One Piece: Joy Boy vs Gol D. Roger – True Pirate King 2026

Updated by Ankit Babal
August 28, 2025
Gaming

Who truly deserves the title of Pirate King in One Piece? While Gol D. Roger officially held this legendary title after conquering the Grand Line and discovering the One Piece treasure, Joy Boy, the mysterious figure from the Void Century, may actually deserve this honor more than Roger himself.

In this comprehensive analysis, I’ll share everything I’ve discovered about this fascinating debate from my years of following One Piece and engaging with the community. Having watched every episode and analyzed countless theories on forums like r/OnePiece, I’ve come to realize that this question cuts to the very heart of what makes One Piece’s storytelling so compelling. You’ll discover not just why Joy Boy might deserve the title more, but also how other legendary pirates stack up in this ultimate comparison.

Analysis Section	Key Insights	Reading Level
Joy Boy vs Roger Comparison	Historical significance and true freedom	All Fans
Power Scaling Analysis	Feat comparisons and abilities	Advanced
Other Candidates	Rocks, Whitebeard, and more	Intermediate
Community Perspectives	Fan theories and debates	All Fans

Understanding the Pirate King Title: More Than Just Conquering the Grand Line

When I first started watching One Piece back in the early 2000s, the concept of the Pirate King seemed straightforward – whoever conquers the Grand Line and finds the One Piece becomes the Pirate King. Roger did exactly that, becoming the only known person in history to reach Laugh Tale and discover the truth. But as I’ve delved deeper into One Piece’s impact on gaming and storytelling over the years, I’ve realized the title carries far more weight than simple conquest.

The Pirate King represents ultimate freedom on the seas. It’s not just about strength or navigation skills – it’s about embodying the very spirit of adventure and liberation that defines true piracy in Oda’s world. This distinction becomes crucial when we examine why Joy Boy might deserve the title more than Roger.

What Roger Actually Accomplished?

Let me be clear about Roger’s achievements, because they’re absolutely legendary. In my countless rewatches and discussions with fellow fans, I’ve compiled what made Roger the official Pirate King:

Conquered the Grand Line: Roger and his crew were the first in 800 years to complete the full journey
Discovered Laugh Tale: Found the final island that had been lost to history
Learned the True History: Uncovered the secrets of the Void Century and the World Government’s dark past
Sparked the Great Pirate Era: His final words inspired countless pirates to take to the seas
Mastered Supreme Haki: As Kaido confirmed, Roger conquered the world through Haki alone, without any Devil Fruit powers

These achievements are undeniable. When I discuss Roger with other fans on Discord servers and Reddit threads, everyone acknowledges his incredible feats. But here’s where things get interesting – Roger himself admitted he was “too early.”

The “Too Early” Problem

This confession has haunted me since I first read it in the manga. What does it mean to be “too early” to be Pirate King when you’ve already claimed the title? After analyzing this with the community and rereading key chapters, I believe Roger recognized that finding the One Piece wasn’t the end goal – it was meant to trigger something larger.

Roger couldn’t fulfill Joy Boy’s promise. He couldn’t use the Ancient Weapons properly. He couldn’t bring about the Dawn of the World. In essence, Roger achieved the form of being Pirate King but not the substance of what the title was originally meant to represent.

Joy Boy: The First and Perhaps Greatest Pirate

Now we come to Joy Boy, and this is where my perspective really shifted after diving deep into the lore. Joy Boy isn’t just another historical figure – he represents the original ideal of what a pirate should be in the One Piece world.

Joy Boy’s Historical Significance

From what we’ve learned through the Poneglyphs and recent revelations, Joy Boy was active during the Void Century, approximately 800-900 years before the current storyline. What makes him special isn’t just his temporal position but his role in shaping the very concept of piracy.

Based on my analysis of the available information and discussions in One Piece character rankings, here’s what we know about Joy Boy:

The First Pirate: Joy Boy essentially invented the concept of piracy as freedom-seeking adventure
Allied with Ancient Kingdom: He stood with the most advanced civilization against what would become the World Government
Made a Promise to Fish-Man Island: Created a covenant that still impacts the story 800 years later
Connected to the Ancient Weapons: Had a special relationship with Poseidon and possibly the other weapons
Required 20 Kingdoms to Defeat: It took an alliance of twenty kingdoms to bring him down

That last point really gets me every time I think about it. Twenty kingdoms had to unite just to defeat Joy Boy and his allies. When I compare that to Roger, who was certainly powerful but never faced such overwhelming opposition, the scale difference becomes apparent.

The Philosophy of True Piracy

In my years of engaging with One Piece content and theory crafting, I’ve come to understand that Joy Boy represents something more fundamental than Roger. While Roger was a conqueror who found the treasure, Joy Boy was a liberator who created the very idea of the treasure.

Think about it this way – Roger followed a path that Joy Boy laid out. The Poneglyphs, the One Piece itself, the very structure of the Grand Line challenge – all of this stems from Joy Boy’s era. Roger was playing a game that Joy Boy designed, which raises the question: who deserves more credit, the game designer or the first person to beat it?

Joy Boy’s Powers and Abilities

While we don’t have complete information about Joy Boy’s specific abilities, what we do know is staggering. From my research and community discussions, here’s what can be inferred:

Nika Fruit Powers: Joy Boy was the previous user of the Gomu Gomu no Mi/Nika Fruit, granting him the power of liberation itself
Supreme Haki: Given his era and achievements, Joy Boy likely possessed all three types of Haki at supreme levels
Charismatic Leadership: United diverse races and kingdoms against tyranny
Ancient Weapon Control: Could communicate with and possibly control the Ancient Weapons

When I compare these abilities to Roger’s pure Haki mastery, I see two different approaches to power. Roger perfected the warrior’s path, but Joy Boy embodied the liberator’s spirit. In a series fundamentally about freedom, which matters more?

Other Legendary Pirates Who Could Claim the Title

Before we settle this debate, I need to address other legendary pirates who might stake a claim to deserving the Pirate King title. Through my analysis and countless debates on forums, several names consistently emerge.

Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate

Whitebeard was called the “Strongest Man in the World” and was Roger’s equal in many ways. I’ve always been fascinated by how Whitebeard could have become Pirate King but chose not to. Here’s why he’s a contender:

Raw Power: The Gura Gura no Mi made him capable of destroying the world
Roger’s Equal: They fought to standstills multiple times
Territorial Control: Ruled vast territories in the New World
Family Values: Created a new model of piracy based on family rather than conquest

However, Whitebeard explicitly didn’t want to be Pirate King. He found his treasure in his family, which while admirable, removes him from serious consideration for a title he never pursued. As explored in my analysis of pirate vs marine rivalries, Whitebeard represented a different kind of pirate ideal.

Rocks D. Xebec

Now here’s a fascinating case. Rocks was so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. From what we’ve learned, Rocks might be the closest comparison to Joy Boy in terms of the threat he posed:

Unprecedented Threat: Required the future Pirate King and the Hero of the Marines working together
Legendary Crew: Commanded Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, and other future Emperors
World Domination Goals: Sought to become King of the World, not just Pirate King
Erased from History: The World Government tried to eliminate all records of his existence

I find Rocks fascinating because he represents what happens when the pirate ideal gets corrupted. While Joy Boy fought for liberation and Roger for adventure, Rocks fought for domination. In my view, this disqualifies him from deserving the Pirate King title, which should represent freedom, not tyranny.

Monkey D. Luffy – The Inheritor

I can’t discuss who deserves to be Pirate King without mentioning Luffy, especially given recent manga developments. As someone who’s followed Luffy’s journey from Episode 1, I’ve watched him grow from a rookie to someone who embodies both Roger’s adventurous spirit and Joy Boy’s liberating nature.

Consider Luffy’s qualifications:

Nika Fruit Awakening: Inherited Joy Boy’s own Devil Fruit power
Liberation Actions: Freed numerous countries and peoples throughout his journey
Growing Power: Defeated Kaido and achieved Emperor status
The Chosen One: Prophesied to bring about the Dawn of the World

What strikes me about Luffy, especially when analyzing best Luffy moments, is how he combines the best qualities of both Roger and Joy Boy. He has Roger’s sense of adventure and Joy Boy’s commitment to freedom. If anyone will prove worthy of surpassing both, it’s Luffy.

The Power Scaling Debate: Comparing Feats Across Eras

As someone who’s spent countless hours in power scaling discussions on r/OnePieceScaling, I know how contentious comparing characters from different eras can be. But let’s examine the concrete feats we can analyze.

Roger’s Demonstrated Feats

From my repeated viewing and manga analysis, Roger’s confirmed feats include:

Divine Departure: One-shot Oden with a casual attack
Clashing with Whitebeard: Split the heavens without even touching weapons
Defeating the Rocks Pirates: Alongside Garp at God Valley
Conquering the Grand Line: Navigate the most dangerous sea route
Haki Mastery: Advanced Conqueror’s Haki that could damage without contact

These are incredible feats, no doubt. When I discuss these with fellow fans, everyone agrees Roger was a monster in terms of combat ability.

Joy Boy’s Implied Power Level

Joy Boy’s feats are harder to quantify since we’re working with historical records, but the implications are staggering:

Twenty Kingdom Alliance: Required unprecedented unity to defeat
Giant Straw Hat: The preserved hat suggests either giant size or transformation abilities
Ancient Weapon Synergy: Worked alongside civilization-ending weapons
800-Year Legacy: His will continues to influence the world centuries later
Nika Powers: The most ridiculous power in the world, limited only by imagination

When I factor in what we know about the Nika fruit from Luffy’s awakening, Joy Boy’s potential seems almost limitless. The power to fight with complete freedom, turning imagination into reality – that’s beyond conventional power scaling.

The Context of Power

Here’s something I’ve learned from studying heroes stronger than Devil Fruit users: raw power isn’t everything in One Piece. The context of that power matters immensely.

Roger’s power was individual excellence – he was the strongest warrior of his era through personal skill and Haki mastery. Joy Boy’s power was transformative – he could change the very nature of the world around him through liberation. In a series where inherited will (the Will of D.) is so important, which type of power matters more?

The Community Perspective: What Fans Really Think

Through my years of engagement with the One Piece community across Reddit, Discord, and various forums, I’ve noticed fascinating patterns in how fans approach this debate.

The Traditionalist View

Many fans I’ve talked to maintain that Roger deserves the title simply because he earned it. Their arguments typically include:

Roger actually achieved the goal of reaching Laugh Tale
He didn’t have the “chosen one” advantages of the Nika fruit
His pure Haki mastery represents human potential at its peak
He inspired the current era of piracy

I respect this view, especially from fans who value concrete achievements over potential or destiny. Roger did what Joy Boy couldn’t – he survived to claim the title.

The Revolutionary Perspective

On the flip side, an increasingly large portion of the community believes Joy Boy deserves recognition as the true Pirate King. Their reasoning includes:

Joy Boy created the very concept of pirate freedom
The One Piece treasure is likely Joy Boy’s legacy
Roger himself acknowledged being “too early”
Joy Boy’s defeat came from overwhelming opposition, not personal failure

What I find compelling about this argument is how it reframes the entire story. If Joy Boy is the true Pirate King, then Roger was more like a herald preparing the way for Joy Boy’s return through Luffy.

The Synthesis View

Increasingly, I’m seeing a synthesis view emerge in community discussions. This perspective suggests that:

Roger was the Pirate King of his era
Joy Boy was the Pirate King of the ancient era
Luffy will become the true Pirate King by combining both legacies
The title’s meaning evolves with each era

This view appeals to me because it honors both characters while recognizing that One Piece is ultimately about inherited will and evolution across generations.

The Role of Inherited Will in Determining the True King

One of One Piece’s core themes that I’ve come to appreciate more with each rewatch is the concept of inherited will. This isn’t just about power or achievements – it’s about carrying forward dreams across generations.

Joy Boy’s Will Lives On

What strikes me most about Joy Boy is how his will has survived 800 years. Through the Poneglyphs, the One Piece treasure, and now through Luffy’s awakening, Joy Boy’s dream of liberation continues. I’ve discussed this extensively when analyzing One Piece hidden secrets, and the pattern is clear – Joy Boy’s influence shapes everything.

Consider how many elements of the current story trace back to Joy Boy:

The Poneglyph system preserving history
The promise to Fish-Man Island still waiting to be fulfilled
The Ancient Weapons waiting for the right time
The One Piece treasure itself
The prophecy of the Dawn of the World

Roger found these pieces but couldn’t complete the puzzle. In a way, Roger was archaeologist discovering Joy Boy’s legacy rather than creating his own.

Roger’s Contribution to the Chain

That said, I don’t want to diminish Roger’s crucial role. By reaching Laugh Tale and learning the truth, then spreading that possibility to the world, Roger ensured Joy Boy’s will would eventually find the right inheritor. Without Roger’s Great Pirate Era, Luffy might never have become a pirate.

In my discussions about Ace revival truth, I often point out how Roger’s biological son couldn’t inherit his will, but Luffy, carrying both Roger and Joy Boy’s dreams, could. This shows how the Pirate King title transcends bloodlines and belongs to whoever truly embodies the pirate ideal.

The Void Century Mystery and Its Impact on the Debate

The Void Century remains one of One Piece’s greatest mysteries, and every new revelation about it strengthens Joy Boy’s claim to being the true Pirate King. From my analysis of available information and community theories, the Void Century represents a fundamental shift in world history.

What We Know About the Void Century

Through Poneglyph translations and character revelations, we’ve learned:

A Great Kingdom existed with advanced technology
Twenty Kingdoms allied to destroy this kingdom
Joy Boy was a key figure in this conflict
The World Government formed from the victorious alliance
All records of this period were systematically destroyed

What fascinates me is that the World Government fears Joy Boy’s legacy so much that they’ve maintained this cover-up for 800 years. They don’t show the same fear toward Roger’s legacy, which tells us something about the relative threat each represents.

The True History’s Implications

When Roger learned the true history at Laugh Tale, he laughed. But he also realized he couldn’t do anything with this knowledge – he was “too early.” This suggests that being Pirate King isn’t just about reaching Laugh Tale but about being able to act on what you find there.

Joy Boy, living during these events, wasn’t learning history – he was making it. He fought the battle that Roger could only read about. In terms of who “deserves” the Pirate King title more, doesn’t the one who fought for freedom deserve it more than the one who discovered that fight happened?

Modern Gaming Parallels: Understanding Through Game Design

As someone who’s played numerous One Piece games over the years, from the early Grand Battle series to recent titles like Odyssey, I’ve noticed how games interpret this power dynamic. It offers an interesting lens for our debate.

Character Implementation in Games

In most One Piece games I’ve played, Roger when he appears is typically portrayed as:

Maximum stats in all categories
Unique conquering abilities
Legendary rare character status
End-game boss level power

Joy Boy hasn’t been directly implemented in games yet, but Luffy’s Gear 5/Nika form gives us a preview. The transformation typically includes:

Reality-warping abilities
Unpredictable move sets
Buff/debuff mechanics affecting entire teams
Liberation-themed special attacks

What I find telling is how game designers struggle to balance Nika powers because they’re inherently rule-breaking. This mirrors the narrative issue – how do you compare conventional power (Roger) with conceptual power (Joy Boy)?

The Player’s Journey Perspective

When I think about One Piece games, the player’s journey often mirrors Luffy’s path – starting weak and growing stronger by inheriting techniques and will from various mentors. You don’t become Roger; you follow in his footsteps. But with Joy Boy, you’re not following – you’re fulfilling an ancient destiny.

This gaming perspective has helped me understand why Joy Boy might deserve the title more. Roger completed the game, but Joy Boy designed the very concept of the game. In gaming terms, Roger was the first speedrunner, but Joy Boy was the developer.

Why Joy Boy Deserves the Title More: The Final Analysis

After all this analysis, diving deep into lore, community discussions, and thematic elements, I’ve come to my conclusion. Joy Boy deserves the title of Pirate King more than Roger for several fundamental reasons.

Creation vs. Discovery

Joy Boy created the paradigm of pirate freedom that Roger later discovered. While Roger’s achievement in reaching Laugh Tale is monumental, he was essentially following a path Joy Boy laid out. The One Piece treasure, the Poneglyph road, even the concept of pirate freedom – all originate from Joy Boy’s era.

When I explain this to friends new to One Piece, I use this analogy: Roger was like the first person to climb Mount Everest following an established route, while Joy Boy was like the person who first identified Everest as the world’s highest peak and inspired others to climb it.

The Scale of Opposition

The fact that it took twenty kingdoms uniting to defeat Joy Boy speaks volumes. Roger faced the Marines and rival pirates, but Joy Boy faced a coalition that reshaped the entire world order. The scale isn’t even comparable. When analyzing One Piece defensive abilities, we see that even the strongest defenses can be overcome by overwhelming force, yet Joy Boy required unprecedented unity to defeat.

Lasting Impact

Eight hundred years later, the World Government still fears Joy Boy’s legacy. They’ve rewritten history, destroyed evidence, and maintained a centuries-long cover-up. Roger’s impact, while significant, sparked a single era. Joy Boy’s impact has shaped nearly a millennium of history.

The Nature of True Kingship

In One Piece, true kingship isn’t about conquest but about liberation. Roger conquered the seas but couldn’t free them. Joy Boy embodied freedom itself through the Nika powers. In a series where the main character literally has the power of liberation, how can we not recognize the first liberator as the true king?

Roger’s Own Acknowledgment

Perhaps most tellingly, Roger himself seemed to recognize this. His comments about being “too early” and his decision to inspire the next generation suggest he saw himself as preparing the way for Joy Boy’s return, not as the ultimate Pirate King.

The Future of the Pirate King Title

Looking forward, as someone who’s followed One Piece for over two decades, I believe we’re heading toward a resolution that honors both Roger and Joy Boy while establishing Luffy as the ultimate Pirate King.

Luffy’s Synthesis

Luffy represents the perfect synthesis of Roger and Joy Boy. He has:

Roger’s sense of adventure and determination
Joy Boy’s liberating power and revolutionary spirit
His own unique ability to make allies and inspire others
The timing to actually fulfill Joy Boy’s promise

When I watch Luffy’s journey, especially his recent transformation, I see him becoming what neither Roger nor Joy Boy could be alone – the complete Pirate King who both conquers and liberates.

Redefining the Title

What excites me most about One Piece’s direction is how it’s redefining what being Pirate King means. It’s not just about reaching Laugh Tale anymore. It’s about:

Bringing about the Dawn of the World
Fulfilling ancient promises
Uniting all races and peoples
Defeating the system of oppression
Creating true freedom on the seas

In this expanded definition, Joy Boy’s qualifications become even more relevant. He wasn’t just trying to become Pirate King in the narrow sense – he was trying to create a world where being Pirate King meant being truly free.

Community Reactions and Ongoing Debates

The beauty of this debate is how it continues to evolve with each new chapter. In my regular discussions on Discord and Reddit, I see new arguments emerging constantly. Recent revelations about Imu, the Gorosei, and ancient history keep adding layers to our understanding.

Some fascinating recent community theories I’ve encountered include:

Joy Boy might have intentionally lost to preserve the future
Roger and Joy Boy might have communicated through time via the Voice of All Things
The Pirate King title might have existed before Joy Boy and he was trying to reclaim it
Multiple Joy Boys might have existed throughout history

These theories keep me engaged with the community and constantly reconsidering my own positions. It’s what makes One Piece analysis so rewarding – there’s always another layer to uncover.

Conclusion: A Title That Transcends Time

After this deep dive into the Pirate King debate, examining evidence from the manga, community discussions, and thematic analysis, I believe Joy Boy deserves the title of Pirate King more than Gol D. Roger. But this isn’t to diminish Roger’s achievements – rather, it’s to recognize that the Pirate King title represents something greater than any individual achievement.

Joy Boy created the ideal of pirate freedom. Roger proved that ideal could still be achieved. Luffy will fulfill that ideal. Each plays a crucial role in the grand narrative of One Piece, but when we ask who “deserves” the title most, we must look at who embodied its truest meaning.

The Pirate King isn’t just the strongest or the most accomplished – it’s the one who most perfectly represents freedom itself. Joy Boy didn’t just seek freedom; he was freedom incarnate through the Nika powers. He fought not for personal glory but for liberation of all. He created a legacy so powerful that it survived 800 years of suppression.

Roger was the Pirate King of his era, achieving what was thought impossible. But Joy Boy was, is, and through Luffy will be again, the eternal Pirate King whose will transcends time itself. In a story about inherited will and dreams that never die, what could be more fitting?

As we approach One Piece’s climax, I believe we’ll see this debate resolved not by choosing between Roger and Joy Boy, but by understanding how both were necessary steps toward the true fulfillment of what the Pirate King represents – absolute freedom in its purest form.

The real treasure isn’t just the One Piece itself, but the understanding that the Pirate King title belongs not to whoever is strongest or most accomplished, but to whoever most perfectly embodies the spirit of freedom and adventure that defines the very soul of piracy in Oda’s incredible world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Joy Boy stronger than Gol D. Roger in One Piece?

Based on historical evidence, Joy Boy likely possessed greater overall power than Roger. It took an alliance of twenty kingdoms to defeat Joy Boy during the Void Century, while Roger faced conventional opposition from the Marines and rival pirates. Additionally, Joy Boy wielded the Nika Devil Fruit powers alongside probable mastery of Haki, giving him reality-warping abilities that Roger’s pure Haki mastery couldn’t match. However, direct comparison is difficult since they lived in different eras with different power scaling contexts.

Why did Roger say he was “too early” at Laugh Tale?

Roger discovered at Laugh Tale that finding the One Piece wasn’t the end goal but rather a trigger for larger events. He realized he couldn’t fulfill Joy Boy’s ancient promise or properly utilize the Ancient Weapons because the necessary conditions weren’t met. The prophecy spoke of someone who would arrive at the right time to bring about the Dawn of the World. Roger understood he had discovered Joy Boy’s legacy but couldn’t act on it, making him a herald for the true inheritor rather than the ultimate Pirate King.

What makes Joy Boy more deserving of the Pirate King title?

Joy Boy deserves the title more because he created the very concept of pirate freedom that Roger later discovered. While Roger conquered the seas by following the path laid out through Poneglyphs and reaching Laugh Tale, Joy Boy originated these elements during the Void Century. He fought for liberation against overwhelming odds, required twenty kingdoms to defeat him, and left a legacy so powerful that the World Government still fears it 800 years later. Roger achieved the form of being Pirate King, but Joy Boy embodied its true substance.

Will Luffy surpass both Roger and Joy Boy as Pirate King?

Yes, Luffy is positioned to surpass both by combining their greatest qualities. He possesses Roger’s adventurous spirit and determination while inheriting Joy Boy’s Nika Devil Fruit powers and liberation ideology. Unlike Roger who was “too early” and Joy Boy who was defeated, Luffy has the right timing, allies, and abilities to fulfill the ancient promise and bring about the Dawn of the World. He represents the synthesis of both previous eras, becoming what neither could achieve alone.

Could Rocks D. Xebec have become the true Pirate King?

While Rocks possessed immense power requiring Roger and Garp’s alliance to defeat him, he fundamentally misunderstood what being Pirate King represents. Rocks sought world domination and tyranny, commanding his crew through fear rather than loyalty. The Pirate King title in One Piece represents ultimate freedom and liberation, not oppression. His goals of becoming King of the World directly contradicted the freedom-seeking spirit that defines true piracy, disqualifying him from deserving the title regardless of his strength.