5 forgotten One Piece characters hardcore fans would want to see more of
The record-breaking series One Piece is distinguished by the incredible variety of characters that the author, Eiichiro Oda, introduced and developed. With such a large cast, it goes without saying that not everyone can get the same emphasis. Many characters, each with their own background and path, have carved out a space for themselves, becoming unforgettable fan-favorites.
However, given the sheer proportions of One Piece's world, some side characters never had a chance to receive a proper narrative focus.
Considering the very little screentime some characters obtained throughout the series, most readers don't particularly care about them. Follow this thread to find five secondary characters that only the most devoted One Piece fans are interested in.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1081 and reflects the author's personal views.
Urouge and four other One Piece characters that only the most knowledgeable fans remember of
1) What happened to Worst Generation member Urouge?
"Mad Monk" Urouge is the captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates. He is a member of the Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generation, the top rookies from nine different pirate crews who have all chosen one of the Grand Line's various routes.
Native to an unspecified sky island, Urouge is a physical brawler. Owing to a yet unnamed Paramecia Devil Fruit, he can convert any damage he suffers into physical strength to boost his body and attacks.
Despite being disgusted at the sight of the Celestial Dragons, Urouge lowered himself to his knees like other pirates and civilians to avoid any trouble. For this reason, he was especially impressed when Zoro stood up against one of them.
Zoro's act of bravery led Urouge to ponder over how powerful the former's captain may have been, to have such an incredible person as his right-hand man. When he found out about Luffy attacking a Celestial Dragon, Urouge called him troublesome, but was indeed impressed.
Urouge later started fighting a Pacifista, but was attacked and immediately defeated by Admiral Kizaru. Some time later, during the two-year time skip, Urouge and his crew went to the New World.
Their first destination was Raijin Island. They then arrived in Big Mom's territories. Urouge fought and defeated Snack, the fifth strongest member of the Big Mom Pirates and, at the time, one of the Sweet Commanders of the crew.
Urouge tried to continue his assault on Whole Cake Island, but Cracker brutally beat him. Following this outcome, Urouge retired on a sky island called Ballon Terminal to recover from the injuries he suffered.
Urouge's last appearance in the series was during Kaido's introduction. When he saw the Emperor attempting to kill himself, Urouge questioned the latter's motives, but chose not to intervene, and instead began to pray. Fans have not seen him since then.
2) Was Gaban worthy of being a major member of the Roger Pirates?
Not much is known about Gaban, except for his status as a major member of the Roger Pirates, the only crew who managed to conquer the entire Grand Line and find the One Piece.
Based on the clear parallel between the Roger Pirates and their heirs, the Straw Hat Pirates, Gol D. Roger, and Silvers Rayleigh are the Old Era counterparts to Luffy and Zoro. This implies that Scopper Gaban is homologous to Sanji.
Roger and Rayleigh's original names are based on gold and silver, two precious metals, while Gaban's is based on copper, which is a metal but not a precious one. This hints at their dynamic, which is indeed very similar to that of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji within the Straw Hat Pirates.
Contrary to Roger and Rayleigh, who were depicted as immensely powerful figures in their own right, Gaban was never particularly hyped for his individual might, hinting at his more secondary role. Oda showed Gaban wielding a pair of axes, but didn't give him much of a spotlight.
Given Gaban's poor hype, some fans argued that he is not the third strongest member of the Roger Pirates, but the fourth. Oden Kozuki joined the crew during its last trip, and it doesn't seem possible for Gaban to be stronger than him.
The One Piece anime showed Gaban fighting on equal grounds with Oden, but that battle happened before the latter achieved his peak strength. Oden improved his strength significantly after joining the Roger Pirates and traveling with them. Thus, Gaban was likely surpassed by the samurai.
3) How did Shakky fall in love with Rayleigh?
More commonly known by his nickname "Shakky," Shakuyaku has fulfilled a minor supporting role as an ally to the Straw Hat Pirates. She is the bartender of the "Shakky's Rip-off Bar" on the Sabaody Archipelago.
One Piece author Eiichiro Oda left several subtle hints before finally revealing that Shakky is the former empress of Amazon Lily and former captain of the Kuja Pirates from two generations before Boa Hancock and one generation after Gloriosa.
As many fans speculated, Shakky is the romantic partner of "Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh, the right-hand man of Gol D. Roger. After the disbandment of the Seven Warlords, Rayleigh and Shakky, who are husband and wife, returned to Amazon Lily to protect the island and Hancock.
At one point, Blackbeard attacked Amazon Lily and defeated Hancock. He was about to kill her to steal her Devil Fruit power, but Rayleigh's appearance intimidated him and forced him to give up his intent. Some time later, Shakky was seen sitting with Rayleigh, Hancock, and Gloriosa.
Many years ago, Shakky was a prominent pirate. At one point, she was even chased by none other than Monkey D. Garp, the legendary Marine who cornered Gol D. Roger himself.
4) How strong is Kong, and what are his fighting capabilities?
Kong was the Fleet Admiral until 24 years before the current narration, when Sengoku succeeded him in the office. Kong later took on the role of World Government Commander-in-Chief, which means that he possesses an even greater authority.
He now commands not only Marines, but Cipher Pols and other espionage agents. According to the World Government hierarchy, Kong's authority is second only to the Five Elders and Im. He can easily declare a Buster Call on any island as he sees fit.
Prior to the group's disbandment, Kong even had the authority to strip any member of the Seven Warlords of his title. Aside from his political powers, Kong's major status implies that he is a fearsome fighter.
His capabilities have never been shown, but, given his rank, it's reasonable to assume that he possesses significant might. His muscular body, and especially the numerous scars he bears, suggest that he has been through plenty of battles.
It was stated that all Marines ranked as Vice Admiral and above are able to use Haki. Given his superior rank in the organization, it is highly feasible that Kong is a very proficient and powerful Haki user. One Piece fans would really love to see what fights Kong went through during his career as a major Marine officer.
5) Will Bogard show up on Fullalead to help Garp?
Bogard is a Marine Headquarters officer. His rank is currently unknown, but he has been portrayed as Monkey D. Garp's most trusted man, a fact that has led fans to hold him in pretty high regard despite his very limited screentime.
Bogard's only appearances throughout the series have always been at Garp's side. He seems to be very loyal to his superior, and much quieter than him, only speaking when absolutely needed.
Bogard followed Garp on his travels to the New World to fight against Gol D. Roger. Hence, it's implied that the former is a powerful officer who was able to assist the "Marine Hero" in his fight against some of the strongest pirates of all time.
Following Garp's orders, Bogard helped train Koby and Helmeppo. With Garp having attacked Fullalead Island to rescue Koby from the clutches of the Blackbeard Pirates, fans expected Bogard to follow the legendary Marine once again.
Bogard, however, is yet to be seen. His last appearance dates back to more than six hundred chapters ago, in the Enies Lobby Arc. Being implied to be a very powerful swordsman, as well as a sort of right-hand man for Garp, fans expect to see Bogard helping the "Marine Hero" on Fullalead.
Final thoughts
One Piece started more than 25 years ago, and it's still ongoing. Although the series has officially entered its endgame, there's still an enormous amount of narrative potential to be properly fulfilled.
Lore, epic twists, and comedy come together in Eiichiro Oda's masterpiece, making the series highly celebrated for its world-building, which featured an enormous number of diversified characters.
While it is rather obvious that the recurring protagonists obtain the most spotlight, minor characters have also been shaped so well that some of them manage to capture the interest of fans even with their very limited screentime.
Hopefully, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda will soon properly develop all the intertwined plots he crafted, allowing even the most secondary characters to shine.
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