucca in a battle, while Luffy is someone who could easily shoot someone like him.. In a confrontation between Luffy and Zoro, it wouldn't take Luffy more than a few minutes to completely dismantle the Straw Swordsman, and that's just a truth fans have to accept.
Zoro is not Yonko level yet
Luffy is a Yonko at this point in the story, and it's quite clear that even among Yonka, Luffy slowly rises to become the strongest. Zoro is nowhere near Yonka level at this point. Of course, this does not mean that Zoro is not strong or that he will never reach Yonka level. It just means that he's not there yet, and when he reaches that level, Luffy will most likely be a level higher since everyone is always progressing.
The latest One Piece Databook officially confirms who is stronger between Zoro and Sanji
Zoro and Sanji are great rivals. Oda reveals which of the two is the strongest in One Piece.
To reach the level of Yonko, Zoro will have to undergo greater tests and learn to control his powers even better. For starters, Zoro doesn't even know how to properly control his Conqueror's Haki, and that really needs to change in the Elbaf arc of One Piece. Once Zoro learns to better control his powers, he will have a better chance of fighting Yonko-level enemies as well as Admirals of the One Piece world. Until then, Zoro is no match for the highest levels and would struggle greatly against them in battle.
Zoro and Sanji are equal rivals
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Sanji will always be Zoro's equal
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Two make up the Pirate King's Wings
As for the equals within the Straw Hat Pirates, fans should keep that in mind Zoro and Luffy will surely never be equals. Instead, Oda has already created Zoro's equal in the crew, and that is Sanji. Both Zoro and Sanji are Wings of the Pirate King and regardless of what the fans think, they will always progress at the same pace.
even right now Zoro and Sanji are both on the same leveland no matter what the fans think Sanji will always be at his neck as their rivalry is key to one of the most important dynamics in the entire story. Both Zoro and Sanji will progress significantly in the Elbaf Arc, with both unlocking the true power of Conqueror's Haki here.
Just as the Roger Pirates had three monsters, the Straw Pirates will also have their three monsters. Oda emphasized on several occasions that Rayleigh and Gaban were rivals and that they were equals in terms of power. Similarly, Zoro and Sanji will be equal in terms of power, regardless of fan opinion.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the straw pirates who sail the seas to claim the great treasure known as One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in Weekly Shonen Jump this week. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1171 is January 18, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops on Monday at 12:00 PM JST, which is 11:00 AM EST or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read this chapter for free on Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps. This ensures that fans will always support the author.
