This article contains spoilers from the Egghead Arc of the series.
One Piece is currently in the Final Saga, which means the stage has officially been set by the author, Eiichiro Oda, to reveal the strongest characters of all time. Egghead has been doing just that, and one by one, introducing the fans to the absolute calamities that are going to shake the world in this part of the story. In the world of One Piece, characters fight with all sorts of abilities, but Oda has highlighted time and again that the strongest of them all, at least right now, rely on Haki.
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Haki itself has been quite prevalent in One Piece, given that it is a spiritual form of energy that can be used for offensive and defensive purposes and is especially useful against Devil Fruit users. Now, however, its importance has shot up through the roof, especially knowing that it works wonders against Imu's evil magic-like powers. At the same time, One Piece's Egghead Arc, specifically episode 1153 of the anime, has officially revealed the strongest Haki user of all time, and it is none other than Joy Boy.
Joy Boy's Haki Is The Strongest Of All Time In One Piece
Fans know very little about Joy Boy, but the Egghead arc of One Piece certainly did throw some light on this character. Joy Boy was born in the Ancient Kingdom of the One Piece world, which was officially destroyed around 800 years ago. Joy Boy, eventually, under some mysterious circumstances, saw himself fighting against the collaboration of 20 Kings who wanted to wipe out the Ancient Kingdom, likely due to the fear of its immense technology.
This is the power to overwhelm, also called the Color of the Supreme King Haki. Most people who have made a name for themselves in the world possess this power. Though you can control the Color of the Supreme King, you can't train it to be stronger directly. It is the embodiment of the spirit of the user. It only grows stronger if the user itself grows stronger. — Silvers Rayleigh explaining Conqueror's Haki to Luffy
Joy Boy had the power of Gear 5 at his disposal, meaning, at the time, he was the user of the Nika Devil Fruit. However, his Devil Fruit was not his only weapon. Joy Boy also possessed tremendous Haki. A glimpse of this powerful Haki was given to the fans when Emeth unleashed it fully in One Piece Episode 1153. It goes without saying that Joy Boy was powerful, but it is specifically his Haki that stood out to the fans.
Undoubtedly, Joy Boy possessed the strongest Haki in all of One Piece. This Haki was strong enough to cause a solo sky split, and at the same time, it even knocked out Vice Admirals of the Marines, who are generally strong enough to resist powerful blasts of Haki.
Not only that, but Joy Boy's Haki was so strong that it nullified Imu's Devil Fruit abilities and sent all the Elders back to Marijoa. Above all, it made even Imu shiver and cry out in pain, making them remember the trauma that Joy Boy caused them long ago. Unfortunately, fans haven't seen the full potential of Joy Boy's abilities yet, but One Piece is certainly setting that up already.
Only Shanks Comes Close To Joy Boy In Terms Of Haki
In the current era, there are other Haki users that are considered to be quite impressive, but only one of them comes close to the level that Joy Boy operated on, and that is none other than red-haired Shanks. When Joy Boy unleashed his powerful Haki, Dorry and Brogy directly compared this powerful Haki to Shanks. The two started to wonder if it was stronger than the Haki of Shanks, and while the answer to that question is not clear, what is clear to the fans is that the two are comparable.
I won't say that's not fair, Navy man. But raiding the worn-out new green leaves that changed the era of piracy forever? Don't you think you're doing too much? Are you that afraid of the new era? - Shanks
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In other words, Shanks' Haki is so strong that it made Dorry and Brogy wonder which of the two was truly better. The answer to that question is most likely Joy Boy, but the fact that Shanks can be compared to Joy Boy is a massive feat for Shanks himself. It means that Shanks' Haki is very close to the level of Joy Boy, and for all we know, it could even be on the same level.
We'll have to see how Oda tackles the situation later down the line, but for now, Joy Boy's Haki is another show of Shanks' immense power.
Joy Boy's Full Power Will Be Fleshed Out Soon Enough In One Piece
The mini Joy Boy flashback of the Egghead arc is officially over. Vegapunk's speech will also end soon, and fans know very well that they won't see much of Joy Boy until much later in the story. But, if there's one thing that can be said with absolute certainty, it is that Joy Boy will get his own flashback eventually.
This might happen in the last arc of One Piece, but it most certainly will happen. When the Joy Boy flashback begins, fans will truly see the power that he held, and how he fought against Imu long ago, as well as what circumstances he died under. For now, all the true history of Joy Boy will remain shrouded in One Piece.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1169 is December 21, 2025. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.