Kaido and Shanks are two of the most powerful pirates in the world of One Piece. They are both Yonko, one of the four most notorious and powerful pirate captains in the One Piece world. There has been an ongoing debate amongst One Piece fans regarding who is stronger between these two titans.
In this article, we will compare Kaido and Shanks in terms of their powers, abilities, feats, portrayals, crews, influence and other factors to determine who is stronger.
Who is Kaido?
Kaido, also known as Kaido of the Beasts, is the captain of the Beasts Pirates and one of the Yonko. He is considered the “Strongest Creature in the World” and is virtually invincible. Kaido possesses immense physical strength and endurance and is able to withstand attacks and damage that would defeat others. He has been captured and tortured 18 times but has never been defeated.
Who is Shanks?
Shanks, also known as “Red-Haired” Shanks, is the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates and one of the Yonko. He is one of the most powerful pirates in the world and one of the Four Emperors in the second half of the Grand Line. Shanks was once a member of Gol D. Roger’s crew and is Luffy’s childhood hero and inspiration. He stopped Kaido from attacking Whitebeard and is respected by Sengoku the Fleet Admiral.
Powers and Abilities
Kaido’s Powers and Abilities
Some of Kaido’s powers and abilities are:
- Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit – Kaido possesses an extremely powerful and rare Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into a massive dragon.
- Immense Strength – He possesses monstrous superhuman strength and is able to sink giant ships and one-shot other powerful characters with ease.
- Incredible Speed and Reflexes – Despite his massive size, he is incredibly fast and possesses tremendous reflexes and agility.
- Tremendous Durability – Kaido seems to be virtually indestructible. He has survived numerous executions, torture methods, and battles without a single scar.
- Advanced Observation Haki – Kaido has shown impressive mastery over Observation Haki, being able to swiftly dodge Luffy’s attack when momentarily distracted.
- Advanced Armament Haki – He can imbue his weapons and attacks with Armament Haki to increase their power and damage potential.
- Powerful Breath Attacks – In dragon form, he can launch massive heat breath attacks that can obliterate his surroundings.
Shanks’ Powers and Abilities
Some of Shanks’ powers and abilities are:
- Swordsmanship – Shanks is an extremely skilled swordsman. He can clash evenly with Mihawk, the world’s greatest swordsman.
- Conqueror’s Haki – Shanks possesses Haoshoku Haki, an incredibly rare form of Haki that only one in a million people possess. He can knock out weak-willed individuals with his Haki.
- Armament Haki – He has shown extremely potent mastery over Armament Haki, allowing him to defend against Akainu’s magma attacks.
- Observation Haki – Shanks has immense mastery of Observation Haki, allowing him to defend against surprise attacks and strike back with extreme precision.
- Speed and Reflexes – Despite having one arm, Shanks can react at tremendous speeds to block Akainu’s magma enhanced punch and Whitebeard’s bisento strike.
- Intelligence and Tactics – Shanks is an extremely intelligent and clever tactician. He ended the war at Marineford with just words and presence.
When their abilities are compared, Kaido seems to have the edge in sheer power and durability while Shanks makes up for it with his skill and mastery over Haki.
Feats of Strength
Kaido’s Feats of Strength
- Defeated Luffy in Gear 4th with one attack
- Knocked out Luffy again while drunk
- One-shotted Luffy after he unlocked Advanced Armament Haki
- Broke through the Dressrosa palace with his dragon form
- Jumped from 10,000 meters and survived unharmed
- Lifted entire islands with his dragon form
Shanks’ Feats of Strength
- Matched blows with Whitebeard, causing the skies to split
- Blocked Akainu’s magma punch with no injury
- Stopped Kaido from attacking Whitebeard
- Arrived at Marineford and stopped the war
- Defeated all of Higuma’s men with just his Conqueror’s Haki
- Matched Mihawk blow for blow when he had both arms
Based on their feats, Kaido clearly demonstrates more raw power and destructive capabilities. However, Shanks has held his own against other top-tiers like Whitebeard and Akainu despite having just one arm.
Portrayals
Kaido’s Portrayal
Some important points about Kaido’s portrayal:
- Called the “Strongest Creature in the World”
- Stated to be unable to die or be killed
- Defeated Luffy multiple times with minimal effort
- Portrayed as an unbeatable monster and major antagonist
- The Gorosei mentioned he cannot be allowed to awaken
- Defeated the alliance of Kid, Hawkins, and Apoo
Shanks’ Portrayal
Some important points about Shanks’ portrayal:
- One of the Four Emperors, rulers of the second half of the Grand Line
- Mihawk and Sengoku hold him in high regard
- Stopped Kaido from attacking Whitebeard
- Ended the Marineford War and schooled Akainu with just words and presence
- Has subtly influenced world events from behind the scenes
- The Five Elders seem wary of provoking him
Kaido is portrayed as a virtually unbeatable monster while Shanks gets more subtle hype for his intimidating presence, honor, and connections.
Crews
Kaido’s Crew
The Beasts Pirates crew consists of:
- All-Stars – King, Queen, and Jack
- Tobiroppo – X Drake, Page One, Ulti, Who’s Who, Sasaki, Black Maria
- Numbers – An army of giant ancient giants
- Headliners – Strong crewmates with bounties of at least 300 million berries
- Pleasures – Crewmates made into mindless smiling zombies by Kaido
- Waiters – Standard crewmates
- Gifters – Crewmates empowered by artificial Devil Fruits
Overall, they have massive numbers, crews of highly loyal and powerful pirates, and an entire army of zombies.
Shanks’ Crew
The Red-Haired Pirates crew consists of:
- Benn Beckman – First mate and extremely intelligent
- Lucky Roo – Expert marksman and very quick
- Yasopp – Expert sniper and father of Usopp
- Rockstar – Worshipper of Shanks
- Other members – Remain mostly unknown but expected to be powerful
Although Shanks has far fewer members, they are likely individually very powerful based on Beckman and Yasopp’s portrayal.
Kaido’s crew has the advantage in terms of size and numbers. Shanks’ crew is extremely elite but with far fewer members.
Influence and Connections
Kaido’s Influence
- Ruled over Wano Country for several decades
- Built up a massive army of SMILE fruit users
- Formed a partnership with Donquixote Doflamingo
- Allied with Scratchmen Apoo before betraying him
- Conquered portions of Wano with sheer power
Shanks Influence
- Well-respected by the Gorosei and marine leaders
- Ended the paramount war with just his presence
- Negotiated a ceasefire with Whitebeard
- Seems to know where Raftel is located
- Has territories in the New World under his protection
Kaido rules through power and fear while Shanks uses respect and reputation to influence global affairs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Kaido seems to have the edge in terms of sheer power, durability and combat feats. He is portrayed as an virtually unkillable monster who has tremendous physical strength and endurance. However, Shanks makes up for it with his advanced Haki, speed, intelligence and reputation. He has stood against top tiers like Whitebeard and Akainu and influenced global affairs.
Ultimately, there is no definitive way to determine who is stronger between the two until they face each other directly. They both have very powerful abilities and neither of them have shown their full strength. Their only direct clash was inconclusive. It is likely that they are comparable in overall power with very different fighting styles.
Kaido’s title as the “Strongest Creature” should not be ignored but Shanks’ more subtle hype and standing amongst top tiers cannot be discounted either. Their final duel, if it ever happens, would surely be legendary and demonstrate the apex of power in the One Piece world.