One Piece: Does Shanks have the strongest Haki?

For various reasons, many One Piece fans suspect that Shanks has the strongest Haki in the series.

Haki is a basic requirement for the New World. Ever since the One Piece timeskip, it's become the most centralized aspect of the power system.

Unlike Devil Fruits, Haki is necessary for survival. This particular topic is very relevant to Shanks. He is a powerful Emperor on the same level as Kaido and Big Mom.

With that said, he reached those heights without eating a Devil Fruit. That means his ambition must be off the charts. This is someone who can split the skies with Whitebeard himself.

Note: This article reflects the opinions of the writer and contains manga spoilers.

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Is it reasonable to believe that Shanks has the strongest Haki in One Piece?

One can only speculate on how Shanks likes to fight. Given his ability to swim, along with his tutelage under the Roger Pirates, it's very likely that he never ate a Devil Fruit.

Somehow, he still managed to become an Emperor of the Sea. Haki could very well be the main reason why.

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It's a very likely possibility

Haki is the power system that defines the One Piece series. Every single Emperor can use all three forms of Haki:

• Busoshoku: Provides invisible armor for battle purposes
• Kenbunshoku: Gives users a greater perception of their surroundings
• Haoshoku: Can overpower another person's will

However, it should be noted that Shanks is the only Emperor without a Devil Fruit. This means that he lacks the special abilities of the following:

• Whitebeard: Can destroy the entire world through a series of powerful quakes
• Blackbeard: Can use a strong gravitational force and cancel out Devil Fruits
• Kaido: Can turn into a giant dragon, with the ability to use fire, wind, and lightning
• Big Mom: Can manipulate souls, create elemental creatures, and control weather

One Piece makes it clear that Shanks is on their level. Kaido even admitted that he is among the very few people who could fight him equally.

Keep in mind that he is currently the world's strongest creature in One Piece.

With that said, the mysterious pirate doesn't rely on Devil Fruits. Haki is the only explanation for his powers.

Shanks would need to have ridiculous levels of Haki just to compete with the Emperors. He would also be able to specialize in that field.

While his rivals also have to master their Devil Fruits, Shanks has more time to focus solely on Haki. It's pure speculation, but it's a logical conclusion. He needs to stand out from the rest of the Emperors in some way.

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How powerful would his Haki have to be?

For the sake of reference, it's a good idea to use Kaido's performance in the Onigashima Raid. This is someone who fully mastered Haki in the One Piece series. Here's what Kaido can do with all three forms:

• Busoshoku: He doesn't need to make physical contact to hit enemies
• Kenbunshoku: Kaido can see into the future, even in a drunken state
• Haoshoku: His attacks become powerful enough to knock out Luffy, Zoro, and Law

If Shanks has the strongest Haki in One Piece, then he will be even more impressive. Kaido mainly specializes in his Devil Fruit, yet his monstrous Haki is a sight to behold.

Considering that Shanks only trains his Haki, he must truly be an elite fighter in that field.

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