Let’s be real. If you’ve spent any time sailing with the Straw Hat Pirates, you know that Eiichiro Oda is a master of the "beautiful" character. We have icons like Boa Hancock or Nami who look like they stepped off a runway. But then, there’s the other side of the coin. The side that makes you want to scrub your eyes with soap. Honestly, the ugliest One Piece characters aren't just background noise; they are deliberate, visceral design choices that serve the story in ways a "cool" villain never could.
Oda doesn't do accidents. When he draws someone like Trebol or Saint Charlos, he wants you to feel a physical reaction. Usually, that reaction is "ew."
The Science of the Snot: Trebol and Saint Charlos
If we’re talking about pure, unadulterated "ugly," we have to start with the characters who literally leak. Trebol is the gold standard for this. He’s the top officer of the Donquixote Pirates, but he looks like a shriveled raisin trapped inside a giant, sentient booger. He’s always hunched over, his nose is a perpetual faucet of mucus, and his clothes are basically just a thick layer of sticky, flammable slime.
You’ve probably seen the debate about his Devil Fruit. Is he a Logia? A Paramecia? Honestly, it doesn't matter because the visual remains the same: a man who looks like he smells like a damp basement and old gym socks.
Then there’s Saint Charlos.
He’s not just ugly; he’s a Celestial Dragon, which makes his face even harder to look at. Charlos has that classic "I’ve never worked a day in my life" puffiness. His eyes are tiny, his lips are way too thick, and he—much like Trebol—always has a disgusting bubble of snot hanging from his nose.
The brilliance here is how Oda uses ugliness to reflect morality. Charlos is a monster on the inside, so Oda made sure he’s a nightmare on the outside. When Luffy finally punched him in Sabaody, it wasn't just satisfying because he was a jerk; it was satisfying because his face was practically asking for a realignment.
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When Designs Go "Wacky": Wapol and Foxy
Not every ugly character is gross. Some are just... weird. Take Wapol, the former king of Drum Island. He has a jaw made of tin plates. A literal metal box for a mouth. He’s shaped like a pear that’s been stepped on, and his hair is a bizarre shade of violet that clashes with everything he wears.
Wapol represents a specific type of One Piece design: the "buffoon tyrant." He’s supposed to look ridiculous because he is ridiculous. He’s a man who eats houses and people but has the emotional maturity of a toddler.
And then there's Foxy the Silver Fox.
Basically, he looks like a split-ended paintbrush with a long, pointy nose. Fans often skip the Long Ring Long Land arc, but Foxy’s design is a masterpiece of "so bad it’s good." He has these tiny legs and a massive, barrel-shaped torso. It’s the kind of body proportion that makes you wonder how he even walks, let alone captains a massive pirate crew.
The Tragic and the Bizarre: Kokoro and Shinobu
Sometimes, "ugly" is a matter of perspective or time. One of the biggest shocks in the Enies Lobby arc was the reveal that Kokoro is a mermaid.
Up until that point, every mermaid we’d seen or heard of was a literal goddess of the sea. Then Kokoro jumps into the water and the Straw Hats—and the audience—collectively lose their minds. She looks like a cross between a dugong and a very happy frog.
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- She’s perpetually intoxicated.
- Her "legs" are a split tail (common for mermaids over 30).
- She has a smile that never quite leaves her face.
Is she ugly? By Sanji’s standards, absolutely. But she’s also a hero who saved the crew from drowning. This is where Oda plays with us; he gives a "traditionally unattractive" character the heart of a lion.
Shinobu is another great example. During the Wano arc, we see her as a short, stout "ninja" who looks nothing like the "Man-Slayer" she used to be. The gag is that time and stress (and maybe too many dango) changed her completely. However, after the battle with Greenbull, she briefly returned to her "beautiful" form because her nutrients were sucked out. It’s a wild, body-horror way to handle aging and metabolism, but that’s just One Piece for you.
Why the Ugliest One Piece Characters Actually Matter
You might wonder why Oda spends so much time drawing characters like Edward Weevil—who looks like a failed science experiment with a white crescent mustache—instead of just drawing cool guys like Zoro or Law.
It’s about world-building.
A world where everyone is a supermodel is boring. By populating the Grand Line with people like Wanze (the guy who shoots ramen out of his nose) or Orochi (the bloated, multi-headed Shogun), Oda makes the world feel lived-in and diverse. It also allows him to hide powerful people behind "ugly" faces.
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Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach) isn't a traditionally handsome guy. He’s missing teeth, he’s got a big belly, and he’s constantly sweaty. But he is one of the most terrifying threats in the series. His "ugliness" makes him feel grounded and real—a true, gritty pirate in a world of superpowers.
How to Appreciate the "Ugly" Designs
If you want to really get into the head of a One Piece fan, you have to stop looking for symmetry.
- Look for the silhouette: Oda prides himself on making every character recognizable by their shadow alone.
- Check the SBS volumes: Oda often explains why he chose certain features, usually linking them to a character's favorite food or their personality quirks.
- Observe the contrast: Notice how the most "attractive" characters are often the ones with the least expressive faces, while the "ugly" ones have the most dynamic range.
The next time you see a character that makes you cringe, don't look away. Look closer. There’s usually a reason for every snot bubble and crooked tooth.
Your Next Steps for One Piece Lore
If you're fascinated by how Oda builds his world, start paying attention to the cover stories in the manga. Characters like Wapol and Shinobu have entire narrative arcs told through these small, single-panel stories that explain how their designs change over time. You'll find that many of these "ugly" characters have some of the most complex backstories in the entire series, proving that in the world of One Piece, looks are almost always deceiving.