One Piece: 10 Best Pirate Ships

One Piece, the acclaimed manga and anime series, takes readers and viewers on a thrilling adventure through a world of pirates, treasures, and fantastical maritime journeys. Central to the story’s charm and intrigue are the diverse and iconic pirate ships that sail the treacherous waters of the Grand Line and the New World.

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These vessels not only serve as the primary mode of transportation for different characters but also reflect the unique identities, abilities, and aspirations of their captains and crew. From the Straw Hat Pirate’s beloved Thousand Sunny to Whitebeard’s Moby Dick, these ships exude personality and inspire awe. Let’s take a look at the best pirate ships in One Piece.

10
Going Merry

The Going Merry is the first and iconic flagship of the Straw Hat Pirates. The ship was a gift from Kaya, a close friend of Usopp, to the formidable Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. The Going Merry accompanied the Straw Hats on their early adventures throughout the East Blue and the first half of the Grand Line.

The Going Merry features a unique and playful design with a lamb figurehead, which gives the ship a friendly and approachable appearance. The figurehead, named Merry, is considered part of the crew, embodying the ship’s spirit and connection to the Straw Hats.

9
Polar Tang

Trafalgar Law, the leader of the Heart Pirates, owns and controls the Polar Tang. The Polar Tang is a unique ship, designed as a submarine with advanced technology that allows it to travel underwater and evade detection.

This stealth capability is particularly useful for the Heart Pirates, who are known to engage in covert and strategic operations. The ship features a yellow color scheme with a polar bear-like figurehead, which mirrors the crew’s Jolly Roger flag that displays a large smiley face. An impressive and instantly-recognizable vessel.

8
Perfume Yuda

The Perfume Yuda is the main ship of the Kuja Pirates with Boa Hancock, the Snake Princess of Amazon Lily and a former Shichibukai, as their captain The ship is large and elegant with a design that reflects the powerful characters and unique grace of the Kuja Pirates.

The ship boasts a giant snake figurehead resembling the Yuda, a mythical serpent from the Kuja Tribe’s folklore, which embodies their connection to their home island and their tribe’s history. The ship’s color scheme includes primarily red and black, a striking and imposing design.

7
Saber of Xebec

Saber of Xebec serves as the main ship of the Blackbeard Pirates. The ship is captained by Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, one of the Four Emperors that rule over the New World (and wielder of mighty Devil Fruits). Blackbeard is a former member of the Whitebeard Pirates and is notorious for his ruthless and cunning nature.

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Although the ship’s specific details have not been extensively elaborated upon in the series, it is a massive and heavily armed vessel with a sinister appearance. Blackbeard’s Jolly Roger flag, which displays three skulls and crossbones, is flown atop the ship, symbolizing the fearsome reputation of the crew.

6
Numancia Flamingo

The Numancia Flamingo is the pirate ship of the Donquixote Pirates. The ship is captained by the former Shichibukai, Donquixote Doflamingo, a powerful and ruthless pirate. The design of the ship features a bright pink color scheme, reflecting the flamboyant nature of Doflamingo and his crew.

The ship has a distinctive flamingo figurehead, which serves as the inspiration for its name and emphasizes the connection to its captain. The ship’s sails bear the Jolly Roger flag, which has a smiley face with a diagonal line, symbolizing the sinister intentions behind their bright and colorful style. As is common with the series’ ships, such design elements tell an awful lot about those that sail in the vessel.

5
Thriller Bark

Thriller Bark is not just a ship but an entire massive, mobile island, the world’s largest structure of its kind. The ship served as the base of operations for the former Shichibukai, Gecko Moria, and his crew the Thriller Bark Pirates.

The design is inspired by classic horror stories, featuring a dark, eerie landscape with a haunted mansion, graveyard, and forest. A thick fog surrounds the ship, adding to its mysterious and ominous atmosphere. Thriller Bark is propelled by a massive paddle on its exterior, which moves the island ship through the sea. Its design is tailored to one purpose: to keep those who are unwelcome away.

4
Queen Mama Chanter

The Queen Mama Chanter belongs to the Big Mom Pirates. The ship is captained by Charlotte Linlin, also known as Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors. The design is quite distinctive, with a large, elaborate castle-like structure.

The ship reflects the crew’s connection to Totland, an archipelago comprising various food-themed islands. One unique ability of Queen Mama Chanter is its power to consume other ships, absorbing their strengths and growing larger. This ability further emphasizes the fearsome reputation of the Big Mom Pirates. Its imposing size indicates that it has already claimed several victims in this very way.

3
Oro Jackson

The Oro Jackson is the legendary ship captained by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, who was the only pirate to discover the treasure known as One Piece. The ship’s name, Oro Jackson, is a play on words, combining Oro, derived from the Spanish word for gold, and Jackson, a potential reference to the real-life pirate Calico Jack.

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The ship played a significant role in the series’ backstory, as it was the vessel that carried Roger and his crew to the end of the Grand Line and the New World. The Oro Jackson was built by Tom, a renowned shipwright from Water 7, who also mentored Franky. It has an important place in One Piece lore.

2
Thousand Sunny

The Thousand Sunny is the current ship of the Straw Hat Pirates and an upgrade from the crew’s previous ship, the Going Merry. The Straw Hat’s shipwright, Franky, designed and built this ship using the legendary Adam Wood, known for its incredible strength and durability.

The ship has a lion figurehead at its bow, reflecting the crew’s adventurous spirit. One of the most notable features of the Thousand Sunny is the Coup de Burst, a propulsion system that allows the ship to momentarily soar through the air by releasing a burst of air from the cola-powered engines. The vessel is faithful to the legacy created by the crew’s original ship, but adds something new to the mix as well.

1
Moby Dick

The Moby Dick was the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates, captained by Edward Newgate, also known as Whitebeard, who was one of the Four Emperors ruling over the New World. The Moby Dick is a massive and powerful ship, reflecting its captain and crew’s immense strength and influence.

Named after the legendary white whale from Herman Melville’s novel, Moby Dick has a whale-themed design. The ship is capable of sailing through the dangerous waters of the Grand Line and the New World, thanks to its impressive size and sturdy construction. Another homage to the legacy of sailors in popular culture.

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