One Piece Gear 5 Luffy tested: can these 10 shonen legends defeat him

Luffy in Gear 5 as seen in anime
Luffy in Gear 5 as seen in anime (Image credit: Toei Animations)

Gear 5 Luffy is the pinnacle of everything we’ve seen from the Straw Hat captain so far. With his Devil Fruit awakening, Luffy has the freedom to twist reality itself, bouncing attacks back, turning the ground into rubber, and even defying logic in battle. It’s cartoon physics brought to life, and against Kaido, the so-called Gear 5 was enough to secure victory.

But what happens when we step outside of One Piece and imagine Luffy squaring off against other titans of anime? From Naruto to Gojo, from Eren Yeager to Tanjiro, the question of “Who can actually beat Gear 5 Luffy?” becomes much more complicated.

Below, we’ll break down several matchups, analyzing abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately deciding who walks away as the winner.

Disclaimer: This article may contain the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.


List of 10 legendary shonen characters against One Piece Gear 5 Luffy tested

Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Tanjiro in Demon Slayer (Image credit: Ufotable)
Tanjiro in Demon Slayer (Image credit: Ufotable)

At first glance, this fight looks like a mismatch. Tanjiro’s endurance and sword skills are legendary, but compared to Gear 5 Luffy’s raw destructive output, he’s operating on a completely different scale. Luffy can level buildings with a punch, while Tanjiro’s strongest attacks might break bones or slice through demons.

But Tanjiro has two abilities that create unique problems for Luffy. First, his Selfless State hides his battle intent, making it impossible for Luffy’s Observation Haki to predict his movements. Second, techniques like Fake Rainbow can create multiple images of Tanjiro, confusing opponents about which is real.

Unfortunately, none of this solves the speed gap. Tanjiro at best operates at the speed of sound, while Luffy has shown near light-speed reactions in Gear 5. That’s almost a 900,000x difference. Even with Tanjiro’s sharp instincts, Luffy would outspeed and overwhelm him quickly.

Winner: Gear 5 Luffy


Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Eren Yeager, the Usurper (Image Source: MAPPA Studio)
Eren Yeager, the Usurper (Image Source: MAPPA Studio)

Eren is far trickier. In human form, or even in his Attack Titan state, Luffy demolishes him without much effort. But the moment Eren transforms into the Founding Titan, the dynamic changes completely.

This form allows Eren to summon an army of Colossal Titans, effectively creating a battlefield filled with thousands of skyscraper-sized monsters. Even if Luffy can handle hundreds at once with his Bajrang Gun, the time limit of Gear 5 becomes his biggest enemy. If he runs out of stamina, it’s game over.

While Luffy could potentially finish Eren before he transforms, once the Rumbling begins, there’s no realistic way he can fight through an infinite wall of Titans.

Winner: Eren (with Founding Titan)


Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

Deku as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)
Deku as seen in My Hero Academia anime (Image credit: Studio Bones)

Deku has the willpower and grit to keep pushing beyond his limits. His 100% punches and kicks are devastating, but against Luffy’s rubber body and Armament Haki defenses, the impact is severely reduced. Even if Deku breaks bones to unleash stronger strikes, Luffy has the stamina, combat IQ, and speed to keep dodging.

Observation Haki allows Luffy to predict Deku’s attacks, while Conqueror’s Haki can keep him pressured. Deku may one day surpass even the greatest heroes of his world, but in a head-to-head brawl with Gear 5 Luffy, the Straw Hat is simply too fast, too durable, and too experienced.

Winner: Gear 5 Luffy


Femto (Griffith’s God Hand form, Berserk)

Femto and Griffith (Image credit: Dark Horse Comics)
Femto and Griffith (Image credit: Dark Horse Comics)

Now things get brutal. Femto isn’t just a swordsman; he manipulates space, gravity, and reality itself. He can trap opponents in invisible force fields, create black holes, and bend events to his will. Even if Luffy uses Observation Haki to predict attacks, Femto can rewrite reality to bypass it.

The scariest part? Femto’s true body exists in another dimension. Damaging his manifested form does nothing to the real entity. In other words, Gear 5 Luffy could fight at full power and still never “win” the fight.

Winner: Femto


Gojo Satoru (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Gojo, as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image credit: MAPPA Studio)
Gojo, as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image credit: MAPPA Studio)

Gojo’s Infinity ability is one of the worst matchups for Luffy. It makes Gojo untouchable; no matter how strong or fast the attack, Luffy will never land a hit. Gear 5’s time limit again works against him here; if Luffy can’t break through Infinity quickly, he’ll burn out.

Gojo’s Unlimited Void is usually a guaranteed win, overloading his opponent’s brain with infinite knowledge. But here’s the twist: Luffy’s goofy and simple-minded nature might actually save him.

Information might just bounce off his cartoon logic brain. Even then, Gojo still has his Hollow Purple, a pure annihilation technique that erases everything in its path. One clean hit, and Luffy is gone.

Winner: Gojo


Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

Naruto Uzumaki as seen in anime (Image Source: Studio Pierrot)
Naruto Uzumaki as seen in anime (Image Source: Studio Pierrot)

Naruto’s arsenal makes this fight fascinating. Thousands of Shadow Clones could swarm Luffy, each capable of coordinated attacks. Truth-Seeking Orbs can erase matter, bypassing even Armament Haki. Six Paths Sage Mode gives Naruto flight, speed, and god-tier durability.

And then there’s Baryon Mode, a transformation so powerful that it drains the life force of anyone Naruto touches. Even if Luffy avoids direct contact, the sheer speed and destructive power Naruto gains in this state are enough to push him past Gear 5 Luffy.

Winner: Naruto


Yhwach (Bleach)

Yhwach, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Pierrot)
Yhwach, as seen in anime (Image credit: Studio Pierrot)

Yhwach is essentially unbeatable for Luffy. His ability, the Almighty, allows him to see every possible future and choose the one that benefits him. No matter how unpredictable Gear 5 Luffy might be, Yhwach already knows the outcome and counters it.

On top of that, his Soul Distribution can implant fragments of his soul into others, slowly absorbing their abilities and essence until nothing remains. Even if Luffy tries his hardest, Yhwach can dismantle him without even needing to fight directly.

Winner: Yhwach


Baki Hanma (Baki the Grappler)

Baki, as seen in anime (Image credit: TMS Entertainment)
Baki, as seen in anime (Image credit: TMS Entertainment)

This one isn’t even close. Baki is an absolute monster of a martial artist, capable of defeating dozens of opponents at once and breaking human limits. But compared to the scale of Luffy’s power, Baki is still confined to reality.

Luffy’s rubber body negates punches and kicks, and his raw strength far surpasses anything Baki has faced. Even in base form, Luffy likely wins without breaking a sweat.

Winner: Gear 5 Luffy


Denji (Chainsaw Man)

Denji and Pochita as seen in the anime (Image credit: Studio Mappa)
Denji and Pochita as seen in the anime (Image credit: Studio Mappa)

Denji’s main advantage is regeneration. As long as he can consume blood, he can heal from almost any injury. Even if he dies, pulling the cord on his chest can bring him back. Against someone like Luffy, this creates an endurance test rather than a typical battle.

However, Luffy’s Haki negates a lot of Denji’s cutting power. Chainsaws won’t bite through Armament Haki-coated skin. While Denji can keep coming back, Gear 5’s cartoonish attacks, like giant fist barrages or reality-bending strikes, would eventually overwhelm him. Denji’s stamina isn’t infinite, and without allies feeding him blood, Gear 5 Luffy takes the win.

Winner: Gear 5 Luffy


Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)

Rimuru Tempest as seen in anime (Image credit: 8bit Studio)
Rimuru Tempest as seen in anime (Image credit: 8bit Studio)

If there’s anyone who can make Luffy look small, it’s Rimuru. Rimuru’s toolkit includes soul manipulation, reality alteration, multiple bodies across universes, and faster-than-light movement. He can stop time, paralyze enemies, and regenerate endlessly.

Even if Luffy somehow resists poison or time-stop thanks to his bizarre physiology, Rimuru’s overwhelming speed and hax abilities are too much. This is one of those cases where Gear 5 Luffy doesn’t matter; the power gap is simply astronomical.

Winner: Rimuru


Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen )

Sukuna, as seen in JJK anime (Image credit: MAPPA Studio)
Sukuna, as seen in JJK anime (Image credit: MAPPA Studio)

The King of Curses is terrifying. At just 15% power, Sukuna blitzed and dismembered opponents before they even realized it. With his Cleave and Dismantle techniques, he can slice through anything, including magical or physical defenses.

Against Gear 5 Luffy, Sukuna’s domain techniques cover such a wide area that dodging becomes impossible. While Luffy’s elasticity and durability might let him survive a few cuts, eventually, Sukuna’s precision and sheer cursed energy would carve him down.

Winner: Sukuna


Final thoughts

Gear 5 Luffy is one of the most fun, creative, and powerful forms in shonen history. Within One Piece, only the absolute top tiers, characters like Blackbeard, Shanks, or Imu, stand a real chance against him. Against characters from other anime, though, the story changes drastically.

What this really shows is that Luffy’s strength shines in his own world, where the rules of Haki, Devil Fruits, and determination decide everything. But when facing gods, reality-warpers, or multiversal beings from other universes, even Gear 5 hits its ceiling.

And honestly? That’s part of the fun. Gear 5 Luffy isn’t meant to be the strongest character across all anime. He’s meant to be the freest, laughing in the face of danger, breaking logic itself, and punching his way toward the Pirate King’s throne.

Edited by Nisarga Kakade