One Piece: 10 Coolest Fights of the Wano Arc, Ranked (2024)

The Wano Country Arc was the longest and most epic in One Piece to date. After years of build-up, the Strawhat Pirates and their allies waged war on Kaido, Big Mom, and the Beast Pirates, culminating in a series of unforgettable clashes.

With every Strawhat Pirate getting to participate — and other characters like the Red Scabbards, Yamato, Carrot, Law, and Kid having their own scores to settle — One Piece's Wano Arc featured the best fights in the entire Post-Timeskip Era. With the anime adaptation of the arc also featuring the best animation the series has ever seen, these fights are endlessly rewatchable.

10 The Red Scabbards vs Kaido is Built Up For the Entire Arc

Oden's Most Loyal Followers Do What They Can to Avenge Him

Luffy may be the hero of the Wano Country Arc, but the most personal struggle within it is between the Red Scabbards and Kaido. Kin'emon, Kikunojo, Denjiro, Ashura Doji, Nekomamushi, Inuarashi, Raizo, and Kawamatsu were once the retainers of Kozuki Oden and, as the raid on Onigishima begins, they are naturally the first to challenge his killer.

While it's clear from the start that the Scabbards won't win this fight, they each get the opportunity to flex their unique abilities and powers, and some of them even injuring Kaido, with Kin'emon, Denjiro, and the Mink duo especially impressing. With half the Scabbards having waited decades for this opportunity, and the other half having come from the past to seek it, every blow is an emotional one. The inclusion of Izo in the battle as the substitute ninth Scabbard, following Kanjuro's betrayal, also allows for the rare opportunity to see one of Whitebeard's former Commanders in action.

9 Whitebeard vs Roger is Something Every Fan Wanted to See

A Brief Clash in the Past Made Fans as Excited as Any Brawl in the Present

Up until the introduction of Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger and Whitebeard were the two most legendary pirates in One Piece. Outside the main events of the Wano Country Arc, there are plentiful flashbacks that expanded the world and got fans energized, and nothing was more exciting than seeing the two greatest pirates of their era clashing in their prime.

While the fight itself is extremely brief, and not much of it is seen, even just getting a taste of what their battles were like is amazing. The friendly rapport between the two legends makes them even more endearing, and the surrounding melee between their respective crews, featuring Rayleigh, Marco, Buggy, and Shanks, gives the casual face-off an earned sense of grandeur.

8 Killer vs Hawkins Brings Closure to One of Wano's Most Surprising Highlights

Killer is a Stand-Out Character in the Wano Country Arc

The right-hand man of Eustass Kid, and one of the Eleven Supernovas, Killer is the most unexpected highlight of the Wano Country Arc. His development after being force-fed a SMILE fruit by Orochi is exceptionally well handled, he holds his own alongside the powerhouses of his generation against Big Mom and Kaido, and his fight with Basil Hawkins is one of the best during the raid on Onigashima.

While a minor fight in the grand scheme of things, this face-off further fleshes out the themes of the arc, as Killer continues to fearlessly fight for his dreams, in spite of everything that's been done to him, and the impossible odds he faces, while Hawkins, another Supernova, abandoned his own ambitions to serve Kaido. Killer's agile fighting style looks cooler than ever, and the ticking clock of him needing to free Kid from Hawkins' control gives the battle a welcome sense of urgency.

7 Yamato vs Kaido is Short, But Incredibly Cool

Yamato Does Everything He Can to Hold Off His Father

Yamato's fight with Kaido comes during a flurry of fights against the Yonko, as everyone struggles to take him down, but the battle between father and son doesn't struggle to stand out at all. With Onigashima falling towards the Flower Capital, Luffy down for the count, and every other member of the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance either pre-occupied or too weak to do anything, Yamato steps up to stop Kaido from killing all of his allies, and to buy time for Luffy to wake up.

Yamato quickly became one of the most popular characters in the series after his debut and, to date, this is the only opportunity fans have had to really see him in action. Sharing his father's signature technique, Thunder Bagua, his Haki clashes with Kaido are epic and, through his awesome Guardian Diety of Wano transformation, and a little help from Momonoskue, he's able to prevent the raid's failure.

6 Nico Robin vs Black Maria is a Long Time Coming

Robin Finally Gets Her Moment to Shine

One Piece fans waited many years for the Strawhat Pirates' archaeologist to get another fight, following her beatdown of Yama during the Skypiea Arc, and Nico Robin's battle against Black Maria didn't disappoint at all. As Sanji once again refuses to fight a woman, and is nearly killed by Black Maria because of this, Robin and Brook arrive to save him from the sad*stic Tobi Roppo, and combat her and her subordinates themselves.

With Brook taking on Black Maria's henchwomen, Robin gets a much deserved one-on-one fight. Black Maria's sadism is put on full display through the brutality of her attacks, but Robin proves to be the far more frightening devil. Initially combating Maria with Fish-Man Karate techniques learned during the timeskip, something fans hadn't learned about yet, Robin finishes the battle with an even bigger surprise, using her new Demonio Fleur, one of the coolest attacks in One Piece, to snap one of Kaido's strongest underlings like a twig.

5 Zoro vs King is One of the Flashiest Fights in the Anime

Zoro Faces His Toughest Opponent to Date

After coasting through all of his previous fights since the timeskip, Zoro is finally given a proper challenge in the Wano Country Arc. King the Conflagration pushes Zoro to his limits in one of the most stunningly animated and choreographed fights in the entire anime, with both fighters receiving development in the process.

Zoro and King each display some of the most outstanding techniques in the series, with the former's King of Hell, Three-Sword Serpent: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation, and the latter's Extra Large Imperial Flaming Wings especially standing out. Zoro's struggle against his own new sword, Enma, makes the fight even more challenging for him, and his eventual mastery over it proves why he's deserving of Conqueror's Haki. Despite losing the fight, King arguably shines even more so than Zoro, as while he'd previously been the least developed of Kaido's All-Stars, his tragic backstory and the depressing fate of the Lunarians, his strangely heartwarming dedication to and friendship with Kaido, and surprisingly attractive design all made him a quick fan-favorite.

4 Sanji vs Queen Continues the Incredible Development of the Strawhat Pirates' Cook

Sanji's True Struggle is Against Himself

Outside of Luffy himself, Sanji has consistently been given the storylines with the most depth Post-Timeskip among all the Strawhat Pirates, making it no surprise that his biggest fight in the Wano Country Arc carries some of the most narrative weight. As Sanji battles against Kaido's third-in-command, Queen the Plague, he's also forced to face his fears of his time wearing a Raid Suit warping his personality into the cruel and cold one his father intended for him.

As Sanji notices himself growing stronger and stronger, his dread of what this could mean for him overwhelms him during the biggest fight of his life. These fears are personified by the loathsome Queen, who not only attacks Sanji in his Brachiosaurus form, but who replicates the abilities of the other Vinsmoke's Raid Suits. Sanji's calling of Zoro, and plea to his rival to kill him if he becomes a monster, is an emotional high point of the entire arc, and, after all the despicable things Queen has done, while showing no redeeming qualities, the satisfaction that comes with his defeat is second only to the feeling that comes from his Captain's fall. Never to be entirely outdone by the other members of the Monster Trio in the power-up department, the blue flames of Ifrit Jambe used to win the fight look stupendous.

3 Law and Kid vs Big Mom is a Perfect Complement to the Arc's Finale

Law and Kid Do the Impossible and Defeat a Yonko

Law and Kid have been hyped up as Luffy's rivals for years, and to cement this status, they needed to prove they could beat a Yonko, just like him. This is an accomplishment they ultimately achieve in one of the biggest victories in the series, but Big Mom makes it anything but easy for them, refusing to go down without a fight.

The odds are against Law and Kid from the start, and things are made even worse as Kid is held back by Hawkins' manipulations. Big Mom continues to seem unstoppable as the Supernovas' attacks do little against her, until the revelation comes that they've both awakened their Devil Fruits. Kid's upgraded magnetism techniques are impressive, but it's Law who steals the show with his KROOM and Shock Wille techniques, as he gets around the Yonko's unbreakable defenses by destroying her from the inside.

2 Luffy, Zoro, Law, Kid, and Killer vs Kaido and Big Mom is Packed with Awesome Moments

The Worst Generation Wages War on the Yonko

The battle between the most elite members of the Supernovas, Luffy, Law, Kid, Zoro, and Killer, and the two oldest Yonko, Kaido and Big Mom, is a generational battle for the ages. Gathering on the rooftop of Kaido's fortress after the defeat of the Red Scabbards, seven of the most powerful fighters in the world clash to determine whether the world will continue to be ruled by the old-guard, or if it's the younger generation's time to take the reins.

One awe-inspiring attack is used after another, with the teamwork on display by the younger pirates, who have never fought together before, and likely will never fight together again, enabling some truly inspired moves. The interactions between the Supernovas add charm and levity to the dramatic encounter as, even with the stakes never having been higher, none of the men are able to let go of their egos and stop competing with one another. Not to let themselves be outdone, Kaido and Big Mom unleash possibly the most devastating attack in the entire series, Ocean Sovereignty, but Zoro, the absolute star of this fight, manages to stop it, in one of the most jaw-dropping moments of the arc.

1 Luffy vs Kaido Debuts One of the Greatest Transformations in Anime

The Longest Fight in One Piece is Also the Best

Luffy attempts to fight Kaido several times throughout the Wano Country Arc, but it's only after Big Mom, Law, Kid, Zoro, and Killer depart the rooftop of Kaido's fortress that their true battle begins. Having mastered Advanced Armament Haki, improved his Future Sight, and learned Advanced Conqueror's Haki during his time in Wano, Luffy is finally able to take on Kaido head-to-head, with the early portions of this fight being slowly paced on account of all the other fights taking place simultaneously, but featuring top-notch choreography and direction. The intervention of CP-0 and their seemingly successful assassination of Luffy is completely shocking, and sets into motion the final stage of the battle.

Restarting his heart in time with the Drums of Liberation, Luffy not only restores himself, but activates Gear 5. Unlocking the power of Sun God Nika in one of anime's greatest transformations, Luffy gains the ability to fight with absolute freedom, and uses his newfound abilities to shift everyone and everything around him into rubber to combat Kaido like a classic cartoon character. The wackiness of Gear 5 suits Luffy, and the series, perfectly, and doesn't take away from the drama of Luffy's final clash with Kaido's imposing dragon form at all. The slapstick comedy and thrilling action blend together perfectly, each of Luffy's new techniques is more creative than the last, and Luffy's ultimate victory over Kaido is a moment of true triumph.

One Piece (1999)

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece".

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Creator(s)

Eiichiro Oda

Cast

Mayumi Tanaka , Akemi Okamura , Laurent Vernin , Tony Beck , Kazuya Nakai

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Studio

Toei Animation

Creator

Eiichirô Oda

Production Company

Toei Animation

Number of Episodes

1K+

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu , Funimation , Adult Swim , Pluto TV , Netflix