Haki and Devil Fruits are major power systems of the One Piece world; however, they aren’t the only relevant sources of power around. Oda has revealed that beyond these standard power systems, love is also a real ability to make use of in One Piece. This ability can be more literal through Boa Hancock’s Mero Mero no Mi, or it can provide more fuel through passion for characters like Sanji.
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Sanji
Sanji is an essential member of the Straw Hat Pirates crew, acting as their cook and one of their main fighters. Sanji’s childhood was traumatic. As a kid, he only knew the love of his mother, Sora, but after her death, his life took a major turn. He was imprisoned by his father and was only able to escape thanks to his older sister, Reiju. Sanji would then live through another catastrophe when the ship he was on sank, and he ended up on a rock for weeks without any food. Nevertheless, Sanji overcame all this, and he remains one of the kindest characters in One Piece, especially thanks to Zeff’s guidance.
In the One Piece story, Sanji is one of the most relevant users of the power of love. In Enies Lobby, Sanji was able to ignite his leg through passion alone. This is something that fans assumed was due to his genetic powers, but Oda revealed that this was possible through his passion. Oda also confirmed that his soul burns hotter than even fire. In Elbaf, Sanji learned to channel Conqueror’s Haki due to his power of love.
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Scopper Gaban
Scopper Gaban was the left-hand man of the late pirate Gol D. Roger. With it, Gaban is definitely one of the strongest characters around, even now that he is so far out of his prime. For a long time, fans were waiting for Roger’s left hand to make an entrance. Finally, in Elbaf, this became a reality. Immediately after his introduction, Gaban went on to announce himself as the missionary of love.
Keeping in mind that Gaban and Sanji are supposed to be mirrors of each other, it’s unsurprising to see that he also holds the power of love, something that is fueled through his love for his family in his case.
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Boa Hancock
In One Piece, Boa Hancock now stands as the strongest female character after the fall of Yonko Big Mom during the Wano arc. Hancock was first introduced during Amazon Lily, and she immediately caught everyone’s attention. She is the most literal user of the power of love, thanks to her Paramecia Devil Fruit, the Mero Mero no Mi, which literally translates to the Love Love Fruit.
Through this Devil Fruit, Hancock acquires some of the most broken abilities seen in the series. Anyone who feels even the slightest bit of attraction towards her can be immediately turned to stone through her love beam. Of course, Hancock can also turn pretty much anyone into stone through her other attacks on physical contact. Nevertheless, even her Devil Fruit aside, Hancock is an emotionally charged character who has suffered greatly through her enslavement by the Celestial Dragons, and her love for Luffy keeps her going.
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S-Snake
The Seraphims are powerful beings created by the combination of the Lineage Factor of the Shichibukai and the Lunarians. Out of these Seraphims, S-Snake is definitely a standout character.
S-Snake, who is a clone of Shichibukai Boa Hancock, shares many similarities with her. S-Snake, just like Boa Hancock, is in love with Luffy even though she does not have the same memories as Hancock. Not only that, but through Green Blood, S-Snake also possesses the same Devil Fruit power as Boa Hancock, which allows her to use the ability of the Mero Mero no Mi through her cuteness.
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Shakky
Shakuyaku, also known as Shakky, was once the Kuja Empress two generations before Hancock. Shakky, like the other Kuja captains, is interlinked with the concept of love. After all, the Kuja Empresses are all stated to, at some point in their lives, be afflicted with a love sickness which can lead to their death. Shakky, however, was able to escape this fate by leaving Amazon Lily and going with the one she loves, Rayleigh.
In the God Valley flashback, fans saw Shakky make use of her striking beauty and strength to defeat her enemies. She was able to single-handedly take down the Roger Pirates. This definitely makes her one of the most dangerous users of love. Shakky might have her time to shine again in the Final Saga if she makes a comeback with Rayleigh.
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Kuma
Kuma has been a fan favorite member of the Shichibukai for a while. First making his proper introduction during Thriller Bark, Kuma has left quite the impression on fans. He was important again during Sabaody Archipelago, where he became the one to save the Straw Hat Pirates. He went on to make another major comeback in the final saga during Egghead.
As we know, Kuma was enslaved early on in life and experimented upon, transforming him into a cyborg Pacifista. Nevertheless, despite all of that, Kuma pushes on thanks to the power of his love. During Egghead, despite his current status, he still managed to break free from control to save and protect his adopted daughter, Jewelry Bonney, all because of love.
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Portgas D. Rouge
Portgas D. Rouge is a character who played a major role in the story even though she only made a short appearance through a flashback. As the mother of Ace, Rouge was not a fighter, but she definitely had the power of love at her disposal. With the power of love, Rouge did the impossible. Instead of carrying Ace in her womb for nine months and risking him dying at the hands of the Marines and the World Government, she was able to push her pregnancy to 20 months. As a result, Rouge was able to save Ace’s life, but she perished in the process.
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Monkey D. Garp
Monkey D. Garp is the grandfather of Luffy and the father of Dragon. Throughout the One Piece Story, Garp has been incredibly relevant, now more than ever, since his capture by the Blackbeard Pirates.
Garp has always been an interesting character, and despite his rowdy nature, even he makes use of the power of love. Garp has an iconic attack that is sometimes also used as a gag known as the Fist of Love. When asked in an SBS about this attack and how he can harm Luffy despite him having a rubber body, Oda answered that it wasn’t due to Haki or anything of that nature, but simply due to love.
All the chapters of One Piece by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.