Let's be real: the Marines are terrifying. Not because of the rank-and-file soldiers who get knocked out by a single blast of Conqueror's Haki, but because of the absolute monsters sitting on those three chairs. The One Piece three admirals are basically the World Government’s "nuclear option." If you're a pirate and you see a gold-trimmed white coat fluttering in the wind, you’ve basically already lost.
Eiichiro Oda didn't just make these guys strong. He made them symbols. Originally, we had Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu—a trio inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro (the pheasant, the monkey, and the dog) and modeled after legendary Japanese actors like Yusaku Matsuda and Bunta Sugawara. But the dynamic has changed since the timeskip. The lineup isn't what it used to be, and honestly, that’s where things get interesting for the Final Saga.
The Original Powerhouse: Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu
Back at Marineford, the One Piece three admirals were the wall that the Whitebeard Pirates couldn't climb. It wasn't just about their Devil Fruit powers, though Logias are inherently broken. It was about their philosophy.
Akainu, or Sakazuki, represents "Absolute Justice." This guy is a zealot. He’s the type of person who would blow up a civilian evacuation ship—which he did at Ohara—just to make sure a single scholar didn't escape. His Magu Magu no Mi is canonically one of the highest offensive-power fruits in the entire series. It doesn't just burn; it consumes. When he fought Aokiji on Punk Hazard for the position of Fleet Admiral, he literally changed the island's climate forever. That’s a level of power that transcends mere combat.
Then you have Kizaru (Borsalino). He’s the wildcard. Kizaru is "Unclear Justice." He’s always acting like he’s high or just woke up from a nap, yet he moves at the speed of light. You can't hit what you can't see, and you definitely can't dodge a kick that happens at $299,792,458$ meters per second. He’s the only one of the original trio still holding his position, which says a lot about his reliability despite his lazy demeanor.
Aokiji (Kuzan) was the "Lazy Justice" guy. He was the one we actually liked. He let Robin go. He spared Luffy at Long Ring Long Land. But after losing to Akainu, he left the Marines and joined the Blackbeard Pirates. Think about that for a second. One of the strongest defenders of "justice" is now hanging out with the most chaotic pirate crew in the world.
How the World Government Replaced Its Heavy Hitters
When Akainu moved up to Fleet Admiral and Aokiji quit, the World Government had a massive power vacuum. They didn't just promote from within. They held a "World Military Draft." That’s how we got Fujitora and Ryokugyu.
Fujitora (Issho) is fascinating. He’s blind, yet he’s probably the most observant person in the series. He represents "Blind Justice," and unlike Akainu, he actually cares about civilians. He was the one who pushed to abolish the Seven Warlords system because he saw how much damage Crocodile and Doflamingo caused. His Zushi Zushi no Mi lets him manipulate gravity. He can literally pull a meteor out of orbit. Imagine trying to fight a guy who can drop a space rock on your head because he doesn't like the way you talk.
Then there’s Ryokugyu (Aramaki). This guy is a piece of work. He represents "Determined Justice," which basically means he’s an Akainu fanboy. He believes in the celestial dragons' superiority and thinks people who aren't part of the World Government have no rights. His Mori Mori no Mi (the Woods-Woods fruit) is a Logia that lets him turn into a giant forest entity. He can drain the nutrients out of people, essentially turning them into husks. It’s brutal.
The Problem With the New Admiral Dynamic
The original One Piece three admirals felt like a cohesive unit, even if they didn't always agree. They were peers. The new trio—Kizaru, Fujitora, and Ryokugyu—is fractured. Fujitora actively works against the interests of his superiors if it means doing the "right" thing. Ryokugyu is a loose cannon who goes on unsanctioned missions to Wano just to impress Akainu. Kizaru is stuck in the middle, looking increasingly tired of everyone's nonsense.
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This internal friction is a huge deal. In a battle against a Yonko crew, you need synergy. If Fujitora is refusing to attack because there are civilians nearby, and Ryokugyu is overextending because he’s arrogant, the Marines are vulnerable. We saw this at the Reverie when the Revolutionary Army's commanders managed to hold their own against the admirals because the admirals couldn't go all out without destroying Mary Geoise.
Misconceptions About Admiral Level vs. Yonko Level
Fans love to argue about "Admiral Level" vs "Yonko Level." It’s the ultimate powerscaling debate. People often point to Whitebeard manhandling Akainu at Marineford as proof that Yonko are superior. But let's look at the nuance. Whitebeard was the "Strongest Man in the World," and even then, Akainu managed to blow half his face off and put two holes in his chest.
The One Piece three admirals are designed to be the counterweights to the Yonko. If a single Admiral could easily beat a Yonko, the Marines would have wiped out the pirates long ago. If a Yonko could easily beat an Admiral, the World Government would have collapsed. It's a stalemate.
Key details to remember:
- Admirals possess Advanced Armament and Advanced Observation Haki.
- They have likely "Awakened" their Devil Fruits, as seen by the permanent climate change on Punk Hazard.
- Their stamina is insane; Akainu and Aokiji fought for ten days straight. Most battles in One Piece last less than an hour.
Why the Admirals Matter Now More Than Ever
We are in the endgame. The Egghead Island arc showed us that the One Piece three admirals are being forced to make choices. Kizaru had to fight his old friend Vegapunk. You could see the conflict in his eyes—or at least, behind his shades. He wasn't the emotionless killing machine Akainu wanted him to be.
This is the central theme of the Marines' side of the story. Can you truly serve a corrupt system while maintaining your humanity? Aokiji said no and left. Fujitora is trying to change it from the inside. Kizaru is just following orders and hurting himself in the process.
The "Three Admirals" isn't just a rank. It's a burden. It’s the weight of the entire world’s "peace" resting on the shoulders of three men who have to commit atrocities to keep that peace. As Luffy gets closer to Laugh Tale, he’s going to have to go through them. Not just as obstacles, but as the final guardians of the old world order.
Actionable Strategy for Following the Final Saga
To truly understand where the Admiral storyline is going, you should pay attention to these specific threads in the manga and anime:
Watch Kuzan’s (Aokiji) movements. He isn't just a Blackbeard lackey. He has his own agenda, likely tied to his "Lazy Justice" roots. His interaction with Garp at Hachinosu proved he still has lingering attachments, but he's willing to freeze his mentor to stay undercover.
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Track the "Holy Knights." The introduction of the God's Knights suggests the Admirals might not be the final bosses of the World Government. If the Admirals are the public face, the Knights are the private security. This might lead to a situation where the Admirals actually defect or refuse to fight for the Celestial Dragons.
Monitor Kizaru’s mental state. After the events of Egghead, Borsalino is at a breaking point. If the "Unclear Justice" becomes clear, the Marines lose their fastest asset.
Re-read the Ohara flashback. Understanding the history between Akainu, Aokiji, and the scholars gives you the blueprint for their current motivations. Everything happening now started twenty years ago at that Buster Call.
The power of the One Piece three admirals isn't just in their Haki or their fruits. It's in their narrative weight. They are the personification of the Marines' internal struggle. Whether they remain the "Greatest Military Power" or crumble under the weight of their own conflicting ideologies is the biggest question left in the series. Keep an eye on the coats. The justice written on their backs is starting to look a lot more complicated than it did at the start of the journey.