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Among the various unsavory personalities in One Piece, some stand out as particularly detestable. Blackbeard is portrayed as a stark contrast to Monkey D. Luffy and has caused harm to numerous cherished characters. The Celestial Dragons are universally reviled for their multiple heinous acts. Yet, it’s Fleet Admiral Akainu, also known as Sakazuki, who often tops the list of most despised characters in the series. This Marine is infamous for his brutality and lack of compassionate traits. As fans will recall, he was responsible for the cold-blooded killing of Portgas D. Ace right before Luffy’s eyes. Beyond his power, Akainu’s taunts and provocations led to Ace’s demise. Consequently, Akainu has never been a popular choice among fans, but his role as an antagonist is undeniably compelling.

Although recent occurrences following the Egghead Island Arc might signal a transformation in his personality, Akainu has been less prominent since the time skip in One Piece. However, since Marineford, he’s exhibited a more understanding side. For instance, his compassion towards Kizaru and his controlled reaction to Bartholomew Kuma make it simpler to perceive him in a more favorable light. Nevertheless, while it’s plausible that Akainu has evolved for the better, he remains one of the most infamous figures within the World Government; it’s uncommon for villains in One Piece to be purely evil.

Akainu’s Adherence to Absolute Justice Has Made Him a Hated Character

The Fleet Admiral Is an Extremist Who Killed Ace

Many fans find themselves disliking Akainu due to his actions towards Ace. The fact that he ended Ace’s life is a significant reason for this sentiment, as Ace served as the emotional heart of the Paramount War – being not only Luffy’s older brother but also a captivating character in his own right. Fans had hoped to see Ace survive and witness the success of Luffy and the Whitebeard Pirates’ efforts. Unfortunately, Akainu thwarted these wishes. Moreover, he not only taunted and took Ace’s life, but also left lasting scars on both Luffy and the story itself. From that moment on, Luffy has been able to clearly see Akainu as an adversary.

Akainu is equally criticized for being a poor leader. In his quest for Extreme Justice, Akainu believes that anyone or anything that supports what he deems as wrongdoing should be eliminated. This extends to fellow marines who retreat from battles against pirates. Akainu has shown a readiness to kill his subordinates. He even came close to killing Koby when Koby attempted to halt the war. Koby recognized that the marines were suffering heavy losses and wouldn’t have inflicted much more damage, but a pirate intervened to save Koby from his superior marine officer.

In the case of Ohara, Akainu’s commitment to thoroughness led to excessive action. Not every Oharan citizen was aware, but a select group of researchers were defying the World Government’s strict rule. These few dissenters were arrested on the island. Despite this, Akainu decided to sink the evacuation ship without mercy. His reasoning was that some researchers might have been aboard, and even this slight possibility was enough for him to endanger innocents. To Akainu, a Marine’s duty is to eliminate evil before anything else. In this sense, his notion of justice can be categorized as Absolute Justice.

The Fleet Admiral Is Now Hampered by Bureaucracy

The Celestial Dragons Have Prevented Akainu From Doing Much Since the Time Skip

Though they achieved their objectives at Marineford, the Marines’ victory there doesn’t equate to a full success. Following the war, Sengoku opted to retire and hand over the reins. However, Akainu was also put forward as a potential successor. After their clash on Punk Hazard, Akainu stepped into the role of Fleet Admiral. Since then, he’s been busy in his new position, but hasn’t proven to be exceptionally effective. One reason for this is that he must navigate through superior officers who don’t share his strong sense of justice.

Akainu finds it difficult to work with the World Nobles, often clashing with them, as demonstrated in his battle against Bartholomew Kuma at Mary Geoise. His disregard for the Celestial Dragons is similar to the concern he once held for the marines during the conflict on Egghead Island.

The most significant transformation in Akainu’s role since assuming his position involves exchanging Marineford and the G-1 base locations. Rather than Marineford being headquartered at Sabaody, it’s now in the New World. This move was intended as a challenge to the Sea Emperors, but Akainu is prohibited from directly pursuing them. He doesn’t view them as a significant threat. Consequently, Sabaody has grown even more lawless than it was at the time when the Straw Hat Pirates regrouped on the island.

Akainu Has Several Reasons to Back Away From His Hardline Stance on Justice

There’s More Going On in the Marines Than the Obvious

It appears that Akainu values the marines on Egghead Island, possibly due to their opponent being perceived as evil, yet this level of concern exceeds anything he’s previously demonstrated. Interestingly, marine lives hold greater significance for him than pirate lives, and he is no longer content to sacrifice them at a whim from his superiors. Akainu’s compassion shines through post-Egghead Incident, as he expressed empathy towards Kizaru’s sorrow over losing his friend. The bond between Sakazuki and Borsalino remains unclear, but there are hints that they might be friends.

Even though Akainu may now realize how insignificant his promotion was compared to Kuzan’s true objectives, Kuzan’s retirement likely left an impact on him. Despite their moral differences, Kuzan was a powerful and dependable colleague whom Akainu would have liked to keep working with. The circumstances surrounding Kuzan are shrouded in mystery, which leads one to wonder if he might still be involved with the Marines in some capacity. Given that situation, it’s plausible that Akainu is aware of this, too.

Akainu’s power is challenged by a group called SWORD. Regardless of what theories people have, it appears that Akainu wouldn’t object to SWORD since they share a common goal – pursuing the so-called “Emperors.” It’s known that Akainu is aware of their existence, but his feelings towards them remain unclear.

Akainu Has Tact About Marine Lives Despite the Events of Marineford

Akainu Expresses Care For the Soldiers and Kizaru

From my perspective, ever since Akainu’s promotion, his involvement in the narrative has been relatively limited compared to what one might expect. Over the past few years, there have been signs of a shift in his character, yet it remains unclear exactly how this transformation unfolds. It seems that Akainu’s empathy towards fellow Marines could be an aspect of his personality that hasn’t been fully explored.

It’s plausible that Akainu and Kizaru have maintained a friendship, which might explain the seemingly gentle manner in which he interacts with the Admiral. This is purely speculative, but it adds to the intrigue surrounding these characters and their complex relationships within the storyline.

In a different phrasing: During Marineford, Akainu didn’t encounter any marines who deserted or showed fear. However, given his past actions, it’s plausible that he might deal harshly with these men if they ever pose a threat. It appears that Akainu recognizes a difference between loyal and disloyal marines. Yet, after Marineford, Akainu seems more exhausted than before, which may have influenced him to reconsider his approach towards the challenges of justice. Specifically, during Marineford, it became clear to Akainu that not all sides shared the same priorities as the marines, even though they were working together.

Akainu is often disliked due to a lack of redeeming qualities in the story until now, and he’s been connected with numerous tragedies throughout the anime series. Characters like Kaido have had their redemptive moments, so it’s not unexpected that Akainu might follow suit. As we approach the Final Saga, it leaves us wondering about Akainu’s role in the unfolding events.

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2025-05-23 05:09