9 best One Piece trios, ranked

Trios are a recurring element in anime and manga narratives, and One Piece is no exception. Eiichiro Oda’s pirate-themed story features several iconic trios, each embodying distinct thematic roles that deepen the narrative and make character interactions more dynamic through contrasts that emphasize personal growth and shared goals.

In One Piece, trios are more than just groups, standing out as full-fledged narrative devices that leave a lasting impression on fans through natural chemistry. The different personalities, roles, and strengths of each trio’s members complement one another, enriching the story and reflecting the author’s vision. Read on for a list of One Piece’s most prominent trios as of the latest manga chapter.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1158.

One Piece's most important trios, ranked from least to most iconic

9) Weak Trio

Chopper, Nami, and Usopp in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The so-called “Weak Trio” refers to Nami, Chopper, and Usopp, three Straw Hats who tend to get scared more easily than their crewmates, resulting in humorous moments as they run or hide while others eagerly jump into battle. They try to dissuade their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, from engaging the crew in hazardous situations, though their efforts rarely succeed.

Nami and Usopp are the only “normal” members of the Straw Hat Pirates, a group including people with either incredible Haki potential, supernatural Devil Fruits, advanced genetic enhancements, unique innate traits, or bodily modifications. Chopper is a decently strong fighter, especially considering his Monster Point transformation, but his childishness and naivety align him with Nami and Usopp’s tendencies.

So, when faced with frightening situations or formidable foes, these three often cower behind their stronger comrades. Nami clings to Chopper, who adores Usopp’s extravagant stories and is one of the few naive enough to believe them. Usopp, in turn, cherishes Chopper’s admiration, and shares Nami’s preference for avoiding trouble.

That said, none of the trio is truly weak, or cowardly, as each has repeately overcome personal fears to fight when it mattered the most. Their bond emphasizes the Straw Hat crew’s diversity, and adds some comic relief. Lacking the brute force of their crewmates, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper rely on their cunning and resourcefulness, making their battles uniquely entertaining and creative.

8) All Stars Trio

King, Queen, and Jack in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The All Stars, also known as Calamities, were a trio of Kaido’s strongest subordinates: the Lunarian survivor King, the mad scientist Queen, and the violent Jack. United by their Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits, these three shared a peculiar fellowship until their crew’s downfall, with King being the stoic leader of the trio, yet frequently bickering with the histrionic Queen, and both treating Jack as their younger brother.

King, Queen, and Jack weren’t their real names, as they were renamed after joining Kaido’s Beasts Pirates, whose ranks were indicated by names based on a playing cards theme and depending on the person’s individual combat strength. This reflected in King being the strongest of the trio, followed by Queen, and then Jack.

Named after the highest-ranking card of the deck, King was Kaido’s strongest subordinate. He was formerly known as Alber, but Kaido personally named him “King” when he recruited him as his right-hand man. King wielded the exceptional powers of the Lunarians, plus the Ancient Zoan Fruit of the Pteranodon, and was known as “The Wildfire” for his devastating magma-like flames.

Queen, a former member of the research team MADS originally named Scien, enjoyed tormenting his foes with hand-made viruses, which explains his moniker “The Plague”. He ate the Ancient Zoan Fruit of the Brachiosaurus, and enhanced his body with cybernetic modifications. Jack, a ruthless man who revels in destruction, possessed the Ancient Zoan Fruit of the Mammoth.

7) Legendary Marine Trio

Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Monkey D. Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru formed a notable trio of Marines. These three officers joined the Navy at the same time, exactly 56 years before the present events, and became living legends in the Marines for upholding justice during a chaotic era marked by threats such as the Rocks Pirates and the Roger Pirates.

With their long-standing camaraderie and remarkable fighting skills, forged through decades of service, Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru share a friendship built on mutual respect. Their different approaches complement one another, creating a balanced trio. Wise and pragmatic, Tsuru is hailed as “Great Staff Officer”, her power formidable enough to scare a pirate of Donquixote Doflamingo’s caliber.

Garp, a physical powerhouse with exceptional Haki and brute strength, clashed with Gol D. Roger countless times, with the two nearly killing each other. Considered the strongest Marine officer in history, Garp refused promotions to the Admiral rank to preserve his indipendence and act according his own sense of justice and morals.

In contrast to Garp’s carefree and rebellious nature, Sengoku is much more disciplined, through not entirely devoid of compassion. A testament to his strength, he served as Admiral and even Marine Admiral. At one point, Sengoku and Garp teamed up to defeat “Golden Lion” Shiki, one of the most dangerous pirates in history.

6) Supernova Trio

Luffy, Law, and Kid in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Except those from the same crew, all Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generations are rivals, but a particularly intense rivalry exists among Monkey D. Luffy, Trafalgar D. Water Law, and Eustass Kid. These three Supernovas are fiercely competitive with one another, yet circumstances have often forced them to unite for a common goal.

Due to their childish competitiveness, however, they refuse to see each other as allies, and often end up bickering over trivial matters. Luffy’s bold self-confidence irritates the cocky and arrogant Kid, and even the normally cautious Law loses his composure in Luffy’s presence. Nevertheless, they are more than capable of working together effectively.

Their rivalry began in Sabaody, where they competed to see who could defeat the Marines stationed outside the Auction House. This moment marked the start of their ongoing competition, though Luffy operates on an entirely different level compared to Law and Kid, far surpassing them in both achievements and individual strength.

Although all three were awarded the same bounty of three billion berries as the captains of the crews involved in Kaido and Big Mom’s downfall, Luffy has proven himself much stronger than Kid and Law. He eclipses them in every aspect, from combat feats to crew power and his Yonko status. Yet, despite this clear difference in power, the three continue to view each other as rivals.

5) Metal Trio

Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Gol D. Roger, Silvers Rayleigh, and Scopper Gaban formed the core trio of the Roger Pirates, the first and so far only pirate crew to discover the fabled One Piece treasure after navigating the entire Grand Line to its final island, Laugh Tale. The complete names of these three formidable pirates are evidently based on metals, i.e., gold, silver, and copper, a subtle yet clear hint at their internal hierarchy.

Gold, silver, and copper, with copper standing for bronze as the latter is an alloy mostly made of copper, are widely recognized as the three classes of medals awarded for first, second, and third place in the world-famous Olympic Games. The value of these metals also reflect the same hierarchy, further symbolizing the relative ranks of these powerful pirates within their crew.

Gol D. Roger, the all-powerful Pirate King, inspired countless people to take the sea with his unprecedented achievements. Silvers Rayleigh, a figure nearly as formidable as the captain himself, was hailed as the “Dark King”. He was Roger’s right-hand man and the second-in-command of the Roger Pirates. Then, Scopper Gaban was Roger’s left-hand man and the crew’s number three, striking fear into enemies with his axes.

The storied exploits of Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban earned them everlasting fame. None of them ate a Devil Fruit, relying solely on their Haki mastery, a further testament to their sheer skill. Among the new generation of rising pirates, only the Straw Hat crew’s Monster Trio, their destined heirs, may one day surpass this iconic trio.

4) ASL Trio

Luffy, Sabo, and Ace in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The trio of Portgas D. Ace, Sabo, and Monkey D. Luffy is an emotional pillar in One Piece. Despite not being biological brothers, these three share a deep bond forged through their childhood, a connection that shaped their lives. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo grew up together in the Goa Kingdom, living recklessly in the wild forest and training under the watchful eye of Luffy’s grandfather, Monkey D. Garp.

The three boys revealed their respective dreams to one another and declared themselves family after sharing a drink together to swear an oath as brothers. Sabo’s apparent death, after his boat was destroyed by a Celestial Dragon, left Ace and Luffy devastated, believing he was gone forever. Years later, Ace and Luffy pirate careers.

Luffy gathered a number of trusted comrades in the Straw Hat Pirates, while Ace, still carrying the burden of his father Gol D. Roger’s legacy, joined the Whitebeard Pirates after exploring the New World. Their lifelong connection never faded, as Luffy risked everything to save Ace when the Marines sentenced him to death. Tragically, Ace died protecting Luffy from Admiral Akainu.

Two years later, Sabo reunited with Luffy, revealing he had survived and joined Monkey D. Dragon’s Revolutionary Army. He vowed to carry on Ace’s will after eating his signature Flame-Flame Fruit. United by a bond trascending blood, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo have cared for one another as much as possible despite their divergent their life paths. Now, Luffy and Sabo continue to support each other in memory of Ace.

3) Color Trio

Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Sakazuki “Akainu”, Kuzan “Aokiji”, and Borsalino “Kizaru” formed a formidable trio of Logia-wielding Admirals before the recent two-year timeskip. With their different elemental powers and distinct philosophies, the three Admirals of the “Color Trio” embodied the multifaceted nature of justice as destruction, preservation, and neutrality.

The trio’s Logia Devil Fruits of magma, ice, and light, respectively, symbolize the interplay of natural elements as destructive heat, preserving cold, and neutral light. This mirrors their approaches to justice, with the merciless extremism of Akainu’s Absolute Justice opposing the lenient restraint of Aokiji’s Lazy Justice while coexisting with the nonchalant obedience of Kizaru’s Unclear Justice.

In a complex representation of a flawed system, the pre-timeskip Admirals represented the Navy’s top enforcers, their epithets inspired by the Japanese folktale Momotaro, where a boy is aided by a dog, a pheasant, and a monkey.

This formidable trio has now disbanded, with Akainu becoming the Fleet Admiral, Aokiji leaving the Navy after his defeat against Akainu, and Kizaru remaining the only Admiral from the trio to maintain his original position. Nevertheless, their awe-inspiring elemental powers made them fearsome, and their conflicting ideologies only highlighted them as compelling characters. Together, they truly appeared as an invincible force.

2) Monster Trio

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The Straw Hat Pirates revolve around a core trio of fighters: Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. Monkey D. Luffy is the founder and captain of the Straw Hat crew. Roronoa Zoro, a master swordsman, is Luffy’s loyal right-hand man and the second strongest member after him. Vinsmoke Sanji, the crew’s cook, is the third strongest member.

These three form the Straw Hat crew’s primary fighting force, confronting the mightiest foes to protect their comrades. Throughout the story, the Monster Trio often split into distinct duos, with the narrative focusing on either Luffy and Zoro as the captain and right-hand man or Zoro and Sanji as the crew’s number two and number three. Each dynamic is unique and compelling in its own way.

Luffy and Zoro have a natural connection, having been together from the start and sharing the same attitude as natural-born Conqueror’s Haki wielders aiming for the top. Zoro and Sanji don’t get along, yet despite their squabbles, they support Luffy as best they can. Their interplay as Luffy’s number two and number three is referred to as “Wings”, a term emphasizing their importance as the captain’s right-hand man and left-hand man.

Sanji often struggles to match the strongest or second-strongest foe from the enemy group, but he regularly beats the third-strongest opponent. Zoro defeats the second-strongest enemy and fight valiantly against the main villain, earning praise but ultimately falling short of victory. Luffy overcomes the main villain after a grueling, prolonged battle.

Thus, Luffy is more powerful than Zoro, who in turn is more powerful than Sanji. Despite this clear hierarchy of strength, which reflects their roles as captain, number two, and number three of the Straw Hats, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji stand together as the crew’s spearheads.

1) Romance Dawn Trio

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The typical shonen pattern of a trio comprised by two boys and a girl as the heart of a story is evident in One Piece, where the author Eiichiro Oda has declared Luffy, Zoro, and Nami as the three core characters of the franchise, even describing them as the story’s triggers. Dubbed by fans as “Original Trio” or “Romance Dawn Trio” for their encounter during One Piece’s first arc, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are the founding members of the Straw Hat crew.

As the original members of Straw Hat Pirates, fulfilling key roles such as captain, right-hand man, and navigator, respectively, they form the crew’s cornerstone. They bear a striking resemblance to the two boys and one girl depicted in Oda’s initial sketch for his future story. Each of the three is connected to an aspect of Gol D. Roger’s Pirate King title: wealth, fame, and power.

Luffy will become the most famed pirate in the world after achieving his dream, while Zoro embodies power, being set to defeat the strongest swordsman to fulfill his ambition, and Nami, driven by her love for gold and riches, pursues wealth. As the future Pirate King, Luffy alone could embody wealth, fame, and power, but Zoro and Nami’s vital roles underscore their importance.

Powerful, loyal, and honorable, Zoro was the first to join Luffy. He shares a special bond with the captain and can be considered One Piece’s second main character. Nami was the second person to join Luffy, and can be considered the female heroine and third main character of One Piece. She is often depicted as Luffy’s “Pirate Queen” in Oda’s color spreads.

Several iconic moments, including the memorable scene of Blackbeard’s introduction, feature Luffy, Zoro, and Nami at the center of the narrative. According to the latest global popularity poll, they are the three most cherished One Piece characters among fans, which further cements their significance in the franchise.