One Piece's 1,000th chapter is less than two weeks away as of the time of writing and currently, the Wano arc in the manga has been building up to a huge clash between our favorite rubber man, Monkey D. Luffy, and his latest Big Bad, Kaido, "The Strongest Creature." Creator Eiichiro Oda knows how to pull out all the stops with the series' fights -- many have very creative mechanics specific to them and are always smartly written; representing different ideologies and themes between the participating characters.
So, before One Piece hits its next major milestone, let's look back on five of the most memorable and incredible battles in the manga series so far.
Luffy Vs. Usopp
An adventure that begins with the promise of repairing their beloved ship ended with a fracture in the Straw Hat Crew. When Luffy makes the captain's decision to continue without the Going Merry, Usopp is vehemently against this idea. The Going Merry is just as much of a Straw Hat Pirate as the rest of them, but they can't continue sailing on a ship barely holding together. This heated argument eventually leads to Usopp not only leaving the crew but challenging Luffy to a duel for ownership of the Merry in one of One Piece's most tragic scenes.
The two former friends stand face to face against each other, neither about to hold back. What's great about this fight right from the start is how well Usopp controls things through knowing Luffy so well. Luffy's headstrong approach to attacking his enemies doesn't work on Usopp, as each attempt leads to the rubber man falling for another one of Usopp's traps.
But the sad part is that this is still not enough to close the gap. Luffy's absurd strength eventually leaves Usopp collapsed, hugging his chest. What follows is not pleasant as Luffy can't hold back the tears any longer. He does not feel like a winner. Zoro tries to offer some supportive advice, but it's clear to everyone that things won't be the same for this ragtag group of pirates.
Luffy Vs. Katakuri
What makes the fight between Luffy and Katakuri so fascinating is how much they mirror each other, which is perfectly symbolized by the fight's setting: Brulee's Mirror World. Both have abilities that allow them to stretch, inflate and contort their bodies and both are people who will go incredibly far to protect the people close to them. The difference is how exaggerated Katakuri is in both aspects.
Katakuri's mochi powers far extend the limitations of Luffy's rubber body, as he can separate pieces of himself and even grow extra limbs. Also, because of how adamantly protective he is of his siblings, they put him on such a high pedestal that they don't see Katakuri as a flawed human being, which is why it comes as such a shock to his sister, Flampe, when she sees his facial features. The parallels between Luffy and Katakuri are, in a way, a twisted version of what Luffy could have been if he didn't rely on his crew as much as they rely on him.
Zoro Vs. Mihawk
In the midst of Don Kreig's takeover of the oceanic restaurant, The Baratie, a new foe enters the chaos by cutting his entire ship in half: the World's Greatest Swordsman, Dracule "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk. Zoro takes full advantage of this opportunity to challenge Mihawk, as he finally happens upon the man he was looking for.
But the gap in strength is so very apparent from the start. Instead of using his signature blade to fight Zoro, Mihawk uses a simple pocket knife, stating: "I'm not foolish enough to hunt rabbits with a cannon." What follows is a tragic display, as every one of Zoro's attacks is blocked by Mihawk wielding his knife.
But instead of surrendering when he's beaten, Zoro keeps trying, as giving up would be stepping all over the promise he made with Kuina. Mihawk honors Zoro's resolve by finishing this fight with his black sword, Yoru. Even in defeat, Zoro does not waver, as he takes Mihawk's final swing across his chest. What this defeat does is resurge Zoro's resolve to become the world's greatest swordsman. He knows that right now the gap between him and Mihawk is colossal, which is why he promises to Luffy never to lose again in his name.
The future King of the Pirates can't have less than the strongest swordsman ever on his crew and Zoro, being the most loyal out of anyone to Luffy, won't give up on his dream or his own.
The Straw Hats Vs. The Pacifistas, Sentomaru, Admiral Kizaru & Bartholomew Kuma
After Luffy's attack on a Celestial Dragon, an attack is called on Sabaody Archipelago -- one that rivals the dreaded Buster Call. Massive cyborg duplicates of Kuma appear, attacking the pirates of the mangrove island alongside the feared Admiral Kizaru. And as the Straw Hats depart from Shakky's bar, they come face to face with one of these Kuma clones, The Pacifistas.
It takes everything in the Straw Hat's arsenal to fight this Pacifista. They're all covering for each other's weaknesses, stepping in to stop a hit when one appears to be in danger, and working together as a unit to fight this cyborg. By the end of it, they're left exhausted and burned out, but they're barely given a moment of respite.
Sentomaru, a second Pacifista, and Kizaru all arrive on the scene to finish off the Straw Hats. And what's sad is that they can't come close to matching Kizaru or Sentomaru. The gap between them is too grand and so Luffy gives the order to retreat so that they might fight another day. But fate isn't on their side today, as from out of nowhere, the real Bartholomew Kuma arrives, popping Zoro out of existence with his paw-paw powers.
What follows is a painfully tragic display as each of Luffy's Nakama that he's made; that he's forged eternal bonds and fought alongside with, all disappear in front of his eyes, one by one. The Straw Hats not only lose this fight, but they are severed completely, uncertain of what fate has in store for them and when, or if, they'll ever see each other again.
Usopp & Chopper Vs. Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas
Often, the One Piece fights that are the most memorable in a shonen series are the ones with unique mechanics and tactics. The duo fight of Usopp and Chopper vs. Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas is an excellent example. With her mole Devil Fruit powers, Miss Merry Christmas creates mole tunnels and holes all across the desert battlefield for Mr. 4 and his dog to pitch and strike explosive baseballs. This, coupled with Usopp's inherent weakness and Chopper's time limit on his transformations, makes for a very compelling underdog fight.
But it's the second half of the fight that really sticks out. Realizing they can't win, Usopp, scared out of his mind, runs, but not before Miss Merry Christmas catches him, badmouths Luffy to Usopp's face, and then has Mr. 4 hit the sniper with his four-ton baseball bat. But despite all that, Usopp still pulls himself up to his feet and utters his iconic pledge to his captain: "The time when a man must fight is when his friend's dreams are laughed at." Usopp's intense injuries but lingering willingness to continue on are what makes his eventual victory alongside Chopper feel so earned.
