Key insights
- In the pirate adventure world of One Piece there are many crews, some with many, others with only a few prominent characters.
- Some crews in particular have a very prominent main character as a captain, but lack any exploration beyond that.
- The Drake Pirates are a good example of a crew that could be expanded further in the future.
The pirate crews are here One piece are naturally one of the most prominent groups within the series. Even if a crew is not fully explored, at least some members outside of the captain are typically identified to provide greater insight into the crew.
However, this is not always the case. There are a handful of crews in the series that only name one crew member and otherwise tend to focus on individual members of each crew. This list presents some crews who are largely unknown and unnamed, with their captain usually being the only exception in this regard. When a crew is not identified, it is often mainly due to the captain's already limited importance.
6 About air pirates
Captain: Scratchmen Apoo
- debut: Chapter 498 (Manga), Episode 392 (Anime)
- main nave: Stay tuned
This crew was one of ten whose captain qualified for the worst generation, implying a certain level of prestige as a crew. They appear to be from the Grand Line and many of them have outfits similar to those once worn by the Manchu people. Her captain is Scratchmen Apoo, who stands out as the only Longarm of the Worst Generation. Like many of their Worst Generation crewmates, the On Air Pirates were ultimately at the mercy of an Emperor, namely Kaido of the Beasts Pirates.
As a result, they joined his crew and eventually negotiated a mock alliance with other Worst Generation crews, namely the Kid Pirates and the Hawkins Pirates, with the Ultimate Crew adding them to the Beasts Pirates. It is revealed that Apoo himself has no real loyalty to the Beasts Pirates, instead sticking with the crew largely out of fear and harboring little, if any, real loyalty towards them.
5 Brownbeard Pirates
Captain: Chadros “Brownbeard” Higelyges
- debut: Chapter 581 (Manga), Chapter 490 (Anime)
- main nave: Charles Martel
This crew first came to viewers' attention shortly after the Summit War, when Whitebeard's death led Brownbeard to claim Foodvalten, a territory previously protected by Whitebeard. However, they were badly beaten by Basil Hawkins, captain of the Hawkins Pirates and one of the 12 pirates known as the Worst Generation.
After they made their way to Punk Hazard, Trafalgar D. Water Law used his powers to save their lives and turn them into centaurs. The crew subsequently served as Caesar Clown's subordinates and held him and Law in high regard. However, Brownbeard eventually realized that Caesar was using her. Unfortunately, the crew, except for Brownbeard, were exposed to Shinokuni, a potentially deadly petrifying gas. However, after Caesar Clown's defeat, Smoker allows Brownbeard to free his crewmates before they die as long as he accepts the arrest.
4 Fallen Monk Pirates
Captain: Urouge
- debut: Chapter 498 (Manga), Episode 392 (Anime)
- main nave: Hanjomaru
This Worst Generation crew hails from the Sky Islands, although it is unclear exactly which island they are from. In keeping with their name, Fallen Monk Pirates tend to wear garb reminiscent of those dedicated to religion. An unknown member even has a tonsure, a haircut common among monks in which the hair on the head is shaved. Their captain is the “mad monk” Urouge, himself a mysterious being with little else known about him other than a currently unnamed devil fruit power and an ever-present smile.
Although the nicknames of Urouge and his crew suggest a departure from orthodoxy. They appear to be at least somewhat religiously inclined, as Urouge prayed for Kaido when he witnessed his suicide attempt. They were able to beat an Emperor's top brass, as Charlotte Snack of the Big Mom Pirates was demoted from his Sweet Commander rank due to her defeat against Urouge. However, they were forced to retreat after losing to Cracker, another Sweet Commander.
Although it is unclear whether the crew will evolve beyond their current extent, one would assume that at least Urouge will evolve throughout the story, as he is now the only member of the Worst Generation whose paths have not crossed with Luffy .
3 Space pirates
Captain: Seamars
- debut: Chapter 438 (Manga; Title Story)
- main nave: Unknown
The Space Pirates are an alien crew that more closely resemble animals in appearance. Their known piracy usually involves digging up the moon. They are only shown in the cover story, Enel's great space operationswhich serve as effective antagonists. The Space Pirates previously caused an explosion on the moon, causing a Doctor Tsukimi to suffocate from shock. His creations, four automatons, decided to travel to the moon to seek revenge, but they were no match for the space pirates.
Enel manages to revive one of the four automatons, Spacey, who leads him to the Seamars, the pirate captain who defeated him. Enel despises Seamars for desecrating the moon and defeats him with ease, his Logia devil fruit protecting him from most attacks. Enel eventually attacks the entire crew more decisively, effectively ending their operations on the Moon. Enel took over the moon, the fairy Vearth from his people's legends, with his newfound automatons acting as subordinates.
2 Drake Pirates
Captain: X Drake
- debut: Chapter 498 (Manga), Episode 392 (Anime)
- main nave: Liberal Hind
The son of a Marine turned pirate, X Drake himself left his father's crew and joined the Marines. He was mentored by former Fleet Admiral Sengoku and eventually worked his way up to the rank of Rear Admiral. Despite this fact, he eventually returned to piracy and founded the Drake Pirates, which became one of the crews of the Worst Generation. His team has a European aesthetic and tends to resemble fencers in design.
Drake's piracy became apparent when he attempted to attack one of Kaido's favorite areas, apparently successfully, in order to provoke him. Since then, Drake has worked his way up the Beasts Pirates chain of command, reaching the rank of Tobiroppo, the third highest rank in the crew. However, after the Ninja Pirates-Mink Samurai Alliance declared war on Kaido, Drake was eventually forced to defect from the Beasts Pirates as he was accused of disloyalty.
It turns out that Drake is actually the captain of SWORD, a secret unit for officially retired marines who carry out secret operations on behalf of the world government. His decision to side with Luffy was partly out of respect for Koby, who is also a member of SWORD. It's unclear how he balances his cunning as a pirate with the existence of his crew. It is possible that they are also SWORD members, but since this has not been explicitly stated, it is equally possible that they are unaware of the truth. Drake was last seen recovering in a naval hospital, making the question of whether he can continue acting as a pirate even more unclear.
1 Most subordinate crews
Captain: Various
- debut: Varies depending on the character and is conceptually introduced around Chapter 551 (Manga) and Episode 460 (Anime).
- main nave: Varies depending on the character
Subordinate crews are those who serve under another crew. They are often used by emperors to further consolidate their power and influence. Members are not technically part of the crew they serve under and maintain their own chain of command. However, their exact relationship to the crew they serve under varies depending on which crew is in command.
Subordinate crews were first shown in detail at Marineford, with many of Whitebeards taking part in the Summit War. Here, in addition to Whitebeard's many division commanders and teammates, a number of subordinate teams also take the field. Whitebeard's subordinate captains include Little Oars Jr., Whitey Bay, AO, and Squard. A handful of subordinate captains are confirmed to have been Whitebeard Pirates themselves before forming their own crews.
The Peachbeard Pirates are the only known subordinate crew of the Blackbeard Pirates. They prove strong enough to defeat the Marines stationed in the Kingdom of Lulusia, but are ultimately defeated by four Revolutionary Army officers. It is stated that Blackbeard does not care about his subordinate crews.
The Red Hair Pirates are known for having weak subordinate crews. Examples include the Bourgeois Pirates (led by Pururu), the Social Club (led by Fugar), and the Puddle Pirates (led by Gerotini). It's possible that Shanks is trying to use his reputation to protect them, much like Whitebeard did with his territories. However, this is pure speculation for now.
It should be noted that not all subordinate crews fit into this category. The Sun Pirates and the Fire Tank Pirates, despite previously serving under Big Mom, have several named members as they were more relevant to the story. Additionally, all seven Straw Hat Grand Fleet crews have multiple named members for the exact same reason.
