One Piece Power Tiers Shift: Recent Chapters Strongly Favor Yonko Over Admirals

The long-running power debate between the Yonko and the Marine Admirals appears to be settling, with recent chapters of the One Piece manga strongly suggesting the Emperors hold the definitive advantage. This shift establishes a new benchmark for the top tier of piracy as the series moves into its final saga.

The most concrete evidence came during the confrontation on Egghead Island. Luffy's Gear 5 demonstrated the capability to overwhelm Admiral Kizaru, even though Luffy had not yet shown full mastery of the form. While Kizaru proved durable, Luffy's clear dominance in that exchange sets the current standard for what the strongest pirates can achieve against Marine leadership.

Context from the Wano arc further supports this trend. Emperor Shanks managed to deter Admiral Greenbull without engaging in a serious fight, signaling a noticeable gap in status and power between the two groups. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's five-billion-berry bounty places him firmly in the Yonko tier, comparable to figures from the Whitebeard and Roger era. However, current direct confrontations still favor the Emperors.

It took massive alliances and significant power-ups for Kaido and Big Mom to finally fall during the Onigashima raid, highlighting the immense durability of the previous generation of Emperors. While the new Yonko lineup, including Luffy and Buggy, has slightly diluted the group's overall strength, figures like Shanks and Blackbeard remain major unknowns with immense potential. Admirals remain effective against Yonko Commanders, but the power difference becomes apparent when the Emperors themselves clash directly.

Eiichiro Oda continues to feed the hype as the story progresses toward the final saga, where these definitive matchups are expected to be settled. Fans are currently focused on the speed at which Luffy is surpassing the established strength of the Marine leadership.