Highlights
- Many pirates in One Piece are inspired by Gol D. Roger's challenge to find his hidden treasure, the One Piece.
- Some pirates simply seek freedom and adventure, choosing the pirate life for the thrill of the journey.
- Fame and riches also attract many to become pirates, as they are enticed by the allure of treasure and the prestige of high bounties.
The story of One Piece takes place during what is dubbed as the Golden Age of Pirates. A new age ushered in by the last words of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger:
“My treasure? Why, it’s right where I left it,” he said, “It's yours if you can find it, but you'll have to search the whole world!".
With that simple statement, countless people decided to become pirates, sailing through the ocean in search of fame and riches. That being said, not all of them begin their voyage with the sole purpose of finding Roger’s hidden treasure. In fact, only a handful of them actually have the ambition and the determination to do so. As for the others, well, they all have their own sets of purposes and motivations. Some are good, while others are quite bad and even downright dangerous. With that in mind, here are the different kinds of pirates in One Piece.
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Plenty of Modern Pirates Want to Succeed Gol D. Roger
One of the biggest reasons why regular citizens decide to become pirates is to follow Gol D. Roger’s footsteps. To be the next Pirate King and claim the mythical One Piece. In fact, his legendary last words are responsible for the biggest boom in the pirating industry. Countless young minds are inspired by his words and ready to answer his challenge. Luffy is the best example of this type of pirate.
More often than not, however, that is only the case at the beginning of these pirates’ journeys. As they sail through the ocean and experience the harsh reality of being a pirate, most of them eventually give up on this dream and choose to do something else instead. Some decided to settle for the next best thing by becoming one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, such as Kaidou and Big Mom, while others decided to do something else entirely, such as “Red Leg” Zeff who ended up opening the famous Baratie.
Some Just Want Freedom and Adventure
Some people decided to be pirates without having grander purposes like becoming the Pirate King or finding the mysterious One Piece. They set sail for the sea simply because they wanted to enjoy the kind of freedom that they wouldn’t be able to enjoy if they stayed inland.
To these kinds of people, living a quiet life in a big city is boring. They look at the vast ocean and feel the call to adventure. Since being a Marine is just another form of a cage for them, becoming pirates is the only option. They don’t really have any particular purpose in mind. To them, it’s all about the journey, not the destination. “Fire Fist” Ace and his captain Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate are the perfect example of this type of pirate.
Others Are Only After Fame and Riches
Another important reason why most people decide to become pirates is due to the fame and riches that are often associated with this profession. After all, a pirate story always involves the search for treasures hidden deep on an abandoned island where mountains of gold and diamonds await those who have the guts and wits to look for them. This romanticized version of a pirate life will easily sway the minds of young people to risk their lives by becoming a pirate.
Not only that, there’s something alluring about gaining infamy by becoming a pirate. As a matter of fact, the bounty given out by the Marines is often seen as the mark of how successful a pirate is. The higher the bounty, the more badass they are as a pirate, which boosts their fame even further. There are several people in the series who are clearly in the game mostly for fame and money, such as “The Star Clown” Buggy or “The Pirate Prince” Cavendish.
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Like in Any Story, Some of One Piece's Pirates Are Just Plain Evil
Not everybody who becomes a pirate does it because of commendable reasons like wanting to become the next pirate king or due to vain reasons like wanting to be rich and famous. There are deranged people out there who choose this line of work because they genuinely want to commit crimes. They see the freedom offered by the sea as the perfect way to let their inner devil loose.
This type of pirate loves money and fame, but what makes them different from the other pirates is the method that they use to gain said money and fame. More often than not, they prefer to hijack civilian vessels or pillage small towns, leaving trails of blood and destruction along their path. They are the most violent pirates on this list and easily the type that the Marines and ordinary citizens hate the most. “Thousand Beasts” Kaidou, Captain Kid, Brownbeard, and Caribou Brothers are the best examples of this type of pirate.
Some Pirates Just Have Things They Want to Hide
The least popular kinds of pirates are the ones who don’t even want to be pirates in the first place. They are forced to take on this dangerous line of work because they either have to get away from something or are trying to look for something.
The best examples of this kind of pirate are Nico Robin and Jewelry Bonney. Robin became a pirate because she needed to get away from the World Government as the last living member of the Ohara people. As for Bonney, she became a pirate because she wanted to look for her father, Bartholomew Kuma.
In One Piece, pirates exist on a relatively broad spectrum. On one end, there are those who look for the fabled One Piece. On the other end, there are those who want to commit crimes and unleash violence upon the innocents. One thing’s for sure, the vast and unforgiving ocean is the only place where these pirates truly feel alive.
One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
