Enemies

World Government

The World Government views Shanks as a problem and a trouble maker, but realizes he is a man who won't try to change the world by himself. However due to the position he holds, they fear he could get out of hand and are prepared to eliminate him if he ever does. The World Government tolerates his actions until that time comes.Apparently, Shanks and Fleet Admiral Sengoku respect each other. Even as enemies, both the World Government and Red Hair Pirates see a clash between sides as the final option.

Vice-Admiral Garp blames Shanks for poisoning Luffy's mind with ideas about being a pirate when he wanted Luffy to become a Marine.[17]

Buggy
So far, outside of the World Government, the only one who appears to oppose Shanks is Buggy the Clown. Ironically, in their youth Buggy accused Shanks of being too naive and innocent to ever make it as a pirate and yet presently Shanks is a great pirate while Buggy and his crew are very weak in comparison.[18] Yet despite what they claimed to each other, Buggy did not pass the opportunity up to exploit Shanks name and when the two met for the first time in years, Shanks was able to trick Buggy into giving Luffy the Straw Hat back. Buggy then had a go at Shanks for it afterwards while Shanks himself was calm despite Buggy's reaction, indicating that despite their differences the pair's relationship between them is still on a similar ground to what it was in the past, although Shanks has matured. Also, Buggy seems to share Shanks' love of partying.
Yonkou
As his rivals, the other Yonkou are enemies. However, he doesn't want the Marines to parade over the triumph of seeing Whitebeard and Ace dead and takes up the responsibility to give them proper burials.

Marshall D. TeachYet the one Shanks seems to watch out for the most is Blackbeard, who gave him his three scars in a previous encounter.[4] At Marineford, he was exceptionally sharp toward the other pirate. Shanks himself seems to know the potential danger Blackbeard is more so than anyone else.

Abilities and Powers

Little is known about what Shanks can do, as he has not been seen heavily engaged in battle yet; however, as a member of the Yonko in the second half of the Grand Line, his raw physical power is considered equal to that of Whitebeard and "losing an arm did not weaken him in any way".[19]

Shanks is usually portrayed as a swordsman. Ten years ago Shanks was capable of swimming, meaning that he did not consume any Devil Fruit at the time he was a rival to Mihawk. He appears to be an excellent swimmer as well, having reached the young Luffy out in the middle of the sea before the Sea King could devour him.[20]

Shanks is also powerful enough to stop Akainu's magma fist with his sword and Busoshoku Haki. According to Buggy as a young man, Shanks was a strong fighter and had it not been for his ideals, he (Buggy) would have wanted him on his crew.[21]

As a member of the Yonko, Shanks' name alone commands great power, as Buggy himself proved; his assertion that he previously had a "brotherly bond" with Shanks was one of the many things that earned him respect from the Impel Down inmates.[12] In addition, Buggy did not shy from using Shanks' and his previous Captain's name Gol D. Roger to maintain his respect amongst them. Even the fact Buggy was seen backtalking to Shanks was seen as a testament of Buggy's own power to the former prisoners, not aware that the two had always acted like this and mistaking that it was because Buggy wasn't afraid of a Yonko.

Shanks commands enough power to end the war at Marineford with just words; when he stated there was to be no more fighting, no one stepped up to challenge him, even though the Marines were fired up after the death of Ace and Whitebeard. When he offered to fight the very overconfident and pompous "Blackbeard" Teach, (who moments before boasted about destroying the island and taking down Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp) he declined and decided to leave, as it was too soon for them to take Shanks on. This is quite interesting because Teach had rushed to finish off Whitebeard (although it should be noted that Whitebeard was already heavily wounded), who was considered the most powerful man in the world and a monster unlike no other, yet declined to fight Shanks. Furthermore, when he requested that Whitebeard's and Portgas D. Ace's dignity at death not to be violated, Sengoku himself decided to call off the war, and offered to take responsibility, showing that despite being a pirate, he has earned Sengoku’s respect, something that no pirate other than Whitebeard is known to have achieved.

Haki

Haoshoku HakiShanks is capable of using Haoshoku Haki,[22] an ability that only one in a million people can use.[23] After saving Luffy from a Sea King, Shanks was able to frighten it off with a single angry glare using this ability.

Later, while boarding Whitebeard's ship for their meeting, a large amount of Whitebeard's crew (experienced men who have survived in the New World) lapsed into unconsciousness and the ship itself began to take damage from Shanks' mere presence. Whitebeard's men attributed this to his superior Haki.[24]

Busoshoku HakiWhen Shanks and Whitebeard clashed with their weapons, the "heavens" above them split, hinting the incredible Busōshoku Haki that the Yonko had imbued in them.

During the Battle of Marineford, Shanks was also capable of stopping Akainu's magma fist, imbuing Busoshoku Haki in his sword.[25]

Weapons

So far in the series, Shanks has only been seen wielding a sword in combat. While his use of it was only briefly shown, the fact that he was able to match a blow from Whitebeard with only one arm is a clear indication of the strength he puts behind his attacks.

Before losing his arm to rescue Luffy, Mihawk would often seek him out for duels. Since Mihawk is classified as the world's greatest swordsman, and Shanks is a former rival of his, it can be assumed that Shanks is an extremely proficient swordsman. Shanks was shown with a different sword during his time as an apprentice pirate aboard Gol D. Roger's ship and during his stay in Luffy's hometown. Also, while an apprentice aboard Roger's ship, he was seen wielding two swords.

History Past

The Apprentice YearsShanks comes from the West Blue and in his past, was a member of Gol D. Roger's crew as a cabin boy and took part in many things such as fighting with Whitebeard. At some point, Shanks acquired Roger's straw hat, although the circumstances behind Shanks acquiring the hat from Roger are unknown at this point in time. His date of joining is unknown, but he spent most of his time together with fellow trainee, Buggy, arguing over meaningless things, such as which pole was colder, the North or the South. Their constant bickering was met with annoyance by the crew's first mate, Silvers Rayleigh.[26]
Shanks would remain forever at odds with Buggy, after they raided a ship where they found a treasure map and a Devil Fruit. After hearing about how much he could sell them for, Buggy switched the fruit with a fake and ate the fake in front of the entire crew. Due to this action, he could successfully sell the real fruit without anyone noticing. However, when Buggy retreated to a lifeboat with the fruit and the treasure map, Shanks surprised him twice—the first time causing Buggy to hide the fruit in his mouth, and the other causing him to swallow it. Buggy also dropped the treasure map into the ocean, so in desperation, he jumped into the water to get it, only to start drowning. He was rescued by Shanks, but since then Buggy blamed him for ruining his plot to become rich.[27]

Twenty-six years before the storyline starting date, Roger had contracted a fatal illness and made one last voyage with his crew into the Grand Line to conquer it. A year before he died, he disbanded the Roger Pirates.[28] Shanks and Buggy were last seen together at Loguetown on the day of Roger's death. Shanks immediately began his quest to form his own crew by offering a place to Buggy. Buggy refused and the two separated. Shanks would continue to hear rumors that Buggy was still a pirate somewhere over the course of the following years.[29][30]

The Rise of Captain Red-Hair

At some point in his life, he met Marshall D. Teach, then a member of Whitebeard's crew. What happened is unknown, however Blackbeard left Red-Haired with the 3 scars across his left eye.[4] The exact date of that event is unknown; however, there are signs indicating that those scars were made near the time of Roger's execution: while images of a younger Shanks depict him with his face unscathed, in two flashbacks (in Chapter 434 and Chapter 0), he has his face hidden by his hair and his hat.

Shanks also fought often with Mihawk and their battles were said to echo through the whole of the Grand Line.

As his strength as a pirate captain rose, he and three other pirates were named the Yonko, including Whitebeard, Kaido and Big Mam.[31]

Shanks and the Boy Luffy

Years later, after becoming the captain of his own pirate ship, Shanks arrived on an island where he met a strange young boy named Monkey D. Luffy. Intrigued by the boy and enjoying the atmosphere of Luffy's village, he decided to make the island his crew's base for a short period of time (which turned into a year).[32]

Luffy quickly grew attached to the crew, so much so that he wished to join their ranks and become a pirate as well. Shanks refused to allow the boy into his crew on the basis that he was too young. One day, a group of bandits, led by Higuma, came into a bar where they were drinking. Higuma demanded sake, but Shanks and his crew had just finished all but one bottle. When Shanks offered the last bottle, Higuma smashed it over him. When Shanks refused to fight back, Higuma took the liberty of smashing the food the captain was eating over him. In anger Luffy shouted at Shanks for not standing up to him as a man, it was then to the captain's horror he found out Luffy had eaten a Devil Fruit they'd stolen off an enemy ship.


Soon afterwards, Shanks went back out to sea, Higuma returned in his absence. After Luffy stood up to Higuma for insulting his role-model, Luffy got caught up in a hostage situation and his captors were defeated by the Red-Haired Pirates. Shanks considered a friend to be something worth fighting over, but the bandit leader Higuma had fled out to sea with Luffy, only for the two to be attacked by a Sea King. Higuma was eaten, but Shanks managed to save Luffy. However the incident cost Shanks his left arm.[20] Shortly after, Shanks set sail along with his crew, but before leaving, he and Luffy promised each other that one day Luffy would surpass Shanks and become the Pirate King and then Shanks left Luffy his straw hat as a parting gift, telling him to return it once he surpassed him.

Shanks returned to the Grand Line, eventually arriving on the Sabaody Archipelago and meeting Rayleigh again. He told Rayleigh about the boy named Luffy, who resembled his captain.[33]