Before the One Piece anime’s beginning, several powerful pirates lost their lives and became legendary.

One Piece has been on the air for several decades. During this time, many new characters have been added, while others have been replaced. Almost all the characters have had some kind of role to play in the series.

But, what about the characters who existed many years prior to the beginning of the One Piece anime? Despite their absence from the anime at the beginning, many of them have appeared in the story over time. While their appearances have been limited, it is hard to deny their importance to the story as a whole.

7 Gol D. Roger

Gol D. Roger was the first pirate who traveled the entire world and earned the title of “King of Pirates.” Anyone who met Roger was instantly charmed by his charisma. Roger was a strong-willed individual who had no fear. No matter how badly the odds seemed to be against him, Roger never caved in.

It was only because of these qualities that Roger conquered the seas. When it comes to strength, Roger is arguably the strongest character in the series to date. Despite his illness and lack of a devil fruit, Roger could go toe to toe against Whitebeard, who was armed with the strongest Paramecia-type devil fruit. There are still certain things about Roger that remain a mystery, but they will be revealed toward the end of the series.

6 Kozuki Oden

Kozuki Oden was a legendary samurai, who hailed from Wano. Oden’s name was mentioned multiple times after the time skip, but it wasn’t until the Straw Hats entered Wano that Oda finally revealed the mighty samurai. Oden died years prior to the start of the story, but his reputation never faded away.

His name lived on via his Nine Scabbards, who devoted their lives to him. Kozuki Oden was freakishly strong; in his prime, he was able to scar Kaido. Oden’s dream was to become a pirate, and it came true when the Whitebeard Pirates arrived in Wano. Oden went on to become the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates, and later he joined Gol D. Roger on his journey to the final island.

5 Rocks D. Xebec

Rocks D. Xebec is one of the most prominent figures in the history of One Piece. He was a ruthless man who valued power over everything. Xebec’s crew was filled with the most notable rookies of that era, which included the likes of Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, Shiki, Kaido, etc.

Xebec’s crew was highly dysfunctional, but he kept them under control by using his strength. According to Sengoku, Xebec was Roger’s toughest enemy, even more so than Whitebeard. Not much is known about Xebec except for the fact that he was extremely powerful. It is said that he died in the God Valley incident, which took place many years before the current timeline.

4 Donquixote Rosinante

Donquixote Rosinante was the younger brother of Donquixote Doflamingo. Unlike his wicked elder brother, Rosinante was a kind-natured person who tried to save as many lives as he could.

​​​​​​When Rosinante found out about Law, he was ready to blow up his cover to protect the young boy that he barely knew. Rosinante left his brother’s crew and went on a voyage with Law to find a cure for the Amber Lead Syndrome. When everything else failed, Rosinante sacrificed himself to steal the Ope Ope no Mi, which he later fed to Law. Even in his last moments, Rosinante maintained consciousness in order to help Law escape from Doflamingo.

3 Fisher Tiger

Fisher Tiger is unquestionably one of the greatest One Piece characters. While he did not have flamboyant powers, Fisher Tiger made a name for himself with his deeds. He infiltrated the Holy Land of Marijoa; for most characters in One Piece, this is something beyond their wildest dreams. However, Fisher Tiger managed to achieve this feat with aplomb.

Fisher Tiger successfully freed the people who were slaves to the Celestial Dragons. It was only because of his efforts that the Boa sisters were able to live a normal life. Fisher Tiger died as a result of blood loss after being ambushed by the Marines.

2 Zepo

Zepo was a member of the Mink Tribe who was introduced in Pedro’s flashback. He was Bepo’s older brother, but he left Zou with the Nox Pirates. Zepo traveled with the crew for a while, but his journey was cut short when he was captured by Big Mom.

Unfortunately, he was killed after Big Mom used the power of the Soru Soru no Mi on him. Zepo’s power level remains unknown but considering that he managed to sail the waters of the New World without much problem implies that he was quite formidable. As a Mink, Zepo was also able to use Electro, which is a very powerful weapon.

1 John

John was first introduced in the Thriller Bark arc as one of the General Zombies. Many years prior to the story, John used to be a member of the legendary Rocks Pirates. He left the crew along with other members following their defeat at God Valley. Shortly afterward, John started his own pirate crew, which gained notoriety in a short time.

He became renowned for collecting the most marvelous treasures in the world. His treasure superseded him in terms of reputation, and so far, many active pirates have tried to get their hands on it, but none of them have succeeded. It is unclear how he died, but it’s safe to assume that it was probably in a fight.