When it comes to powerful characters in the world of anime, Shanks from One Piece and Gildarts Clive from Fairy Tail are two characters often pitted against each other. Despite being hailed from different worlds, both are known for their charisma and immense power. However, this comparison didn’t arise purely because of their fighting abilities, but also due to their uncanny resemblance in appearances, particularly in the anime adaptation of Fairy Tail.
Thus, Both One Piece and Fairy Tail fandom have recently been embroiled in a heated debate on who is stronger. While it’s difficult to determine it due to them being in completely different anime worlds with distinguished power structures, it’s interesting to analyze both fandoms’ perspectives in defense of their beloved characters.
Addressing the Issue Regarding Shanks and Gildarts’ Similar Physical Appearances
Since Gildarts’ first appearance in Fairy Tail, fans have pointed out how similar he looks to Shanks from One Piece. They both have wavy ginger hair, wear capes, have beards, and most importantly, both have a similar disability from previous battles. While Gildarts lost both his left arm and leg in his fight with The Dragon King Acnologia, Shanks lost his left arm while defending Luffy from a Sea King.
As Fairy Tail debuted much later compared to One Piece, there have been multiple claims from fans that Gildarts’ design is merely a rip-off of Shanks’ by Hiro Mashima. While there’s no concrete clarification on why these characters look so similar and share comparable status and powers, Fairy Tail fans argue that Gildarts’ design doesn’t exactly look similar to Shanks’ in the original manga, but his design was changed during the anime adaptation.
There had been several speculations about Mashima being Eiichiro Oda‘s former assistant, however, those rumors had been debunked. The only thing both mangakas have in common is their deep admiration for Late Akira Toriyama.
It’s not unusual for different Shonen anime to have similar characters in terms of appearances and personalities. Even the protagonists of these two series, Luffy and Natsu share similar personality traits. So, Gildarts’ similarity to Shanks might not be a rip-off, but rather, it might be an inspiration taken from One Piece which later drastically changed design-wise by the animation studio.
Shanks vs Gildarts: Who is Stronger?
Since both Shanks and Gildarts have been a debatable topic due to their similar appearance, there are bound to be some arguments determining who is a better character physically and story-wise. Thus, One Piece and Fairy Tail fans have recently engaged in a heated debate trying to defend their favorites.
As one of the Four Emperors, Shanks is among the four most powerful pirates of One Piece world with the highest bounty among the current emperors. On the other hand, Gildarts Clive is one of the S-Class mages of Fairy Tail guild with his powerful caster magic, Crush, that can be used to both crack Magic into pieces, thereby nullifying its effects, as well as to reduce the Magic’s power and to deflect it.
Thus, it leads to an interesting discussion on who may dominate a face-to-face battle between these two characters. One Piece fans are hell-bent on the idea of Shanks being stronger, while Fairy Tail fans claim that Gildarts may look similar to Shanks but his skill is more evolved and explored in the anime.
When comparing the two, it’s important to remember that One Piece and Fairy Tail have different power systems. Shanks’ mastery over Haki, particularly his Conqueror’s Haki, gives him an edge that would likely overwhelm Gildarts’ raw magical power. However, Gildarts’ Crush magic poses a unique challenge. If Gildarts could manage to land a hit on Shanks, he could theoretically dismantle Shanks’ weapons and perhaps even damage his body.
In a fair fight, the battle could go either way depending on circumstances. It’s clear that beyond their looks, these two characters are vastly different. Shanks, with his calm authority and Haki proficiency, stands as a pillar of strength in the world of One Piece, while Gildarts Clive remains Fairy Tail’s beloved wrecking ball of destruction. In a death battle, Shanks’ abilities would likely give him the upper hand, but Gildarts would undoubtedly give him a fight to remember.
One Piece and Fairy Tail are currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
