The latest official One Piece World Hot Characters poll has revealed an unexpected shift in the rankings. While Monkey D. Luffy continues to dominate the overall popularity rankings, this new region-based poll has seen Roronoa Zoro take first place ahead of Luffy in several regions (via official website).

In particular, fans from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America have ranked Zoro number one, showing just how massive his fanbase has become. What makes these rankings even more interesting is how every region seems to favor different types of characters – some still value Straw Hats, while others choose characters like Uta or Carrot.

Zoro Overtakes Luffy Across Multiple Regions in Global Fan Polls

The biggest highlight from the regional rankings is undoubtedly how Zoro managed to rank above Luffy in several regions. In Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America, Zoro held the top spot ahead of the would-be Pirate King himself.

This likely comes from the huge momentum Zoro gained during the Wano arc and the ongoing Final Saga. The “King of Hell” transformation, Conqueror’s Haki reveal, and an exciting battle with King elevated his popularity to another level among fans. While the “Nothing Happened” moment already made him one of anime’s most respected companions, recent events only helped solidify Zoro’s legacy as an iconic figure.

Meanwhile, Japan and North America still kept Luffy at the top, and this is perfectly understandable. He is the emotional core of One Piece after all, and Gear 5 reminded fans why Luffy feels different from most shonen protagonists. Eiichiro Oda also continues to center the Final Saga around Luffy’s dream, freedom, and connection to Joy Boy.

Region#1#2#3#4#5JapanMonkey D. LuffyRoronoa ZoroSanjiTrafalgar LawNamiAsiaRoronoa ZoroMonkey D. LuffySanjiNamiTrafalgar LawOceaniaNamiRoronoa ZoroSanjiCarrotMonkey D. LuffyNorth AmericaMonkey D. LuffyRoronoa ZoroSanjiCarrotNamiCentral & South AmericaRoronoa ZoroSanjiUtaMonkey D. LuffyNamiEuropeRoronoa ZoroMonkey D. LuffyNamiSanjiCarrotMiddle EastRoronoa ZoroSanjiNamiUtaMonkey D. LuffyAfricaRoronoa ZoroMonkey D. LuffyUtaNamiSanji

One Piece‘s Unexpected Fan Favorites Are Stealing the Spotlight

Beyond the Zoro vs. Luffy discussion, the regional charts also highlighted some surprising choices from fans. Uta continues to be extremely popular all over the world, many years after the movie, One Piece Film: Red. She managed to place herself in the third spot for both Africa and Central/South America. This shows her popularity was never temporary.

Then there is Nami. Nami also performed extremely well across multiple regions. She even managed to beat both Luffy and Zoro to become the top-ranked character in Oceania.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the placement of Carrot. Although she had been less present lately in One Piece, she remained among the Top 5 in Oceania, North America, and Europe. This shows how strongly fans still connect with her character and role during her time in Whole Cake Island.

Sanji was also incredibly consistent across almost every region. His position barely ever fell off the Top 3 spots all around, showing just how much Whole Cake Island changed fan perception of him.

The results for the official One Piece World Top 100 poll should soon come out during ONE PIECE DAY ’26 this August.

Here are some of the questions fans may have –

Why is Zoro beating Luffy in certain regions?

Following the Wano arc, Zoro’s popularity rose drastically due to his King of Hell scenes, Conqueror’s Haki reveal, and Final Saga relevance.

Which region crowned Nami as #1?

In Oceania, Nami was ranked number one, outranking both Luffy and Zoro.

Why is Uta still so popular?

Uta received an emotional backstory in One Piece Film: Red, helping her remain popular worldwide long after the movie’s release.

So now the big question – before the final results are revealed, do you think Zoro can actually overtake Luffy worldwide, or will the future Pirate King reclaim complete dominance again? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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