One Piece: Powerful Characters Who Look Weak

Anyone who has read or watched the One Piece series will know all too well that a person’s looks can be deceiving, as while a character may appear weak on the surface, there’s never any telling what sort of underlying power they truly possess. This is because the world is packed full of powerful Devil fFuits which can enable even the most timid of characters to be an absolute powerhouse in battle, meaning their looks can ultimately give them an advantage by making their opponents think that they would be an easy target.

It’s always a nice surprise to see someone who looks like they should be incapable of fighting to actually reveal that they are more than able to crush anyone who stands in their way, especially if they’re also on the same side as the Straw Hats. It’s time to take a closer look at these types of One Piece characters to see how strong they really are, and why people often regard them as being weak just from a quick glance.

Aokiji

He May Be Lazy And Unbothered, But Aokiji Can Take Down Almost Anyone With His Ice Powers

• First Appearance: Episode 225

It would be hard to predict that Aokiji is a powerful Marine Admiral just from looking at him, especially with his appearance before the time-skip. When he first showed up on Long Ring Long Land to confront Luffy and Straw Hats, Aokiji could be seen lying around with a sleeping mask above his eyes, having seemingly not a care in the world about getting involved in any fights, but this couldn’t be any further from the truth.

After Aokiji threatens to take Robin away, he proceeds to humiliate Luffy and the others by using his ice powers to slow them down to a crawl, though thankfully, they did manage to escape with their lives intact after fleeing the scene. Kizaru and Akainu may always come across as fierce warriors who are ready to do battle at any moment, but Aokiji often appears as more of a laid-back and casual Marine who doesn’t exactly look the part of an Admiral.

Koby

Beneath Koby’s Timid Exterior Lies An Incredible Amount Of Raw Power

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Koby has come a very long way since the first episode where he was little more than an errand boy, but this can be difficult to glean from his appearance alone, since he still looks largely the same, just a little taller and with a new set of glasses. Rather than taking the form of a giant brutish marine with muscles and pecs breaking out of his uniform, Koby can instead come across as a little naive and timid, especially considering that he still gets easily worried about the smallest inconveniences.

This, however, is hiding his underlying power, which Koby has acquired after his years of training under Garp. As was shown during the Egghead arc, Koby is capable of throwing out some unbelievably strong attacks when he’s ordered to, a prime example being when he managed to obliterate Pizarro with his explosive Honesty Impact; a mimic of his mentor’s unbelievably powerful Galaxy Impact.

Sugar

A Little Girl Who Can Play God With Her Devil Fruit

• First Appearance: Episode 608

There’s a specific reason why Sugar takes the form of a child, and it all has to do with her powerful Devil Fruit. The moment that a person eats the Hobi Hobi no Mi, they will immediately stop aging, meaning that, while Sugar may look like she’s 10, in reality, she’s actually in her 20s by the time that she interacts with the Straw Hats. As a result of this, it can be easy for people to look down on her as an insignificant threat, only for them to be magically turned into a toy and erased from other people’s memories after they make the mistake of getting too close to her.

Thanks to this ability, Sugar was able to help Doflamingo control almost the entire population of Dressrosa through fear, since she was essentially able to play god by picking and choosing who would get to live a fruitful life, and who deserved to be forgotten entirely. Sugar uses her deceiving appearance to lure people in, before then showing them why she deserves her prestigious position as a member of Doflamingo’s crew.

Bon Clay

A Goofy And Charismatic Character Who Can Turn Into Other People In The Blink Of An Eye

• First Appearance: Episode 78

While the majority of the Baroque Works members look like vicious criminals who are more than happy to cut down anyone who gets on the wrong side of them and their master Crocodile, Bon Clay is the exception. His goofy and charismatic persona, paired with his very over-the-top design, can lead people to believe that he’s little more than a clumsy grunt who somehow stumbled his way into Crocodile’s ranks.

Behind the quirky exterior, though, is a man who is actually pretty strong, so much so that he even managed to hold his own against Sanji back in the Alabasta arc. His Devil Fruit enables Bon Clay to mimic the appearance of anyone he has made physical contact with, which has proven to be valuable not only in the middle of combat, but also for espionage missions where he can easily infiltrate an area without being detected.

Carrot

Carrot’s Innocence Conceals Her Destructive Sulong Form

• First Appearance: Episode 753

As a member of the Mink tribe, Carrot initially comes across as a fun and innocent character who is honestly more of a crybaby than a fighter. After all, as someone whose design is clearly inspired by rabbits, it would be hard to argue that she appears like a menacing pirate or dangerous warrior who could defeat a powerful opponent, that is, until she enters her Sulong form.

Sulong is a powerful form that Minks can activate when exposed to a full moon, greatly enhancing their speed and strength, and as Carrot made crystal clear on Whole Cake Island, where she destroyed multiple ships in record time, it’s a transformation that is not to be messed with. Simply put, the sweet and innocent Carrot can become a deadly force of nature when the situation calls for it.

Zeus

The Puffy And Lovable Cloud Has Fried His Fair Share Of Enemies

• First Appearance: Episode 786

Zeus is a character who couldn’t look intimidating even if he tried. As a bright and puffy cloud with a dopey face and a small cap resting above his body, Zeus looks like more of a plushy than someone who is able to deal any significant amount of damage, but he’s actually capable of throwing out some pretty deadly attacks when used in the right hands.

While Zeus is admittedly very bubbly and carefree in his personality, he’s also able to shoot out electricity to fry the body and brain of anyone who dares to stand up to him and his master. While Big Mom didn’t seem all that appreciative of Zeus’s powers, Nami has been able to use him to take down a plethora of strong opponents, including Uta, who was a member of the dangerous Tobiroppo.

Chopper

Chopper’s Cute Design Completely Disappears When He Goes Into Monster Point

• First Appearance: Episode 81

When Chopper first joined the crew back on Drum Island, it seemed evident to Luffy and the others that he wouldn’t be someone who would be on the front lines when it was time to take down a few Marines or enemy pirates. After all, he was assigned to be the doctor of the crew, not a fighter, and with him being so much smaller than the rest of his nakama, many fans presumed that he didn’t stand a chance against some of the tough opponents the Straw Hats would inevitably come to face along their journey.

This perception was turned on its head, though, once the crew entered Enies Lobby in their attempt to rescue Robin. For the first time, Chopper would unleash his Monster Point, becoming a terrifying giant who was capable of throwing around members of CP9 like ragdolls. Chopper may not use this devastating form too often these days, but longtime fans are still well aware that, despite his cutesy appearance, this lovable reindeer can still cause a lot of carnage when he wants to.

Luffy

It’s Difficult For Luffy’s Enemies To Judge His Strength From Appearance Alone

• First Appearance: Episode 1

If a character in the world of One Piece somehow hadn’t heard about Monkey D. Luffy and his many achievements as captain of the Straw Hats, they would probably assume that he’s a little more than a weak wannabe pirate from his appearance alone. As a protagonist, Luffy’s design is actually pretty simple, being a fairly slim and small individual whose only stand-out feature, aside from his giant eyes and smile, is his straw hat. He doesn’t have any blades that show him as being a deadly swordsman, and he also doesn’t come equipped with firearms that could help give him an advantage at range, but his deceiving appearance is ultimately why so many antagonists have challenged him so confidently, only to be humiliated not long after.

In truth, Luffy, primarily thanks to his Devil Fruit, is incredibly strong, so much so that he’s been able to take down several Warlords of the Sea, and even a Yonko. Characters such as Crocodile, Bellamy, and Big Mom are only a few examples of those who took Luffy lightly based on his appearance, only to feel the full wrath of this power once he decided to step up a gear and unleash his true strength.