One Piece: Best Underdogs, Ranked

Summary

• Bellamy proved doubters wrong after humiliating defeat in Jaya, striving to prove his worth.
• Momo overcame fear as a child to reclaim Wano with Luffy’s support in the Wano arc.
• Kin’emon raised an army to save Wano despite underdog status and useless Devil Fruit ability.

An underdog is a character who always seems to have the odds stacked against them, making their journey more difficult compared to most of their peers. In the world of One Piece, there have been a plethora of individuals that fit this description. Despite seeming like they would amount to nothing, they put in the work and effort to make a name for themselves, which isn’t easy given the number of dangerous pirates and marines sailing the open seas.

It’s always fun cheering for the underdog, since it’s inspirational to see someone giving everything they have to try and achieve their dreams, despite how impossible it may seem. With that said, these are the One Piece characters who managed to prove the doubters wrong by taking on the world as an underdog.

9

Bellamy

Worked His Way Back Up After Being Humiliated In Jaya

• First Appearance: Episode 146

Bellamy talked a big game when he confronted Luffy at Jaya, but after being one-shot with a single punch in one of the most embarrassing beatdowns in the series, he began to lose his confidence. After that, he became a kind of underdog, desperately trying to prove his strength and worth as a pirate. When joining up with Doflamingo, it quickly becomes apparent that the infamous Shichibukai cares little for his newest recruit.

When Doflamingo mocks Bellamy and almost kills him, Luffy encourages him to stand up for himself. While Bellamy may have been an antagonist at one point in the story, he actually becomes endearing and sympathetic once fans realize how determined he is to prove himself, no matter what it takes.

8

Momonosuke

Finds A Way To Take Back His Country, Even As A Fearful Child

• First Appearance: Episode 609

When Momonsouke first shows up in Punk Hazard, he’s hardly in any position to wage war against Kaido to take back his country of Wano. Momo is shy, timid, and rather naive, with even Luffy mocking him for his lack of bravery. Saving Wano and becoming the rightful Shogun seemed impossible for this kid, but once Luffy and the gang pledge their support to Momo, he starts becoming more hopeful.

Throughout the Wano arc, Momo expresses true bravery at several points during the raid, despite knowing he could easily be cut down by any of the Beast Pirates. The once-hopeless underdog eventually turns back into his adult form to emphasize his newfound bravery during the attack on Wano, marking the conclusion of his epic journey as he becomes the rightful ruler of Wano Kuni.

7

Vivi

After Losing Everything, She Fights To Save Her People

• First Appearance: Episode 62

Though Vivi is the princess of Alabasta, she doesn’t exactly feel like one when the Straw Hats first meet her, and it’s all because of Crocodile. This dangerous member of the Shichibukai terrorizes Alabasta, tricking the population into thinking he’s a hero. In the midst of all this, a civil war is on the verge of breaking out, which leaves Vivi distraught.

As a result, Vivi acts as an underdog at the beginning of the Alabasta arc. She isn’t a skilled combatant and doesn’t possess a Devil Fruit ability, making her chances of stopping the conflict slim. Despite these limitations, Vivi puts her life on the line to explain the truth to her people. With help from the Straw Hats, she manages to rescue Alabsta and is recognized as the kingdom’s princess once again.

6

Kin’emon

Determined To Save Wano With A Blade And A Dream

• First Appearance: Episode 580

Like Momonosuke, Kin’emon, despite wanting to save Wano, is ill-prepared to do so when he makes his debut. After being separated from the other Red Scabbards, Kin’emon is left to try and figure out a way of saving his country, despite having few allies and a pretty useless Devil Fruit ability. He feels like an underdog who, somehow, must figure out how to raise an army big enough to stop Kaido and Big Mom.

After sticking with the Straw Hats for a little while, Kin’emon was able to rally the Minks and fellow samurai of Wano, eventually becoming the person who would lead the troops towards Onigashima. Kin’emon may have been losing hope when he arrived on Punk Hazard, but after reaching out for help and improving his sword skills, he became a formidable enemy for the Beast Pirates to take on.

5

Koby

Initially A Poor Fit For The Marines, He Trains To Become Stronger

• First Appearance: Episode 1

When Koby makes his debut, he comes across as a big crybaby who is always scolding Luffy for his outlandish behavior. It seems unlikely that someone so weak and timid could ever hope of becoming a Marine. But to achieve this goal, Koby put in serious training under the tutelage of the legendary Garp.

When he appears after the timeskip, Koby has become a fully-fledged marine, and is even a loyal member of the SWORD division. Even in the modern story arcs, though, it can feel like Koby is punching above his weight a lot of the time, so fans always rally behind him whenever he’s faced with a tough battle.

4

Usopp

Always Trying To Overcome His Weaknesses

• First Appearance: Episode 8

Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro are more than happy to dive head-first into an intense battle, but this isn’t the case for the crew’s sniper. Usopp is a pretty big coward, at least in the beginning of the series. He struggles to hold himself together when coming face to face with dangerous enemies like Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas.

However, Usopp recognizes his faults. His dream is to become a brave warrior of the sea, so that he can overcome these issues and make something of himself. Usopp may have started off as a clumsy and naive fool, but his adventures with Luffy and the gang have encouraged him to step up and take a stand for what he believes in.

3

Nico Robin

Fights For Her Right To Live A Free Life

• First Appearance: Episode 67

Robin earned the nickname “Devil Child” because she comes from the island of Ohara. While the residents of this island were simply trying to uncover more about the mysterious contents of the Poneglyphs, the World Government took this as a threat, leading them to obliterate the island with a Buster Call. While Robin managed to escape, her affiliation with Ohara caused people to see her as a “Devil,” which gave her a bleak view of the world.

Even when Robin decided to join up with Crocodile, she was still belittled and treated as more of a servant than a companion. This is what makes Robin’s “I want to live” moment so special. She decides to continue fighting to live a happy life with her crew, despite being told that she shouldn’t even be alive at all.

2

Sanji

He’s Proven Why He Deserves To Live

• First Appearance: Episode 20

In the eyes of his siblings and father, Sanji is little more than a failed experiment. While the rest of the Germa kids all possessed unique abilities and durability as a result of Judge’s cruel experiments, Sanji’s mother decided to take a drug that would ensure he would retain his emotions, rather than become a numb killing machine.

As a result, Sanji was told that he would amount to nothing, and was essentially left to die by his own father. He may not talk about this baggage much, but Sanji is always fighting to prove himself after his horrible upbringing. Showing his family how far he’s come in the Whole Cake Island ac is an emotional moment that shows how far the chef has come since he was a kid.

1

Monkey D. Luffy

The Knucklehead With Ambitious Dreams Who Proved Everyone Wrong

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Though Luffy has personal connections to powerful characters in the series such as Dragon, Ace, and Garp, these individuals are not there to support him for much of his journey. In fact, when Luffy popped out of that barrel in the first episode, he appeared to many characters as some weird elastic goofball, more pitiful than anything else. Even Koby questioned Luffy’s dreams of being the pirate king.

By most recent arcs in the story, Luffy has not only become the captain of one of the most infamous pirate crews in the world, but has also earned the rank of Yonko. Luffy struggled to figure out how to use his Devil Fruit initially, but after getting the hang of it, he has been able to overcome numerous strong opponents. It’s remarkable to see how far he’s come since those early days, considering his humble beginnings.