The Marines, in real life, are always viewed as good people who are the representation of justice. But in the world of One Piece, it’s quite a different story. In the manga and anime, the pirates take center stage and the Marines play the role of the antagonist in all the popular arcs in One Piece. However, not all Marine officers are downright immoral, as we have seen several righteous officers such as Garp, Tashigi, and many more. The concept of justice is a complex theme among the Marines, but that’s not our focus for today. In this article, we will take you through a complete breakdown of the Marine ranking system in One Piece. You will learn about the different ranks and roles in the Marines and how they play a crucial part in upholding the law in the One Piece world where pirates rule the sea.
Marine Ranks in One Piece: A Guide (2023)
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers about the story and the Marine characters in One Piece. We suggest you watch the anime or read the manga first to avoid ruining the intended experience.
Who Are the Marines in One Piece?
In the One Piece universe, the World Government stands tall above anyone else in the world. As a result, they have created a military sea force known as the Marines to maintain law and order and to preserve peace on the seas that pirates are threatening to dominate and rule.
The Marines have numerous tasks such as military operations, international security, and law enforcement. They have a main headquarters and various marine bases of operation scattered throughout the seas. Together they are considered one of the Three Great Powers in the world of One Piece. Despite being the face of justice, they are seen as one of the major antagonists in the show and in some of the One Piece movies. Much like real-life military forces, the Marines in One Piece also have a complex hierarchy system, which we have discussed in this article in detail.
One Piece: Marines Ranking (High to Low)
The Marines have their own ranking system, which is easy to understand as it’s a simple hierarchical structured system. Additionally, One Piece manga author Eiichiro Oda has also explained it in detail in his SBS (Q&A) interviews. So, it’s time to dive into the world of Marines and explore their ranks now, shall we?
In the image below, the Marine ranks in One Piece are listed in the highest to lowest order. We have followed the same approach to let you know about the power of each Marine rank and what their members bring to the table:
Commissioned Marine Officers
The Commissioned Marines Officers (Kaigun Shōkō) are considered the elites of the Marines. Each role in this division possesses a certain amount of leadership and has subordinates to carry out their orders. There is a total of 11 ranks from Fleet Admiral to Ensign. The power levels of a Marine can also be assumed based on their position. For example, the Fleet Admiral is the strongest above all in terms of powers and authority. The ranks inside the Commissioned Marines Officers are as follows:
Fleet Admiral
The Fleet Admirals (Gensui) are the highest-ranking officers among the Marines, and they directly work under the Commander-in-chief (more on this below) and the Five Elders. They are considered to be the strongest person in terms of both power and authority. Fleet Admirals are generally seen in a traditional white suit, but it is personally stylized according to the individual. They are also seen donning pure gold epaulets and white cuffs.
They can issue the Buster Call on their own or give orders to a lower-ranking officer. Furthermore, the Fleet Admirals are also the only ones to be known to revoke a Warlord of the sea title. Currently, Sakazuki aka Akainu is the Fleet Admiral of the Marines. Before the Marineford war, Sengoku used to be one.
Former Fleet Admirals Current Fleet Admiral Kong (Commander-in-Chief now) Sakazuki Sengoku (Inspector General now)
Admiral
The Admirals (Taishō) in One Piece are the second highest rank in the Marines. These are the people you should not even think of messing with as they are powerful and are popularly known as the World Government’s “Greatest Military Powers”. The general uniform of the Admirals sees them wearing their own clothing underneath their Justice coat with golden epaulets and cuffs. The color of the epaulets and cuffs varies according to an Admiral.
Along with the Fleet Admiral, the Admirals are the only people in the Marines who can order the Buster Call on any island, which seems to pose a significant threat. When the fans see an Admiral, we automatically know that the seriousness is going to hit the roofs. Moreover, the positions left vacant by Aokiji’s resignation and the promotion of Akainu to Fleet Admiral were filled by Fujitora and Ryokugyu. Therefore, Ryokugyu, Fujitora, and Kizaru are the ones currently appointed as the three admirals in One Piece.
Former Admirals Current Admirals Sakazuki (Fleet Admiral now) Kizaru Sengoku (Promoted to Fleet Admiral) Fujitora Aokiji (Resigned) Ryokugyu
Vice Admiral
Even though the Fleet Admiral and Admirals are the most terrifying Marines, anyone would also think twice before messing with the Vice Admirals (Chūjō). They are the third highest-ranking Marine officers in One Piece, so you can predict the authority they possess and how insanely powerful they are.
Vice Admirals are powerful and comprise of versatile characters, ranging from Swordsmen to Rokushiki users. An absolute for becoming a Vice Admiral is that the person must know everything about Haki in One Piece and can at least perform a type of Haki. From this rank and above, everyone knows and can perform Haki. For example, Monkey D. Garp was one of the strongest Haki users in his prime.
The general clothing style of the Vice Admirals includes a suit and tie underneath the Marine coat with epaulets. They don’t typically wear the Marine badge as they just put it on their back with their hands out, which is uber-cool to see. Check out some fun facts about the Vice-Admirals in the anime:
- You must be wondering why a powerful marine like Monkey D. Garp is stuck at this rank. The reason is that once a person reaches above the Vice Admiral rank, they are under the direct control of Celestial Dragons and the World Government. Garp clearly despises them, and that’s why he rejects his promotions.
- Most of the Giants who became Marines were qualified for Vice Admiral positions, which shows how unbelievably strong they were.
- During a Buster Call, at least five Vice Admirals are sent in that fleet to assist the situation.
Some of the famous Vice Admirals in One Piece are:
| Former Vice Admirals | Current Vice Admirals |
|---|---|
| Jaguar D. Saul (deserted) | Monkey D. Garp |
| Sakazuki (was promoted to Admiral) | John Giant |
| Aokiji(was promoted to Admiral) | Tsuru |
| Kizaru (was promoted to Admiral) | Smoker |
| Vergo (Died) | Gion |
Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral (Shōshō) is the lowest ranking position among the Admirals, but it is the fourth highest rank among the Marines. They have complete influence over all lower-ranking marines, but they are part of the Admirals with the least amount of power. But don’t let this fact fool you as Real Admirals are completely different in terms of powers.
They are strong and the ones with the highest reputation and potential are given extra authority and assigned additional responsibilities too. Hina is one of the notable rear admirals now and is a perfect example of that.
Former Rear Admirals Current Rear Admirals X-Drake (Undercover & Captain of SWORD) Hina Strawberry (Vice Admiral now) Prince Grus
Commodore
Commodore (Junshō) is a level above the Marine captain and has absolute order over any marines lower in rank than them. Overall, they are the fifth highest-ranking officer in the Marines and are entrusted with important missions and authoritative matters that are too big of a deal for Captains and others to handle.
For example – Daigin, who was assigned to capture Luffy in Impel Down, was a Commodore. Additionally, ever wondered who assigns a bounty to pirates, Brannew (a Commodore) is the man behind it. He has assigned some of the highest bounties in One Piece and directly reports to Fleet Admiral. He is a special case of Commodore.
Former Commodores Current Commodores Smoker (was promoted to Vice Admiral) Brannew Pudding Pudding (Died) Daigin Yarisugi
Captain
Captain (Taisa) position is where things start to get serious for someone who has risen up in the ranks in the Marines. Each Captain acts as the commander of the Marine branches, which are all built around different islands in the One Piece world. They often set out to the seas to capture the pirates who pose a threat, and thus, maintain peace across the seas. A Marine Captain in One Piece is assumed to be the leader if there are no other higher-ranking officers than them on the ship.
The Captains are regarded to be the stronger marine officers who shouldn’t be messed with in the eyes of a pirate. Furthermore, some of the popular Marines have powerful devil fruit powers and greater combat prowesses as well. They are also highly knowledgeable and possess advanced tactical knowledge. Fan favorites such as Koby and Tashigi climbed all the way up to become Captains now. Remember Shu, who destroyed one of the Zoro’s swords, he is also a Marine captain now. Some of the well-known Captains in One Piece are:
Former Captains Current Captains Smoker (was promoted to Commodore) Koby Morgan (Discharged) Tashigi Hina (was promoted to Rear Admiral) Shu Vergo (was promoted to Vice Admiral) Sharinguru T-Bone (was promoted to Rear Admiral) Very Good
Commanders/ Lieutenants
The Commander (Chūsa), Lieutenant Commander (Shōsa), Lieutenant (Taii), and Lieutenant Junior Grade (Chūi) are well-known ranks in the Marines. But we don’t have much information about all these ranks and the difference between them is also unclear as of now. The only popular commander we know is Donquixote Rosinante, whom we have seen in Law’s flashback. The Lieutenant Commander is known as a Major sometimes, and the famous officers we have seen in the anime are Jango and Helmeppo.
Ensign
Ensign (Shōi) is the last and lowest rank in this Commissioned Marine Officers division. They are allowed to wear the Kanji “正義” sign for justice on the rear of their clothing. All Marine officers from this position and above are allowed to wear the Kanji for justice badge. Before Tashigi (who is one of the best female characters in One Piece) became a Captain, she used to be an Ensign officer.
Infantry and Sailor Division
The Infantry and Sailor division is also a part of the Marines and includes various roles. They are generally tasked with missions and carry out them as per the Commissioned Officers’ orders. The different types of roles in this division are:
Warrant Officer
The Warrant Officer is the highest position one could get in the Infantry and Sailor division. There are no known characters in this rank as of now.
Master Chief Petty Officer
Master Chief Petty Officer (Jun’i), also referred to as Petty Officer First Class, is the second-highest position in the Infantry Division in the Marines. Our favorites Tashigi and Koby used to be Master Chief Petty Officers before they were promoted to higher ranks.
Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer (Gunsō) is the second class of petty officers. We don’t know much about this position. But the notable father-son combo namely “Axe-Hand” Morgan and Helmeppo are former Chief Petty Officers in One Piece.
Petty Officer
Petty Officer (Gochō) aka Petty Officer Third Class is the fifteenth highest position in the Marines. Once a marine goes all the way from being a Chore Boy to a Petty Officer, they are given the green signal to wear different kinds of clothes. They can even wear ordinary clothes. However, many officers like to wear a traditional uniform, which looks sailor-like.
There aren’t any known characters who held this title earlier. But, non-canon characters such as the villain Zephyr (from One Piece Film: Z) and Komei (from Adventure of Nebulandia special) worked as former Petty Officers.
Seaman Workers
The Seaman First Class (Ittōhei), Seaman Apprentice (Nitōhei), and Seaman Recruit (Santōhei) are also known ranks in the Infantry and Sailor Division in One Piece Marines. They are trained soldiers who tag along with Captains in missions and can aid in battles. Apparently, there is no detailed information on their ranks, and the difference between these three ranks is also unknown.
Chore Boy
From their title, you can already guess what they do at the marine bases. Their main responsibility is to maintain the bases and equipment used by the Marines. Moreover, Chore boy is the marines’ lowest rank. The Chore Boys (Zatsuyō) don’t wear any sort of formal attire. They receive blue trousers and a plain white shirt. Once we saw Koby and Helmeppo become Chore Boys in the Koby and Helmeppo Arc in One Piece.
Special Marine Ranks
Commander-in-Chief
The World Government’s Commander-in-Chief is a special position, and technically, it is a title that belongs to the World Government. But this rank has its ties to the Marine, and therefore, needs to be addressed in this article. The Commander-in-Chief is a level above the Fleet Admiral, which means they work directly under the Five Elders. They have full command over not just the entire Marine organization, but also the Cipher Pols, and the Warlord of the seas (disbanded now).
With unreal authority, they can give any order to anyone and the only ones who can revoke his decisions are the Gorosei (Five Elders). The Fleet Admiral can get promoted to this unique position if they accomplish their role as a Fleet Admiral greatly. Thus, Kong, who used to be the Fleet Admiral before Sengoku got promoted to the Commander-in-Chief position in the anime.
Inspector General
The Inspector General (Ōmetsuke) is another special rank where the officer’s sole duty is to monitor and investigate any kind of corruption, mismanagement, and misconduct in the Marine organization. We only know one person who is currently working as the Inspector General, and it is the former Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Instructor
Instructor (Kyōkan) is the last special rank we have on our list here. It is a prestigious role as these officers have the duty of coaching the newest Marine recruits so they can grow in terms of power and start climbing the ranks. Usually, highly reputed Marines who are resigning or retiring are requested to turn into instructors so they can shape the future better.
Garp still continues to hold his Vice Admiral title but also became an Instructor in One Piece. He took Koby and Helmeppo under his wing and look at how they are shining in their high ranks now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most powerful Marine One Piece?
As of now, based on their powers and experience, Monkey D. Garp has to be the strongest marine in One Piece. But this record might get broken as there are many powerful admirals with versatile devil fruit powers in One Piece who can surpass Garp.
Who are the 3 Marine admirals in One Piece?
After Aokiji left and Akainu became the fleet admiral, Fujitora and Ryokugyu filled the empty Admiral positions. Thus, Kizaru along with Fujitora and Ryokugyu are the three admirals in One Piece.
What are the ranks of the Marines in One Piece?
There are up to 19 different ranks in the Marines system. We have listed all of them in a detailed manner above.
Marine Ranks in One Piece Explained
In One Piece, we have seen several Marines, ranging from some of the coolest like Garp to fearsome ones like Akainu and Kizaru. We also got the latest addition to the Admirals with Ryokugu whose devil fruit powers are just bonkers. With the end game approaching soon, we will witness the biggest clash between the pirates and the Marines in the One Piece manga and anime. Until then, we hope we were able to explain the ranking system used by the Marines easily and concisely. We will regularly update this article if there is any change in the ranking system or if a newer rank is introduced. Stay tuned for more articles about the Marines soon. In the meantime, let us know your favorite rank in Marines in the comments below.
