The Shichibukai, the full title being Oka Shichibukai (王下七武海, Ōka Shichibukai lit. meaning "Royal Seven Military Seas"), are seven powerful and notorious pirates who have allied themselves with the World Government. As a group, they are one of the Three Great Powers that keeps the world in balance.
Due to their alliance with the World Government, every member's bounty is frozen and they have significantly more leeway to commit crimes.
Overview[]
The Shichibukai are seven extremely powerful Pirate Captains who entered into the service of the World Government. The purpose of the Seven Warlords is to have the pirates deal with other pirates. They are also a great symbol of the government’s strength. In return for their alliance with the World Government, every member's bounty is frozen and they have significantly more leeway to commit crimes.
Although they work for the World Government, the Shichibukai themselves typically do not care about nor respect the Government or even the other Warlords, and are often considered by the Marines to be no different from any other pirate. On the other hand, they are known at large as "government dogs" and despised by other pirates, but are still feared and respected for their infamous reputation and strength which they gained before, and even after they became Warlords.
The Seven Warlords seem to be a balance between the chaotic Yonko and the orderly Marines. The majority of the Shichibukai are composed of New World veterans, those who have met the Emperors or even fought against them.
Strength[]
The Shichibukai are a significant and crucial part of the government’s strength. As the Five Elders gravely dreaded the idea of the balance falling apart with only one less Warlord once a vacancy is made.
The government makes it a point to only select exceptionally strong pirates to be offered the Warlord position. Some of the Warlords has bounties well over 100,000,000. However, there is an enormous range in the bounties between the members due to differences in circumstances under which they are recruited.
It should be noted that these are their former bounties, and do not represent the current threat they could achieve as active pirates.
Some of the Warlords possesses extremely powerful Devil Fruit powers. Some have powers that are borderline impossible to win against. Others had powers that could cause massive levels of destruction, even to the point of destroying an entire country. Other Warlords were exceptionally powerful combatants, even without Devil Fruits.
Relations Between Warlords[]
The terms that the Warlords are on with each other is best described as very unstable. They have very little (if any) respect for each other and will for the most part not accept help from one another, apparently due to a firm sense of pride. When the Shichibukai are called into battle by the government, it is known that the very notion of them working together as a team is entirely unthinkable. However, some do not disregard the notion of allying with another Shichibukai.
It has been noted that only some of the Shichibukai are familiar with each other or even have personally met other members. Despite this, all of the Shichibukai have heard about each other due to their notoriety without actually seeing them in person.
Members[]
Shichibukai | ||||
Current | ||||
Tatsuya Ryushiki | Sol D. Neal | Gahn O. Yaphet | Elio Francesco | |
Gaffel Becker | Sora Kami | ? | ||
Former | ||||
Himawari † | Shinzui ‡ | ? | ? |
Members' Profile[]
Relationships[]
Most Warlords seemed to have only limited knowledge of each other. However, some others converse as though they are familiar with each other. During these interactions, most of them are also hostile towards each other. At times, however, they might be courteous and offer to help each despite how the recipient might feel
Methodology of the "Government Dogs"[]
Becoming a Warlord of the Sea[]
A pirate could choose to join the Shichibukai if a space becomes vacant (which means that at least one Warlord must resign or be expelled from the group). However, in order for one to become a Warlord once this position opens up, one must have been able to exhibit their strength against other pirates while choosing to pledge loyalty to the World Government (this ironically encourages pirates to gain infamy to become a Warlord) by making a pact with the Five Elders. If the pirate in question could be used as intimidation, the position may be offered to them, if no other pirate has accepted the position or proven to be more of an asset to the World Government.
As expected, most members were already notorious pirates with high bounties, but even relatively unknown pirates could be admitted if they accomplish a feat to prove their strength. The World Government can also be extorted by pirates into offering the prestigious status.
Some cases can also happen, Where pirates are offered a position in the organization when the World Government's Carrier Bat sends a letter to their location and the pirates reply by coming to Marine Headquarters as a sign of accepting the invitation or declining the offer. It is also noted that refusing to accept the invitation would cause the chosen pirate's bounty to rise even higher.
Duties of the Seven Warlords[]
They do not express open defiance to the authority of the World Government, but are not obligated to follow its orders either. They are technically only allowed to attack other pirates, and must also compensate the Government with a portion of their plunder, although this regulation is not followed most of the time. Each member of the Shichibukai must also have strong intimidation skills and a fearsome image to put off others becoming a pirate and make them fear them. In addition, it could be noted that once someone becomes appointed to the Seven Warlords of the Sea they must be undefeated to maintain their position, or at least are not allowed to have a widely known debacle or scandal that affects their reputation.
Some of the members does various tasks for the government, such as conquering new islands for the World Government (described as "liberating") and protecting nations, but their ultimate purpose was to keep other pirates in check. Most importantly, the Shichibukai provided assistance to maintain the balance of The Three Great Powers.
Technically speaking, the Shichibukai are considered allies of the government, and in times of war are obligated to collaborate with the Marines. Still, many Marine officers despises them and consider the Seven Warlords to still be pirates. Several high-ranking Marines expressed surprise that when any of the Shichibukai actually bother to show up when summoned for a meeting. When they are not under orders of the World Government, they have no commitment to assist the efforts of the Marines.
Most of the Warlords appeared to show general apathy towards the World Government and in some cases even hostility.
Benefits and Concessions[]
In exchange for these services, the Shichibukai are pardoned for their former actions and any existing bounties are rescinded.
The Enemy Ship Capture Warrant (敵船拿捕許可状 Tekisen Daho Kyoka-jō) allows Warlords to legally plunder other pirates and uncivilized lands (most likely referring to countries not affiliated with the World Government), so long as they gave a portion of their loot to the Government.
As the Shichibukai are no longer outlaws, they can make money through legitimate business, as well as bounty hunting. Some, however, are content to simply float around the sea on their ships. The government does not seem to mind, and the Seven Warlords are granted a great deal of autonomy in how they operated. Other benefits included access to resources normally out of bounds to normal citizens and pirates, such as the use of Seastone equipment.
The privilege of protection and pardon extended to any of the Warlord's subordinates as well. As any of them can be pardoned for any past crimes or notoriety simply for working directly under a Warlord.
However, due to having the benefits of being a Warlord as well as the government choosing to ignore their actions, many members tended to abuse their privileges for their own personal gain.
Though a majority of the Warlords abused the system for their own personal gain, there have been a few that joined for more benevolent reasons.
Dismissal or Resignation[]
Even if they violate the law, the World Government and Marines may choose not to take any notice. Because of the risk involve with maintaining the Three Great Powers, the Government tolerates the illegal activities of any Warlords and attempts to protect them if possible (or at least maintain their fame).
That is not to say they would not dismiss a Warlord for such actions. There are several Warlords who have been dismissed from their positions for several reasons.
Dismissal from the Shichibukai held not only the individual's loss of title, but in cases also the breakdown of possible politics affiliated to the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Strength[]
The Shichibukai were a group of one of the strongest pirates in the world and one of the Three Great Powers, the others being the Yonko and the Marines.
In terms of power, the Shichibukai and Marine Headquarters make a balance with the Yonko. Therefore, the Shichibukai are one part of what makes the balance with the Yonko. Most of the Shichibukai have had encounters with most of the Emperors. The strength of at least a few Warlords has been acknowledged by the Admirals as well as the Fleet Admiral respectively. This, in addition to the fact that losing a single member of the Shichibukai can disrupt the balance of the world powers and cause distress to the World Government, indicates the extreme power each individual has. The strength of a Warlord is so great, that should they be imprisoned for any reason, they would be sentenced to Level 6 of Impel Down, the lowest and most secure level of the prison
Because of their pact with the World Government, the Shichibukai are considered "Government Dogs" by other pirates. At the same time, they are also feared by them because all of the Warlords are insanely strong, each capable of destroying an average pirate crew on their own with no effort. They have such a fierce reputation that even other powerful and famous pirates are unnerved by them, demonstrating how their strength is even greater than that implied by their frozen bounties in the eyes of others.
Each member has some ability or power, the majority of which are Devil Fruits. These abilities can oftentimes vary depending on the Warlord's theme. Some of their abilities appear to conflict with each other
In relationship to each other, it is not entirely known how they compared in strength, however it is mostly like considered each member are equaled in terms of strength.