With One Piece well into its Final Saga, it’s only a matter of time before the most powerful villains come out to play. Although Imu was introduced during the Levely Arc, even before the Wano Country Saga, very little is known about them even now. Imu retains their position at the very top of the World Government, firmly standing above the Five Elders and the Admirals.
Monkey D. Luffy’s path has set him on a course toward Imu, and the villain’s former relationship with Joy Boy essentially makes their meeting inevitable. At this point, however, Gear 5 Luffy may not be strong enough to defeat a character capable of effortlessly annihilating one of the Five Elders. That said, shonen protagonists rarely face their primary antagonists before fighting a range of relatively weaker enemies first.
Fleet Admiral Akainu Represents the Vilest Extent of Absolute Justice
Akainu clenches his fist in One Piece Episode 1126Image via Toei Animation
Akainu stands atop the list of villains who deserve to be brought down by Luffy. Murdering Ace during the Marineford War made the now-Fleet Admiral a widely hated figure among the fandom, even if the hero himself has never expressed any specific grudges toward him. However, Akainu’s incomparable strength and rabid belief in Absolute Justice all but necessitate an encounter with Luffy somewhere down the line.
The Fleet Admiral currently has suspicions of Imu’s existence, but his lofty status suggests a future meeting — and, possibly, a contract — with the shadowy main villain of One Piece. Considering the powers of the Lava-Lava Fruit, Luffy would definitely need at least Gear 5 to challenge Akainu. On the other hand, some fans predict that Sabo, the current user of Ace’s Flame-Flame Fruit, is poetically suited to finish the Fleet Admiral.
Rob Lucci’s Personal Vendetta Might Align with Imu’s Goals
The conflict between Rob Lucci and Luffy was the main attraction in the Enies Lobby arc, as the Cipher Pol agent proved to be far stronger than One Piece‘s rubber man. In fact, it took considerable effort for Luffy to defeat Lucci the first time, cementing the villain as one of the biggest threats ever faced by the Straw Hat pirates. The situation has changed since then; despite awakening his Devil Fruit, Lucci was no match for Gear 5 Luffy during the Egghead Incident.
And yet, the fact that Lucci seemed to be on par with Roronoa Zoro means that he could grow even stronger. The story feels like it’s taking Lucci toward redemption, but anything can happen in One Piece. Willingly or unwillingly, Rob Lucci might ally himself with Imu in order to neutralize the “threat” posed by Joy Boy’s reincarnation — if not for Imu, then to mollify his own ego.
Blackbeard Thrives at the Confluence of Chaos and Ambition
Captain Blackbeard looks surprised with his mouth open in the One Piece anime.Imaga via Toei Animation
One Piece‘s revelation that Rocks D. Xebec was Blackbeard’s father complexified the villain’s character arc, reframing him as a potential hero who may side with Luffy when the time comes. Having acquired both the Darkness-Darkness Fruit and Whitebeard’s Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Blackbeard is shaping up to be an extremely overpowered character. Then again, he’s not the kind of man who wants to save the world, making him the ideal minion for Imu.
Blackbeard and Luffy’s battle seems almost predestined, and a few fans think that he will accept Imu’s offer to strengthen himself before challenging the Straw Hat. As a character whose goals have always revolved around ruling the world, however, any alliance between Blackbeard and Imu is likely to be temporary. If that’s the case, Blackbeard may just as easily rebel against Imu after dispatching Luffy.
Figarland Garling Has Become One of the Five Elders
Figarland Garling makes an intense face with sunglasses on – One PieceImage by Toei Animation.
Freshly introduced in the Egghead arc, Saint Figarland Garling became the newest member of the Five Elders following Imu’s utter destruction of Jaygarcia Saturn. Garling also played a role in the God Valley Incident, leading the Knights of God against the attacking pirates, but was repeatedly cut down by Xebec. Imu’s Immortality “blessing” saved his life on those occasions, making Garling effectively invincible on the battlefield.
Like his twin sons, Shanks and Shamrock, Garling doesn’t need a Devil Fruit to counter the vast majority of opponents. Although he can certainly use Haki, including the Conqueror’s variant, Garling relies exclusively on his prodigious swordsmanship. And since Garling has already made a “covenant” with Imu, he doesn’t have to be convinced to fight Luffy.
Magellan Remains a Nightmare That Luffy Never Conquered
As the Warden of Impel Down, Magellan remains one of very few characters capable of defeating Luffy and holding that record. Others, like Crocodile, Enel, and Kaido, were eventually overwhelmed by the Straw Hat captain, whereas Luffy chose to escape Impel Down rather than face Magellan again. Armed with the Venom-Venom Fruit, Magellan wrought such havoc that the hero was pushed to his limits and left on his deathbed.
Magellan may yet return before the conclusion of One Piece, presumably serving the World Government and, by extension, Imu. He generally appeared less villainous than those associated with the Marines, though, making Magellan’s loyalties somewhat unstable. As long as he insists on performing his duties, there’s every chance for a Magellan vs Luffy rematch, one where the protagonist can finally avenge his losses.
Admiral Ryokugyu Gleefully Imposes a Tyrannical World Order
Admiral Ryokugyu is unnerved by Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki in Wano in One Piece.Image via Toei Animation
Admiral Ryokugyu was promoted to his current position after Akainu became the Fleet Admiral. He wields the Woods-Woods Fruit, giving him the ability to manipulate all forms of plant matter. In fact, this Devil Fruit was shown to be so overpowered that fans theorize Ryokugyu to be the Forest God who “tamed the demons” in Elbaph’s Harley. Given that he was severely affected by Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki, however, the admiral is definitely not on the Emperor’s level.
Still, Ryokugyu put up a spectacular fight against both the heroes and villains of Wano, singlehandedly defeating both King and Queen before simultaneously challenging Kawamatsu, Shinobu, Raizo, Denjiro, Nekomamushi, Momonusuke, and Inuarashi. Ryokugyu has also been transparent about following in Akainu’s footsteps, which means he’s not really destined for heroism. Imu would be glad for this admiral’s devoted service.
Manmayer Gunko Is a Tragic Character Weaponized by Imu
One Piece Imu possesses God Knight Gunko’s body in Elbaph Arc mangaImage via Shueisha
Very little is known about Manmayer Gunko, a Knight of God introduced in the Elbaph arc. While she was also involved in the God Valley Incident, Gunko’s presence is far more impactful in the ongoing timeline. The Arrow-Arrow Fruit might seem frivolous on the surface, but she controls them with such complicated precision and versatility that few can dream of defeating her.
Gunko’s past relationship with Brock is of great interest to the fandom, who now consider her to be a candidate for eventual redemption. Unfortunately, Imu’s seizure of Gunko’s body forced her to participate in the ensuing battle, where numerous giants were transformed into demons. As proven by King Harald, Imu’s Covenants are near-impossible to neutralize, so Gunko might just end up fighting Luffy.
Figarland Shamrock Mirrors Shanks’ Power Without His Mercy
Figarland Shamrock poses with two other Celestial Dragons in One Piece Episode 1130Image via Toei Animation
The twin brother of Shanks, presumably identical considering Prince Loki’s confusion upon meeting him, Figarland Shamrock was raised in Marie Geoise by the Celestial Nobles. As such, he favors the haughty countenance of his lineage and strictly follows the rules established by Imu and the Five Elders. Although Shamrock has yet to be seen in the midst of a real battle, Garling stated that he was around the same level as Shanks.
Shamrock also managed to injure Loki — this counts despite Loki’s bound state because the giant prince demonstrated his notorious durability in flashback scenes. Most terrifyingly, Shamrock carries a weapon that somehow bears the abilities of a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit known as Cerberus. Loki expressing concern about Cerberus is all the testament necessary to pit Shamrock and Luffy against each other.
The Seraphim Are Proof That Power Can Be Manufactured
Bartholomew Kuma was merely the first stage of the Pacifista project, which culminated in the creation of the Seraphim. Each of these cyborgs were developed based on the Seven Warlords of the Sea, enhanced further by the addition of the Lunarian Lineage Factor. Fans saw some of the Seraphim units in action during the Egghead Incident, offering glimpses into their dangerous potential.
All seven have been showcased, but only S-Snake, S-Shark, S-Bear, and S-Hawk have been officially named — they, respectively utilize the powers of Boa Hancock, Jinbe, Kuma, and Dracule Mihawk. Although Jinbe and Mihawk lack Devil Fruits, their Seraphim are integrated with unique Devil Fruit powers to make them more formidable. The Five Elders are still the highest authority over the Seraphim, and Imu may yet unleash all of them on Luffy.
Monkey D. Garp Would Be the Most Devastating Enemy for Luffy
Luffy punches Garp while using Gear 2 During One Piece’s Marineford Arc.Image via Toei Animation
Monkey D. Garp has always wanted his grandson on the Marine path, leading many fans to blame him for his refusal to intercede in the World Government’s atrocities. A recent manga chapter confirmed Garp’s position, revealing his greatest desire to protect his soldiers from the callousness of the higher-ups. Nevertheless, the old man doesn’t appear to have changed his wishes, indicating a potential conflict with Luffy.
The last time they were on opposing sides (the Marineford Arc), Garp didn’t do more than warn Luffy against saving Ace. When push actually came to shove, he allowed his grandson to punch him out of the picture. The same outcome may not be on the cards when Garp and Luffy face each other again. In fact, Garp is Imu’s best candidate because transforming him into a demon can inflict emotional damage along with a few Galaxy Impacts.
Release Date
October 20, 1999
Network
Fuji TV
Directors
Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
