25 Best Female Characters in One Piece, Ranked

One Piece has been home to innumerable characters across the decade, which is expected within the shonen demographic. The one thing that stands out about Eiichiro Oda’s pirate-themed shonen, however, is the number of strong female characters who populate Monkey D. Luffy’s world.

Fans almost instantly think of Nami and Nico Robin when the subject of One Piece‘s female cast crops up, but the truth is, there are literally dozens of well-written female characters. From allies to villainesses, the women of One Piece are some of the most outstanding examples in all of shonen animanga.

Curly Dadan Was the Only Mother Figure for Luffy

Monkey D. Luffy still doesn’t know who his real mother is, nor is he trying to find out, but he does know the woman who helped raise him: the hot-tempered Curly Dadan. Years ago, in the Goa Kingdom, Monkey D. Garp entrusted the young Luffy to Curly Dadan, who reluctantly agreed to raise Luffy, Ace, and Sabo as though they were her own.

That bizarre foster family didn’t always get along, and Dadan resented Garp’s hands-off approach to his family. Still, it’s evident that Dadan cared for those boys as their foster mother, and she is due some credit for that, even if One Piece fans wouldn’t call her anime’s #1 mom. So, despite her limited screen time and temper, Curly Dadan may still be counted among the best One Piece female characters, if only barely. As such, she ranks at the bottom of this list.

Charlotte Pudding Became a Surprise Antihero

In the Whole Cake Island saga, One Piece introduced viewers to the expansive Big Mom Pirates, which was an actual family, with most members being Big Mom’s sons and daughters. One of them was a villainous young woman named Charlotte Pudding, who was hostile to the Straw Hats and their allies at first. In fact, Sanji’s upcoming marriage to Pudding was a trap waiting to snap shut on the Vinsmoke family.

At a critical moment, however, everything changed as Sanji openly admired Pudding’s exotic third eye. He wasn’t even trying to manipulate Pudding or sweet-talk his way out of trouble. He meant it: Pudding was deeply touched by Sanji’s gesture. Inspired, Charlotte Pudding decided to become an ally of the Straw Hats, albeit barely, and started acting less like a cunning villain and more like a weird tsundere.

Belo Betty Is a Respected Revolutionary Army Commander

Even anime fans must have heard of Belo Betty by now, although a commander in the Revolutionary Army led by Monkey D. Dragon should be getting a lot more screen time. Betty inherited the position from Jewelry Bonney’s mother, Ginny, who was just as rude and outspoken. As a result, Betty doesn’t act kindly toward the people saved by the Revolutionary Army, a striking parallel to Katsuki Bakugo’s behavior during My Hero Academia’s Provisional Hero License arc.

And yet, the cover is only one aspect of the book: Betty’s mercy and respect are on clear display during her time on Lulusia. She openly and proudly admires the inhabitants for fighting against the Peachberd Pirates. Betty’s half-billion bounty and ability to use two types of Haki make her one of the most powerful One Piece characters. At the same time, her Devil Fruit powers make Betty a phenomenal leader.

Kuina Shaped Zoro’s Story from the Beginning

Even though she has very little screen time, Kuina plays a hugely important role in One Piece. As the childhood rival of Zoro, she pushed him to his limits. The reason that he developed the three-sword style was in an attempt to finally get the upper hand in one of their fights. As this is the style that Zoro becomes known for long after Kuina’s death, her part in its development is significant.

Furthermore, Zoro’s goal of becoming the greatest swordsman was created as part of a pact with Kuina. After she expresses concern about growing weaker as she gets older, he asserts that one of them will stand at the top. As such, Kuina was integral in the initial formation of Zoro’s dream. Although Kuina’s presence never completely goes away, her extremely small role keeps her near the bottom of this list.

Shakuyaku Supports the Straw Hats on Sabaody Archipelago

As the former right-hand man of the Pirate King, Silvers Rayleigh is arguably more famous than his wife Shakuyaku, also known as Shakky. Still, Shakky’s role in the Sabaody Archipelago arc helped ensure the Straw Hats would move on to the post-skip era. Her status as the previous Captain of the Kuja Pirates and Snake Empress of the Kuja Tribe is also impressive, having once escaped the clutches of Monkey D. Garp.

Even after making a comfortable life for herself with Rayleigh, Shakky continues to channel information to serve the needs of her allies. She might enjoy teasing Chopper (who doesn’t), but Shakky’s belief in Luffy as the future Pirate King makes her an eternal ally of the Straw Hats. She was last seen during the Egghead arc along with her husband, strongly indicating that Shakky’s role may not be over yet.

Uta Captured Fans’ Hearts in One Piece Film: Red

Introduced in One Piece Film: Red, Uta was integrated into the grander narrative as Shank’s adoptive daughter and a famous in-universe pop star. After accidentally triggering a tragedy on Elegia island and consequently parting ways with Shanks, Uta becomes possessed by her idealism and uses her Devil Fruit powers to attempt to kill everyone. However, One Piece Film: Red sees her gradually realize the faults of her ways and return to the optimistic and determined girl Luffy befriended as a kid.

Much of Uta’s charm in the movie comes from Ado, one of Japan’s most impressive modern vocalists. By Ado lending her voice to Uta, One Piece Film: Red has a powerful soundtrack that is both emotional and catchy. These glimpses of who Uta is, combined with her current idealism and power, have earned her much popularity, but this is a list of the best female characters in One Piece.

Princess Rebecca Rose up Against Her Kingdom’s Oppressors

Time and again, the Straw Hats met and fought alongside royalty, such as Vivi and Cobra of the Nefeltari royal line in Arabasta. Then, they met a teenage warrior-princess named Rebecca on Dressrosa, a passionate fighter who wanted to restore her royal family’s power on the island. Unfortunately for Rebecca, Doflamingo had seized control of the island and had deposed King Riku in the process.

Rebecca fought bravely both inside and outside the colosseum in her armored outfit, a fine example of a headstrong princess who will always stand up for what is right. She became one of many members of Luffy’s and Law’s coalition on Dressrosa, helping them defeat Doflamingo. The good-hearted Rebecca was eventually rewarded by reuniting with her father Kyros, and even gave up her status as the crown princess to live with him.

Charlotte Smoothie Is One of Big Mom’s Strongest Warriors

Among the countless sons and daughters of Big Mom’s enormous clan, Charlotte Smoothie is also one of the youngest. Despite her age, she has been promoted above many of her older siblings to become a Sweet Commander. Smoothie also serves as the Minister of Juice of Totto Land, clearly referencing her squeeze-powered Devil Fruit. She has always supported Big Mom, even going so far as to mount an invasion of Wano to rescue her.

There aren’t many female characters in One Piece who can fight at the same level as the men, but Smoothie is a remarkable exception. She rarely even has to resort to her Devil Fruit, letting her size and strength do most of the fighting for her. However, when she employs the Wring-Wring Fruit, Smoothie’s victims become dehydrated husks of themselves. Smoothie is so cool-headed, even in the heat of battle, that only her mother’s legendary rampages can make her panic.

Belle-Mere Made a Noble Sacrifice for Her Daughters

Minor characters may not get much attention, but if their actions are profound and heartfelt, then characters like Belle-Mere earn themselves a place among the best One Piece women. Belle-Mere appeared in Nami’s flashbacks in the Arlong Park arc, playing the role of Nami’s and Nojiko’s loving foster mother.

Then Arlong’s crew arrived, and the little family was torn apart. Belle-Mere laid down her life to protect Nami and Nojiko, paying for those girls’ safety but having no more cash for herself. As a brave and devoted parent, Belle-Mere had no regrets about that sacrifice, which makes her one of One Piece‘s noblest parents. Belle-Mere can’t come back, but at least Nami got a chance to reunite with her foster-sister and express her love for the family she left behind.

Perona’s Eccentricity and Devil Fruit Made Her Unique

Introduced as a minor villain working under Gecko Moria during the Thriller Bark Arc, Perona is a childish, eccentric young woman who manages to capture fans’ hearts despite her difficult personality. Overconfident and naive, Perona didn’t pose much of a threat to the Straw Hats once Usopp proved immune to her Devil Fruit abilities. Despite this, she left an impression due to her adorable gothic design and unique despair-inducing Devil Fruit power.

Even after spending a while in the reticent Dracule Mihawk’s care, Perona remains true to her childlike nature, even if she acts a bit more mature after the time skip. She is still demanding of his time and attention, even though she is technically a guest in his house. However, fans still adore her despite Perona’s many flaws, including her decision to rescue Gecko Moria from Hachinosu.