One Piece: Best Team Dynamics

One Piece is a series well-known for its colorful cast of characters. Whether focusing on the Straw Hat Pirates, or other organizations of note such as the Navy, rival pirate crews, or the various warlords, there are a lot of fun dynamics explored. Oftentimes, these dynamics are forged by longtime partners after many adventures together. Due to the long-running nature of the series, there are numerous moments for characters to bond.

How the relationships of characters develop in the show over time proves itself to be one of One Piece‘s biggest hooks. Here are some of the most entertaining team dynamics displayed in the series.

5 Luffy and Jimbei

Friendship Built on Respect

Jimbei is the newest official crewmate of the Straw Hat Pirates. He is quite the accomplished pirate, having operated under the World Government as one of their seven warlords and as a subordinate to the pirate emperor, Big Mom. In both cases, he did so with the interests of Fish-Man Island at heart. The Fish-Man was initially friends with Monkey D. Luffy’s sworn brother, Ace, who inadvertently united the pair, once Luffy broke into Impel Down, where Ace and Jimbei were being held. The fish-man grew to respect the young pirate, in part because of his courage to break into and out of the high-security prison. Jimbei stayed by Luffy’s side during the war at Marineford, both allying themselves with the Whitebeard Pirates.

Jimbei eventually ran into Luffy again, alongside his crew, once they ventured into Fish-Man Island. During their time together on the island, Luffy requested Jimbei join the Straw Hats. Although the former warlord wished to join, he held off until Onigashima due to prior obligations. Although many more accomplished pirates, such as Shanks, Rayleigh, and Mihawk viewed Luffy as a pirate with potential, Jimbei is shown to respect Luffy enough for his present accomplishments. Despite his oftentimes serious nature, Jimbei is shown to have a lot of fun alongside Luffy and his crew, occasionally bursting out into laughter when they entertain him.

4 Rebecca and Kyros

A Semi-Surrogate Pairing

Kyros was once a legendary gladiator and ruthless killer. His skill was such that he was eventually made captain of the Dressrosa Army. He fell in love with and eventually married King Riku’s daughter, Scarlett. The pair conceived a child, Rebecca, who lived happily with them in a flower field. Despite this, Kyros was scared to taint his new family with his proverbially dirtied hands. He even wore gloves when interacting with his daughter.

While Donquixote Doflamingo took over Dressrosa, Kyros was turned into a toy by the pirate’s servant, Sugar. However, Sugar forgot to make a contract for the toy, leading him to still rebel against Dressrosa’s new ruler. As a toy, everyone forgot about Kyros, including his family. Scarlett died in his arms, not aware they were her husband’s, and Rebecca hated him for his failure to save her mother. Despite this, as Thunder Soldier, he managed to train and raise Rebecca into adulthood. Rebecca does love and respect the Thunder Soldier, but has no idea of his true identity.

After Usopp knocked out Sugar, undoing numerous toy transformations, memories of those affected, including Kyros, resurfaced. Rebecca teared up as memories of her father came rushing back. After Dressrosa is freed from Doflamingo, Kyros once again wishes to leave Rebecca, racked with guilt over his bloody past and worried about a potential scandal. However, with Luffy’s help, Rebecca instead decided to accompany Kyros, stating he was still her father, no matter his past. He is shown to continue training his daughter even after the events of the Dressrosa arc.

3 Koby and Helmeppo

From Foes to Friends

The young Koby was one of Luffy’s earliest allies, who knew him before he even had any official crewmates. He was previously taken hostage by the pirate Alvida, who put him to work as a caretaker for her crew’s ship. However, after being inspired to be brave by Luffy, he reignites his dream to join the Navy. Helmeppo was the son of former Marine Captain, “Axe-Hand” Morgan, who was abusive in both his power and as a father. Helmeppo had no qualms about similarly abusing his father’s status.

Despite meeting as enemies, numerous efforts as marines under Monkey D. Garp, Luffy’s grandfather, have turned the pair into steadfast allies. As the pair’s friendship continued to grow, so too did their power. Once merely chore boys, Koby currently holds the rank of Captain, and Helmeppo is a Lieutenant Commander. While the two, as Navy members, are currently enemies of the Straw Hats, they do still hold them in esteem as a powerful crew.

2 Robin and Franky

Foil-Filled Friendship

Nico Robin is shown to be a motherly figure towards her crewmates. She is the eldest female Straw Hat, and has a relaxed mature demeanor, balancing out the wackier members’ antics while wearing a content smile. There are few wackier Straw Hats than Franky, a cyborg and self-proclaimed pervert. He is capable of visibly annoying Robin, and despite being somewhat older, is less mature than her. Robin’s own mannerisms tend to upset Franky as well. She has a tendency to fixate on morbid possibilities of what happened to missing crewmates, (likely informed by her tragic past), which can at times be quite upsetting for Franky.

Despite this, the pair have a connection informed by their somewhat similar childhoods. The pair have spent their lives on the run from the government, effectively falling into piracy. They also possess knowledge connecting to weapons that the government wishes to make use of. The pair find themselves fighting alongside the Straw Hats, with both taking pleasure in the lengths they will go to help their crewmates.

1 Sanji and Zoro

Not-So Friendly Rivals

Roronoa Zoro is one of the earliest members of the Straw Hat Pirates, second only to its captain, Monkey D. Luffy. His crewmate, “Black Leg” Sanji, is also a fairly seminal member, serving as the cook, and being one of the first five members. The two are, alongside Monkey D. Luffy, some of the most powerful members of the crew, often responsible for dealing with the right-hands of the groups Luffy leads the charge against.

Due in part to their competitive natures, the pair are frequently hostile towards one another, often hurling insults at each other and generally not getting along. However, although they tend to be coy about it, the two do mutually respect each other and team up during various arcs. Notably, when Sanji feared losing his humanity due to genetic modifications, he requested Zoro put him to death in such an event. Although Zoro accepted, he also requested Sanji not die until then. Additionally, in events where the Straw Hat Pirates have been split up, Sanji and Zoro have complimented each other directly, often when the other isn’t around to hear it