The Best Designed Ships, Ranked

In the world of One Piece, ships are more than just vessels; they are homes, companions, and sometimes symbols of the crews’ ambitions. Some ships are built for power to survive the harshness of the Grand Line. The best-designed ships in the series are not just defined by their strength or size, but by their role in shaping the story, the memories they create, and the legacy they leave behind. In One Piece, ships are also integral to the story, and they carry their crew through arduous journeys and countless battles on the Grand Line.

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5

Oro Jackson

The Ship That Reached Laugh Tale

• First Appearance: Episode 248

The Oro Jackson was designed and built by Tom, the legendary shipwright of Water 7. The ship is one of the rarest ships ever made, and its biggest feature is that it was made from Adam Wood. The Adam wood is the strongest lumbar in the world of the One Piece series, and every pirate coveted its durability and strong features. The ship’s design is classic, and it features a grand, golden front with two maidens. However, what truly makes the Oro Jackson stand out is not just its excellent craftsmanship but the arduous journey it embarked on. The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, is the commander of the Oro Jackson, and the ship was the foundation of his legend.

The ship reached Laugh Tale, the end of the Grand Line, and the crew uncovered the truth about the Void Century and the One-Piece treasure. In this vein, it carried the first and only pirate crew to complete the journey around the world, cementing its place as the greatest ship in history. Therefore, for a ship to survive such a harsh journey on the Grand Line proves its superior design, as the sea is home to some of the most terrifying natural disasters and enemies, yet the Oro Jackson endured it all. Also, legendary fighters like Silvers Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, Kozuki Oden and even Shanks were on the ship. Even though the ship no longer exists because it was dismantled after Roger’s execution, its impact echoes throughout the series.

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4

The Thousand Sunny

The Dream Ship Of A Future Pirate King

• First Appearance: Episode 321

After the heartbreaking loss of Going Merry, the Straw Hats needed a ship to carry them to the end of their journey. Hence, Franky, Tom’s apprentice, built the Thousand Sunny to compensate for the Straw Hats after the hell he put them through on Water 7. Franky created a dream vessel for the Straw Hats, which was crafted out of love and ambition. Franky incorporated every possible upgrade and enhancement to ensure the Straw Hats could reach their ultimate destination. Also, the Thousand Sunny was made from the wood of the rare Adam tree, which Franky purchased on the black market. In this way, the ship can compete with any ship in the world due to its foundation of the Adan lumbar.

Moreover, the ship has great features, like the Coup de Burst, Soldier Dock System, and cola-powered engines, which portray Franky’s genius engineering and have helped the Straw Hats escape danger many times. Every part of the Sunny is designed for adventure, making it a home, a fortress, and a vehicle that drives the Straw Hats to their dreams.

3

Moby Dick

The Family Ship

• First Appearance: Episode 151

The Whitebeard Pirates Moby Dick had a unique design. The ship has a near-indestructible hull, capable of withstanding some of the fiercest battles in history. One of those battles is the Marineford battle, where the ship endures one of the most terrifying battles in the One Piece series. Also, the enormous size of the ship allows it to accommodate hundreds of crew members comfortably. Its ability to hold multiple fleets, thereby serving as the mothership for all of Whitebeard’s allied divisions, makes it a symbol and foundation of Whitebeard’s empire. During the Marineford battle, the Whitebeard pirates worked tirelessly to put out the fire on the ship while the war still rages on, showing that the ship is special for every crew member.

The ship survived decades on the Grand Line and even the Gol D. Roger era, proving its resilience against the other pirates on the sea. Also, the ship serves as the stronghold of a pirate family, ensuring that no member of Whitebeard’s crew ever feels alone. However, despite the strength of Moby Dick, it met its tragic end at Marineford, one of the most significant battles in One Piece history. Yet, even though it sank during the war, the ship’s legacy lived on. Whitebeard’s final stand, his declaration that One Piece is real, and the survival of his crew ensured that the ideals the ship carried would never fade.

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2

Thriller Bark

The Fortress Of Nightmare

• First Appearance: Episode 338

In the Thriller Bark arc, Brook reveals that the ship was once a normal island in the West Blue and was converted into a ship. The ship is so massive that it looks like an island with forests, lakes, and a big castle at its center. The ship’s owner is Gecko Moria, a former warlord of the sea who ruled over the dead on his eerie ship. For Moria, the ship fits into his plan of creating an undefeatable zombie army. The ship served as a hunting ground, where Moria and his crew would capture pirates, steal their shadows, and reanimate corpses into warriors.

Also, the ship has a chain system that lets it trap and reel in unsuspecting ships, thereby making escape nearly impossible. While it may not be the fastest or the most advanced, it remains unmatched in terms of scale and concept due to its ability to ensnare any opposition ship into its trap. Even the Straw Hat pirates had difficulty escaping the ship’s trick of trapping its enemies.

1

Going Merry

A Design That Felt Like Home

• First Appearance: Episode 17

The Going Merry is smaller than most pirate vessels and lacks heavy weaponry; it carried the Straw Hats through some of their most defining moments and proved its worth beyond expectations. Also, its charm and practicality made it the ideal ship for the Straw Hats’ early adventures. The Going Merry was not designed for war, yet it endured countless battles, the harsh weather of the Grand Line, and many impossible journeys. The ship survived the Knock-up stream to Skypeia and the great fall back to the Grand Line, and it still endured.

Even when it was falling apart in the Water 7 arc, the ship somehow came back to life to save the crew at Enies Lobby, and it became more than just a ship for the Straw Hat pirates. The Going Merry might not be the best designed ship in the series because of its simplistic designs, but what makes a great ship is its endurance and resilience over time, and the Going Merry proved just that.