Shanks is One Piece’s strongest Haki user (& it’s obvious why)

One Piece has always maintained that Haki is central to power, and it’s not just power, it’s will. Shanks stands alone among all the warriors within the One Piece world. From Marineford to Wano, when Shanks enters a battlefield, everyone, even the enemy, takes a step back when he is a part of the scenario with absolutely no weaponry other than his ability to wield Haki.

Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki is not some special technique; it is something else altogether. Every major arc, down to the minor details, has continually reminded us: Shanks doesn’t just use Haki—he embodies it.

A theory in One Piece discusses why Shanks’ Haki is above the rest, from a position of will that is pure and inherited from a higher moral code.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion. It also includes spoilers from the One Piece anime/manga.

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How Shanks is the strongest Haki user in One Piece, explained

Shanks as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece has continuously raised the bar on Haki as the true test of a character's spiritual power—something that even defies Devil Fruits and pure fighting prowess. Among all those who use it, Shanks stands as the most enigmatic and strong user.

With no need for flashy abilities, Shanks' aura alone turns the course of battle. It was witnessed during his arrival at Marineford or when his mere presence forced Admiral Greenbull to retreat.

He is not feared for what he does, but by what others know he is capable of. The absolute magnitude of his Haki has been brought up time and again, not by demonstrations, but by respect.

The core of the theory is to determine why Shanks' Haki is better. It starts with One Piece chapter 1, where he's introduced not as a powerful pirate, but as a person who possesses clear moral clarity. His morality is unwavering: save your friends at any cost. In the One Piece universe, this type of will is what powers and defines Haki.

Shanks with the Red Hair Pirates in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

The clearer the intention, the stronger the will, creating more powerful Haki. Luffy learned this very sense of morality from Shanks, and that's why his Haki develops constantly with each emotional development. Shanks, however, has already perfected that will.

Shanks' Haki is not only brute power, but the ultimate spiritual will. His power does not stem from anger, domination, and ambition like Kaido or the Gorosei. His power lies in faith: to defend, not to conquer. In the world of One Piece, Haki answers to will. The stronger and the cleaner the will, the more powerful the Haki.

That is the reason why Luffy's Haki develops while he fights for his crew, and that is why Shanks, who fully represents this law, is regarded as the greatest Haki user.

Official sources also support this conclusion. One reader asked how many individuals Shanks could defeat compared to Luffy's 50 thousand. Oda's answer hypothesized that if Shanks and Rayleigh were both in the same position, they could each knock out close to twice that amount. However, the reasoning didn't end with numbers.

Shanks, while attacking Kid (Image via Toei Animation)

It underscored that it's not about quantity when fighting using Haki, but how spiritually stronger one is in comparison to others. Shanks doesn't have to flaunt; his Haki doesn't function via fear—it radiates spiritual pressure generated from interior clarity.

What really solidifies Shanks as the most powerful user of Haki is the fact that proper morals, not corrupted ambition, define one's limit. Kaido, for all his brute power, failed in the end because his will was based on domination. The Gorosei might have strong Haki, but their will is selfish and cruel. Shanks, by contrast, is the sole character whose will is purely selfless and guardian-like.

Luffy's Gear Five as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

His Haki thus approaches that of Joyboy, the first liberator. In fact, according to the theory, only Luffy will surpass Shanks by the end of the series, since he bears the very same moral torch. Until that happens, Shanks is the closest the world has to Joyboy’s spiritual power.

Shanks possesses no Devil Fruit. He doesn't have armies to command like the World Government, yet his influence dictates world events. Why? Because in One Piece, Haki isn't merely combat—it's will.

Shanks possesses the purest, most unyielding will of them all. From his serene nature to his sense of justice, every aspect of his character upholds the fact that he has mastered Haki not through brutality, but virtue.

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Final thoughts

Shanks as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Shanks is the most powerful Haki user in One Piece. He is so powerful because Shanks' power is derived from a moral compass that is pure and consistent. Others may use Haki for domination, Shanks uses it to protect his friends, and his will to do so fits perfectly with how Haki unravels.

This pure intent makes his Conqueror’s Haki unmatched—even in relation to Joyboy. The Official comments state that Shanks could knock out double the number of enemies as Luffy, at the same time, unambiguously showing a superior spirit. His Haki reflects not just strength, but clarity of purpose.

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