10 worst One Piece fake deaths, ranked

Even One Piece, the record-breaking franchise crafted by Eiichiro Oda, has its flaws, particularly in how it handles death. In fictional stories, the death of a character is meant to evoke powerful emotions. However, One Piece takes a unique approach that sometimes draws criticism.

Not only do characters regularly survive even the direst predicaments, to the point where deaths rarely occur outside of off-panel events of flashbacks, but the series also relies heavily on “fake deaths”. This happens when characters are put in seemingly inescapable circumstances, and appear to perish, only to be revealed as alive later.

Oda uses fake deaths to heighten tension in the story, but this narrative device has become so frequent and repetitive that it diminishes the stakes. Fans no longer feel the thrill of uncertainty, as it has become clear that significant characters simply don’t die unless the plot explicitly demands it. Read on to explore some of the most criticized fake deaths in One Piece, involving both allies of the Straw Hats and antagonists.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1157. Additionally, the article reflects the author's opinions.

10 controversial "fake deaths" in One Piece as of chapter 1157

10) Igaram

Igaram's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Igaram, the captain of Arabasta’s Royal Guard, infiltrated Baroque Works alongside Nefertari Vivi to protect and help the princess during the covert operation. When their identities were exposed, Igaram, deeply loyal to Vivi and willing to sacrifice his life for her, created a diversion to draw the attention of their pursuers, allowing Vivi to escape to Arabasta with the Straw Hat Pirates.

Igaram’s ship was destroyed by Miss All-Sunday in an explosion that seemingly killed him. Later, however, it’s revealed that he somehow survived the blast. While this was a welcome surprise, it also undermined the story’s tension, especially considering the high stakes of the thrilling Arabasta Arc.

Admittedly, Igaram’s fake death felt like a forced attempt to build suspense that ultimately fell flat, failing completely. This episode can be considered as an early sign of Eiichiro Oda’s tendency to avoid killing off characters in One Piece, regardless of the circumstances, unless their death serves a specific plot purpose.

9) Pagaya

Pagaya's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

During the Skypiea Arc, Pagaya, the father of Conis and a good ally of the Straw Hat crew, encountered a man who warned him and his daughter about Enel’s plan to destroy Skypiea. Having overheard their conversation and located their position, Enel decided to use a powerful bolt of lightning on them with his Devil Fruit powers.

Just before Enel released his lightning bolt, Pagaya pushed Conis out of harm’s way, taking the full brunt of the attack to save her. Everyone believed Pagaya had died, but he suddenly resurfaced, revealing that the lightning had only knocked him into the White Sea below, where the people of Angel Island rescued him. Then, he joined the party to celebrate Enel’s defeat as if nothing had happened.

No one would want to see a lively, kindhearted old man like Pagaya die, but it feels completely implausible that he could survive a direct attack from Enel’s devastating Logia Devil Fruit, and without any real consequence, too. It would have been better to avoid placing Pagaya’s character in such a situation to begin with, rather than resorting to a fake death.

8) Sabo

Sabo's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The current number two of Monkey D. Dragon’s Revolutionary Army, Sabo, is the sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace. Sabo was first introduced in a flashback, which revealed how he forged a deep bond with Luffy and Ace as they grew up together. However, the flashback heavily implied his death, as a Celestial Dragon blasted his small boat with a bazooka.

Injured by the explosion and presumably drowned, Sabo was believed dead. Years later, however, the story suddenly reintroduced him as the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army. It was revealed that he was saved by Dragon, who had become his mentor. The incident that nearly killed him caused Sabo amnesia, erasing all his memories of Luffy and Ace.

Sabo’s memory only resurfaced abruptly upon seeing the news of Ace’s death in the newspaper. That said, the amnesia feels like a convenient way to justify felt like a cheap narrative device to justify Sabo’s absence during the Paramount War, where he did not attempt to save his sworn brother.

Curiously, Sabo was the subject of another fake death when he was seemingly killed during Imu’s destruction of Lulusia. Sabo, who had just barely escaped death thanks to Nefertari Cobra’s sacrifice in the Pangaea Castle, seemed caught in Imu’s ravaging attack.

However, it was later revealed that he had already left the island and was just sailing nearby. This second fake-out feels even more controversial than the first, appearing as the author’s attempt to toy with fans’ emotions for dramatic tension.

7) Bellamy

Bellamy's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

A cocky pirate who looked down at other people’s dreams, Bellamy suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Monkey D. Luffy when the Straw Hat Pirates visited Jaya. As a subordinate of Donquixote Doflamingo, Bellamy’s humiliating defeat brought shame to Doflamingo’s name, prompting the latter to personally travel to Jaya to deliver punishment.

In his sadistic fashion, Doflamingo used his String-String Fruit to control the bodies of Bellamy and his right-hand man, Sarquiss, forcing them to fight in a brutal deathmatch. Ignoring Bellamy’s desperate pleas, Doflamingo eventually made Sarquiss strike him with what seemed to be a lethal blow.

Based on this scene, Bellamy was presumed dead, his cold-blooded assassination underscoring Doflamingo’s ruthlessness and the cruel side of piracy. Still, much later, the story revealed that Bellamy survived the terrible retribution and even had a change of heart, though he still tried to work his way back into Doflamingo’s organization.

6) Saul

Saul's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

22 years before the current storyline, during the Buster Call that devastated Ohara, Jaguar D. Saul, a former Marine Vice Admiral, sacrificed himself to protect a young Nico Robin. Kuzan “Aokiji” completely encased Saul in ice, seemingly freezing him to death. In his apparent final moments, Saul laughed as he urged Robin to live and find friends.

Everyone, from Robin to the World Government, believed that Saul perished that day. Not long ago, however, the story revealed that Saul survived the Ohara Incident, the reason being that the ice somehow melted. This twist highlighted Kuzan’s inner conflict of having to kill innocents while upholding justice, suggesting he may have intentionally allowed Saul to survive.

Saul reappeared during the Elbaph Arc, when he not only made his proper return in the story but even had a heartwarming reunion with Nico Robin. While this moment was incredibly emotional, it doesn’t change that Saul’s fake death partially diminished the impact of his original sacrifice, which stood out as one of the story’s most poignant scenes.

5) Pound

Pound's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

One of the many former husbands of Charlotte Linlin “Big Mom”, Pound befriended Nami and Monkey D. Luffy after learning of their fellowship with Lola, one of his two daughters, alongside Chiffon. When Charlotte Oven threatened Chiffon, Pound selflessly attacked him to protect his daughter.

Pound’s desperate assault did not affect Oven, but allowed Chiffon and her group, including her husband and their son, to escape. Overjoyed to see his daughter and grandson safe, Pound faced certain death with a smile on his face, tears of happiness streaming down his face. He was last seen with Oven about to strike him with a flaming blade, seemingly aimed at his head.

Although this scene implied Pound’s death, a later cover story revealed that he miraculously survived and even reunited with his beloved daughters, Chiffon and Lola. Despite his goofy demeanor, Pound emerged as a tragic figure in his brief appearance, so the addition of his apparent death, which ultimately ended up being just a plot device to add fake tension, felt unnecessary. Given the circumstances, it was also unrealistic.

4) The Enies Lobby group

The fake death of the Enies Lobby allies in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Toward the conclusion of the attack that the Straw Hat Pirates and their allies carried on Enies Lobby, a Buster Call was initiated to prevent Nico Robin from escaping. Ten Navy battleships unleashed a barrage of cannon fire on the island, annihilating everything in sight.

The Straw Hat crew’s allies, including the members of the Galley-La and the Franky Family, as well as two Giants, Oimo and Kashii, were apparently caught in direct cannon fire while in a helpless position.

The scene hinted at their inevitable demise, yet they survived in an unexpected twist thanks to the combined efforts of Oimo, Kashii, and Paulie. Their survival, however, undermined the Buster Call, a military operation hyped as one of the Navy’s most formidable.

3) Kanjuro

Kanjuro's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Kurozumi Kanjuro posed as one of Oden’s trusted retainers, the Nine Red Scabbards, while secretly serving Kurozumi Orochi. For years, Kanjuro spied the Red Scabbards, sending information to Orochi, until he revealed his true allegiance just before the Onigashima Raid.

Shocked and enraged by Kanjuro’s betrayal, his former comrades confronted him. First, Kanjuro clashed with Kiku, who beat the traitor, leaving him bleeding on the ground. Despite his grievous injuries, Kanjuro survived the duel and orchestrated a series of attacks against the Scabbards, resulting in Ashura Doji’s death and Kiku’s wounding.

Eventually, Kinemon struck Kanjuro down for good, inflicting another mortal injury on him. Still, Kanjuro clung to life and, in a final act, conjured Kazenbo, a fiery specter that started to burn everything in its path.

Only then, he collapsed, dead at last. The repetitive cycle of Kanjuro’s apparent deaths, followed by his survival, only for him to be defeated again, grew almost grotesque, undermining the emotional weight of his conflict with the Scabbards.

2) Kinemon

Kinemon's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

After his confrontation with Kanjuro, Kinemon faced Kaido to stop him from pursuing Momonosuke. Kinemon urged Shinobu to flee with the child before bravely challenging Kaido. Unfortunately, the fight was one-sided, as Kaido easily defeated Kinemon, using his Haki-imbued kanabo to shatter the samurai’s swords and strike his head.

Somehow still conscious, Kinemon launched a desperate attack to at least delay Kaido, who finished him by plunging a sword into his back. Kinemon was left motionless on the ground, seemingly dead. Yet, he survived.

Trafalgar Law didn’t properly reattach Kinemon’s torso and legs when he used the Ope-Ope Fruit to cut them on Punk Hazard, which caused his torso to slide around. The shift allowed Kinemon’s body to avoid a fatal injury. However, Law’s precision with the Ope-Ope Fruit has always seemed flawless, making this explanation for Kinemon’s survival hardly convincing.

One Piece fans love Kinemon for his courage, sense of honor, unwavering loyalty to Oden and Momonosuke, and friendship with the Straw Hat Pirates, but his survival after receiving a direct Advanced Conqueror’s Haki-enhanced blow from Kaido, a Yonko hailed as “The World’s Strongest Creature”, felt implausible.

The explanation for his survival after also being stabbed by Kaido was even more forced. Kaido failed to kill a significantly weaker opponent despite having lethal intent, which was underwhelming too.

1) Pell

Pell's fake death in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

During the Arabasta Arc, Pell, one of Arabasta’s strongest warriors, decided to sacrifice himself to save everyone from a devastating bomb that Crocodile had set up to destroy the city of Alubarna. Using his Bird-Bird Fruit Model: Falcon, Pell flew high in the sky, carrying the bomb as far from the city as possible. The bomb detonated, leaving Alubarna unscathed but engulfing Pell in the blast, whose radius exceeded 2 kilometers.

Given the explosion’s immense scale and power, it was reasonable to assume that Pell had died, saving everyone at the cost of his life. Yet, he somehow survived the catastrophic blast. There was no clear explanation for his survival, which seems impossible as he was caught in an explosion capable of destroying an entire city. Pell couldn’t use Haki, and his Devil Fruit granted him no ability to survive that.

Pell’s unrealistic survival also undermined his selfless sacrifice. He willingly embraced certain death, only to reappear alive without any substantial explanation. It’s no wonder that fans still criticize this narrative choice even today.