10 underused One Piece characters, ranked

Over the course of 25 years, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece has introduced more than a thousand unique characters. Unfortunately, despite the breadth of the series, it has not been feasible to provide the same space and attention to every character. However, it is particularly disheartening when significant characters, who have previously played crucial roles and remain an integral part of the epic journey to see who becomes the next Pirate King, are overlooked.

Ace, for instance, is someone many One Piece fans believe deserves more attention. Oda addressed this by dedicating a light novel to the character, but unfortunately, this approach cannot be applied every time a character appears with great potential and yet gets neglected in the story.

Here is a list of some underused One Piece characters ranked based on how underutilized they are in the story with respect to their potential.

Disclaimer: This list has been curated according to the writer's personal opinions.

Underused One Piece characters who deserve way more space and time in the story

10) Pell

Pell as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei)

Pell, an absolute fan favorite, won everyone's heart during the Alabasta Kingdom arc. As one of the two main guards of the Alabasta Kingdom, he was ready to embrace death for the safety of his kingdom.

However, Oda ultimately decided to keep him alive, but he gave the character minimal attention once the arc was over. This is particularly sad considering the recent events where King Cobra, whom Chaka had escorted to the meeting with the Five Elders, has been killed and Vivi has disappeared.

9) Hancock

Underused One Piece character Hancock as seen in the anime (Image via Toei)

Boa Hancock of One Piece is the captain of the Kuja Pirates and the only female Warlord of the Sea. She played a vital role in helping Luffy enter Impel Down to save Ace and protecting Luffy from the Navy. However, the fact that she was immediately defeated by Blackbeard tarnished her image.

8) Fujitora

Underused One Piece character Fujitora (Image via Toei)

Marine Admiral Fujitora is regarded as one of the few high-ranking Navy officers who can be considered just. He has done a lot to challenge the Navy's self-image, with the hopes of forcing them to acknowledge their mistakes and strive for a better future.

For instance, he campaigned successfully for the dissolution of the Seven Warlord System after witnessing the World Government's complacency in allowing pirates to abuse this position. Despite the good work, Admiral Fujitora has been relegated to the margins of the story.

7) Rayleigh

Underused One Piece character Rayleigh as seen in the anime (Image via Toei)

Silvers Rayleigh, also known as the Dark King, was once the right-hand man of Gol D. Roger. However, One Piece fans have only seen a fraction of his true powers, which are speculated to be a speck in comparison to what he possessed in his prime.

It is a natural consequence of aging and his decision to retire from piracy. Moreover, having already served in the Pirate King's crew and knowing there is nothing more to do, Rayleigh has become more of a mentor to the younger generation, like Luffy, to guide them on their journey to claim the title of the next Pirate King.

6) Smoker

Underused One Piece character Smoker (Image via Toei)

Smoker had been teased as a powerful antagonist to all pirates, with a strong but self-reflexive sense of justice. But his growth has not been proportionate, and his relevance to the story has decreased as time has passed.

Moreover, with more powerful and senior Marines such as Kuzan and Kizaru also facing similar struggles and Koby shooting up to stardom, Smoker has also lost his distinctiveness.

5) Marco

Underused One Piece character Marco as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Marco the Phoenix is the former 1st division commander of the mighty Whitebeard Pirates, but his story has not really gotten anywhere despite the power and position he holds in One Piece.

After Whitebeard's death at Marineford, the Whitebeard Pirates faced losses against the Blackbeard Pirates in the Summit War under Marco's leadership, and although he did turn up at Wano to support the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, his contribution was not necessarily eye-catching.

4) Ryokugyu

Underused One Piece character Ryokugyu (Image via Toei)

Admiral Ryokugyu, a vile human being with a complete lack of empathy for human life and an utter disgust for those he perceives as inferior or in opposition to the World Governments, showed up in Wano with the aim of impressing Akainu by capturing Luffy. He single-handedly defeated the Beasts Pirates, whom even the top brass of the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance struggled to deal with.

However, after being targeted by Shanks' Haki, he suddenly abandoned his mission to capture Luffy. Since that incident, he has not accomplished anything significant and was notably ineffective during Kuma's attack at Marie Geois.

3) Enel

Underused One Piece character Enel as seen in the anime (Image via Toei)

At the end of the Skypiea arc of One Piece, Enel, who had taken the title God, had suffered a humilating defeat at Luffy's hands and had subsequently left for the moon. Enel had formidable powers thanks to his Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and it was either a stroke of luck or destiny that Luffy, with his rubber powers, became the cause of his downfall.

However, apart from a cover story arc depicting his becoming the ruler of the moon, Enel has been conspicuously absent from the main storyline, making him one of the many underused One Piece characters. This is in contrast to the fact that other antagonists like Buggy and Crocodile, whom Luffy defeated early in his journey, have reappeared and are to play significant roles in upcoming events.

2) Nami

Underused One Piece anime character, Nami (Image via Toei)

Nami, one of the Straw Hats, also belongs to the list of underused One Piece characters, as her role has been cut down significantly after the timeskip, to the point where she has become a secondary figure. Now, based on where the manga is at at the moment, Usopp and Robin appear to have big roles coming up, while Nami, one of Luffy's earliest recruits, is completely left behind.

While there is no denying that she is a skilled navigator, possesses the ability to control the weather, and is a shrewd fighter, One Piece fans have been let down by her lack of character development in recent times and by her non-contribution to the overall storyline.

1) Jinbe

Jinbei, the most underused One Piece character (Image via Toei Animation)

Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, is perhaps the most underused One Piece character. His interesting backstory includes being a member of the Sun Pirates under Fisher Tiger and then becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He was thrown into Impel Down for defying the World Government's call to stand against the Whitebeard Pirates. According to Oda, Jinbe ranks as the third most powerful member of the Straw Hat crew, following Zoro.

Despite his mastery over Fish-Man Karate, his intelligence, and his loyalty and sense of duty, Jinbe does not get much focus in the series. For a long time in the story, he was not part of the Straw Hats; his abilities seem to fade in comparison to something like Gear 5, and his dream to bring harmony between humans and Fish-Men did not seem to be as intensely highlighted as someone like Zoro's resolve to become the top swordsman.

There are, of course, several other characters who belong to the list of underused One Piece characters, like Shanks, Dragon, Akainu, Mihawk, Pudding, and more. However, readers know that they have a significant role to play in the future, so they are not exactly underutilized. Still, it is undeniable that there exist characters who are criminally underused by Oda but did not make it to this list.