A new wave of power-scaling debate is exploding across the One Piece fandom after Eiichiro Oda’s latest Q&A revealed fresh details about Cross Guild’s Marine “bounty” system—and fans are taking it as the clearest sign yet that at least one top Marine force belongs in the same tier as the Emperors.
At the center of the discussion is the series’ current Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki (Akainu), with many readers pointing to Oda’s recent information as an “official” indicator that the final Marine powerhouse is being positioned on Yonko-level—or at minimum, treated with the same world-shaking threat status as the Emperors.
The “Yonko-Level Admiral” Claim Explained
The spark comes from Oda explaining more about Cross Guild’s bounty system for Marines, which assigns ranks a star/crown value tied to huge treasure totals. In the same set of notes, it’s referenced that the Fleet Admiral’s bounty reaches the “five crowns” level—a figure widely circulated as roughly 5 billion berries worth of threat value.
That number matters because, in the world of One Piece, bounties are the clearest public-facing signal of threat—and a “5B-tier” figure sits right in the space typically reserved for the most terrifying names on the seas.
Still, not everyone agrees this is a direct “strength confirmation.” Some fans argue the Marine bounty values are rank-based, meaning the Fleet Admiral’s number reflects importance and danger to Cross Guild, not a pure 1-to-1 measurement of combat power.
Why Fans Think It’s Akainu — and Why Sengoku Keeps Getting Mentioned
Even with the rank-based argument, the fandom’s pushback has a simple counter: Oda doesn’t hand out endgame-level framing unless a character is meant to feel endgame-level. That’s why Akainu is dominating the conversation—his position, ideology, and narrative role all scream “final war” centerpiece.
At the same time, discussions have also resurfaced around Sengoku, especially because he’s one of the few Marines repeatedly framed with respect by legends of the old era—fueling the idea that some Marines have always existed on Emperor-tier, even if the story didn’t focus on it for years.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
All of this is happening while the fandom is already in overdrive thanks to the God Valley Incident, one of the most captivating storylines in One Piece history. Oda’s deep dive into this long-mysterious event has brought together legendary figures like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the enigmatic Imu—making the flashback feel like a full-scale historical epic rather than a side story.
The arc’s power struggles, dark tone, and lore-heavy reveals have made it feel like fans are finally watching the “true history” of the world unfold—something readers have been waiting for since the manga’s earliest chapters.
Fans Don’t Want to Return to the Straw Hats Yet
Surprisingly, many readers say they don’t want to go back to the Straw Hat Pirates just yet. Social media is packed with fans arguing that God Valley is the most thrilling One Piece has felt in years—because it’s not just action, it’s answers.
One viral sentiment keeps popping up: returning to the present timeline right now would feel like “waking up from a dream.” And honestly, that reaction makes sense—God Valley isn’t just hype, it’s foundational. It recontextualizes the entire world.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
Whether fans read Oda’s latest reveal as a hard confirmation of “Yonko-level Akainu” or a rank-based threat rating that still implies massive endgame importance, the outcome is the same: the Marine top brass is back in the spotlight in a major way.
And with God Valley continuing to reshape how fans understand the world’s strongest players—pirates, Marines, and rulers alike—One Piece is once again proving why it’s the king of long-form storytelling: it can drop one small “official” detail and reignite the entire fandom overnight.
