The recent worldwide popularity polls of One Piece have finally released their midterm rankings (via official website), and well, let us just say that it is filled with both expected and surprising entries. With the final saga putting One Piece at its most dramatic and lore-filled point yet, it looks like fans could not help but vote even more passionately for their favorite characters – pirates, marines, and legends alike. However, Monkey D. Luffy still remains king here, and there are quite a few surprising names on this top 10 list, too.
Uta is definitely one of the big surprises, showing that her popularity after One Piece Film: Red was not temporary. And of course, the characters associated with the final saga, such as Shanks, continue to benefit from the current story direction. Let us take a look at the top 10 list and discuss why fans are ranking them so highly.
10. Tony Tony Chopper: The Heart of the Crew
The fact that Chopper keeps on staying within the Top 10 demonstrates that emotional connection often beats power scaling in One Piece. In Oda’s series, Chopper has always been among the most emotionally relevant Straw Hat characters because of his innocence and loyalty.
Tony Tony Chopper from a still. | Credit: Toei Animation
Apart from that, his tragic backstory involving Dr. Hiriluk still connects deeply with the fans, and recently it was even boosted thanks to Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece live-action adaptation. Also,
In addition, the popularity of Chopper also comes from how universally appealing he is. Older audiences appreciate him because of his emotional appeal, while younger audiences get easily charmed by his cute and likable persona.
9. Uta: The Film Character Who Became a Global Favorite
The inclusion of Uta in the Top 10 is truly one of the most impressive feats in the poll. Compared to most other entries on this list, Uta came out of an anime film and not directly from the plotline in the main manga series. However, the depth of her narrative, association with Shanks, and memorable music tracks made her a global sensation.
Uta from One Piece Film: Red. | Credit: Toei Animation
Uta‘s placement demonstrates just how significant the effects of Film Red were. Usually, characters from anime films tend to be forgotten soon after their release, but Uta had become popular enough to rival established figures who have been around for decades.
8. Shanks: The Aura Monster of One Piece
Shanks is ranking eighth despite having little screentime, which is impressive but not entirely surprising. The arrival of Shanks always brings an instant change in mood whenever he appears in any episode. Oda has carefully built him into one of the most mysterious and intimidating figures in the series.
Shanks from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
The Final Saga is making people more interested in him, which is understandable with his connection to the Figarland bloodline. His Haki feats and growing importance in the race for the One Piece treasure have also increased his significance in the Final Saga. Thus, if he gets more screentime moving forward, his ranking could rise even higher.
7. Portgas D. Ace: The Legend Fans Still Cannot Forget
Ace staying at number seven, years after his death, proves how massive his influence is emotionally. The battle at Marineford marked a turning point in One Piece, and Ace became a highly tragic character in the anime series.
Portgas D. Ace’s death in One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Fans loved him because he balanced charisma, strength, recklessness, and vulnerability. His connection with Luffy made his death more tragic. To date, Ace still maintains relevance in the plot due to his sacrifice.
6. Nico Robin: The Quiet Genius Fans Deeply Respect
It seems like Nico Robin is finally getting the kind of recognition she deserves. While Robin was always one of the most intelligent and emotionally layered Straw Hats, her popularity was recently boosted due to Robin’s live-action debut in Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece series.
Nico Robin in One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
And this ranking likely reflects that. Besides being integral to the lore of the story, her sad history and calm personality make her a highly respected character in Eiichiro Oda‘s series.
5. Trafalgar Law: The Fan-Favorite Captain
The fact that Trafalgar D. Water Law is still in the Top 5 means that his popularity is not going anywhere soon. Law seems to embody almost all of those traits that anime fans find desirable, such as style, emotional depth, intelligence, and an intriguing history.
Trafalgar D. Water Law in One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Moreover, his fight with Blackbeard reminded people of how cool a captain he still is in the New World. Even though he is not a Straw Hat, many fans appear to emotionally treat him like part of the crew at this point.
4. Nami: One Piece‘s Emotional Backbone
Nami ranking fourth shows how beloved she truly is worldwide. Aside from being an excellent navigator, Nami provides some of the best dramatic moments within the series.
Nami from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
People love her because she feels very relatable – she gets scared, becomes emotional, angry, and vulnerable at times, which makes her seem very human. Also, it is her loyalty to Luffy and the crew that has helped her become one of the best-loved characters in One Piece ever.
3. Sanji: Character Development Changed Everything
Sanji coming in third place shows just how much people liked his character arc during Whole Cake Island. Oda has taken the once comic relief character of the series and turned him into an extremely deep and emotional character.
Sanji from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
His struggles concerning family trauma, identity, and self-worth earned him a lot more respect among the fans. Combined with his awesome battles and likable personality, it becomes very obvious why he still commands such a huge following around the world.
2. Zoro: The Ultimate Right-Hand Man
Roronoa Zoro staying second feels almost traditional at this point. Zoro represents the classic anime badass archetype perfectly with his loyalty, determination, and overwhelming combat aura.
Roronoa Zoro from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Zoro gained huge popularity during the Wano arc due to his “King of Hell” scenes and Conqueror’s Haki revelations. However, people do not worship Zoro merely because he is strong; moments like “Nothing Happened” make him one of anime’s greatest companions.
1. Monkey D. Luffy: Still the King of Pirate Popularity
Monkey D. Luffy continuing to dominate the rankings proves he remains the heart of the franchise. This is unlike most shonen franchises, where the protagonist slowly becomes overshadowed by their supporting characters.
Monkey D Luffy from One Piece. | Credit: Toei Animation
Gear 5 especially reminded fans why he feels unique compared to other anime heroes. Luffy embodies the essence of freedom, joy, and hope, something that makes him stand out from many other anime protagonists. With the final saga getting closer toward the ultimate goal of One Piece, it seems like people have become more attached to his dreams than ever before.
Here is the brief overview of the official ranking so far –
RankCharacter1Monkey D. Luffy2Roronoa Zoro3Sanji4Nami5Trafalgar D. Water Law6Nico Robin7Portgas D. Ace8Shanks9Uta10Tony Tony Chopper
Other Major One Piece Characters Still Matter
Outside the Top 10, there are some notable Final Saga characters who are ranking quite impressively. Boa Hancock barely missed the Top 10 and came in 11th position, while Sabo placed at 14th.
Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation
Credit: Toei Animation
However, the most interesting rankings could actually be Loki at 21, Imu at 49, and Marshall D. Teach at 50. All three of them being part of the Final Saga of One Piece, their rankings could rise significantly once Oda reveals more about them.
Series TitleOne PieceManga AuthorEiichiro OdaAnime Rating (Mal) – as of May 6, 20268.73 / 10Manga Rating (Mal) – as of May 6, 20269.21 / 10
Here are some of the questions fans may have –
When will the final results of the One Piece poll be declared?
The results will be declared on ONE PIECE DAY ’26, which is expected to take place this coming August.
Why does Uta have such a high rank?
Uta’s popularity has increased significantly since One Piece Film: Red due to her emotionally captivating storyline and music performances.
Is this a One Piece popularity poll?
Indeed, the ranking is based on the official ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 poll.
So now the big question – which One Piece character do you think deserves a higher ranking before the final results are revealed? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll and the manga is available on Viz Media and MangaPlus.
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