Marines

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Marines (海軍)
Affiliation	Formerly the World Government's principal military force; later an independent Marine Headquarters
Occupation/Role	Military organization responsible for protecting civilians, suppressing piracy, operating branch bases, and enforcing its interpretation of justice
Status	Active; formally separated from the World Government under Fleet Admiral Wright's leadership 562
First Appearance	Chapter 5

History

Service under the World Government

For centuries, the Marines served as the World Government's armed force and public face. Their stated duty of protecting civilians often conflicted with orders intended to preserve World Government authority, conceal information, or eliminate perceived threats. The Buster Call that destroyed Ohara was carried out by the Marines on World Government orders. 5 36 223

This contradiction created lasting disillusionment among officers. Many enlisted out of a genuine desire to uphold justice, but increasingly recognized that Marine operations could be used to maintain the Celestial Dragons' rule rather than protect the public. 187 189 223

Reform and expansion

Wright's enlistment brought several major changes to Marine Headquarters. His Combined Assault Formation was refined with Zephyr's support and introduced to rank-and-file forces, substantially improving the effectiveness of lower- and mid-ranking personnel in coordinated combat. 30 51

Wright's healing abilities and Lightforged Crystals greatly reduced combat casualties, while his reputation encouraged civilian enlistment. These developments expanded both the Marines' manpower and their ability to sustain campaigns against major pirate forces. 164 274

After Wright became the fourth Admiral, Marine Headquarters expanded its New World presence through bases such as G-10 and G-11, specialized Fish-Man and aerial forces, and the Marine Science Unit. 282 312 327 395

Summit War and New World expansion

Marine Headquarters assembled 100,000 elite soldiers, four Admirals, Shichibukai, and extensive naval defenses for the war against the Whitebeard Pirates at Marineford. The Marines defeated Whitebeard's forces, then secured roughly one-third of his former New World territory. 353 371 377 393

Following the war, Wright was promoted to Fleet Admiral. Under his leadership, the Marines placed greater priority on directly carrying out justice than on preserving the World Government's public image. 394

Separation from the World Government

After the World Government removed Wright from the Fleet Admiral position and cut Marine Headquarters' funding, Marine officers of every rank rejected the decision. The Admirals, senior officers, instructors, and rank-and-file soldiers collectively opposed the World Government. 560 561

Marine Headquarters formally declared its separation from the World Government, defining itself as a force that would protect the world without being bound to any nation's interests. 562

Command

Position	Known holder(s)	Notes
Fleet Admiral	Wright	Became Fleet Admiral after the Summit War; led the institutional shift toward “Hope's Justice.” 394
Admiral	Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, Issho	The four Admirals deployed alongside Marine Headquarters' top forces during the assault on Mary Geoise. 570
Vice Admiral	Garp, Tsuru, Smoker, Rosinante, Gion, Tokikake and others	Vice Admirals command major branches, lead elite operations, and engage high-level pirate officers. 348 362
Admiral Candidate	Gion, Tokikake and other elite officers	A recognized advancement stage for officers considered capable of Admiral-level responsibility. 348 386

Organization

Training

The New Marine Recruit Camp at Marineford was established to develop the Marines' future backbone. Under Chief Instructor Zephyr, trainees received physical conditioning, martial arts, swordsmanship, Haki instruction, Six Powers training, and combat internships against Grand Line pirates. 18 19 21 24

The camp's Elite Squad received the harshest training, advanced education, and priority access to Headquarters resources in preparation for future flag-officer roles. 21

Later, Zephyr and Garp jointly influenced elite training, emphasizing a personal understanding of justice rather than blind obedience to the World Government. 556

Major bases and facilities

Location	Function
Marineford	Headquarters and central command hub. Its districts include harbor, military, training, residential, and inner-city family areas. 18
G-1 Branch	A New World stronghold near the Red Line that stabilizes Marine presence and supports travel through the Calm Belt. 169
G-5 Branch	A frontline New World branch responsible for monitoring the Four Emperors, intercepting incoming pirates, and supporting further Marine expansion. 307
G-10 Branch	A combat-ready New World base completed in half a month using transported materials and Devil Fruit-assisted construction. 312
G-11 Branch	A forward base established in territory formerly controlled by the Whitebeard Pirates. 395
Sabaody Archipelago garrisons	Marine-controlled areas used to suppress lawlessness and human trafficking while supporting Fish-Man Island. 440

Marine Science Unit

The Marine Science Unit develops and deploys specialized technology, including Lightforged Runes, Purification Crystals, advanced warship support, and rapid-response infrastructure. Its work also supports medical rescue, construction, and long-range operations. 294 312 466

Justice doctrines

Figure / faction	Doctrine	Characterization
Sengoku and Garp's faction	Restrained justice	Prioritized Marine duty while retaining compassion and personal convictions despite World Government pressure. 16
Sakazuki	Thorough Justice	Seeks the total eradication of evil; emphasizes strength, discipline, and the collective force of every Marine soldier. 90 109
Borsalino	Ambiguous Justice	Performs his duties while avoiding ideological commitment and factional conflict. 16 109
Kuzan	Lazy Justice	Questions the true purpose of the Marines and rejects unquestioning certainty about institutional justice. 109
Wright	Hope's Justice	Defines the Marines' foremost duty as protecting civilians and those unable to protect themselves. 381 523 562

Under Fleet Admiral Wright, the guiding principle shifted from treating the Marines as a “bandit-slaying machine” to treating them as protectors whose duty is to arrive in time, save the weak, and punish evil. 466 523 562

Operational capabilities

Combined Assault Formation

The Combined Assault Formation is a coordinated unit tactic designed to prevent Marine numerical superiority from becoming ineffective piecemeal fighting.

• Developed from Wright's analysis of the Marines' shortcomings in group combat and refined by Headquarters tactical specialists. 29 30 51
• Allows lower- and mid-ranking officers to coordinate attacks, cover blind spots, and threaten stronger opponents through disciplined teamwork. 30
• Formations remained effective against elite pirate crews even when the Marines were outnumbered. 205 488
• Supported Marine expansion by turning ordinary trained soldiers into a more reliable battlefield force. 51 90

Lightforged support network

Lightforged technology originates from Wright's Holy Light abilities and provides the Marines with healing, protection, mobility, and logistical advantages.

• Lightforged Crystals reduce casualties and improve the endurance of Marine units. 274
• Healing support enables wounded personnel to return to combat quickly and helped Marine forces sustain operations against stronger pirate crews. 205 312
• Lightforged Beacons permit emergency reinforcement and were later upgraded for mass teleportation of troops. 111 466
• Headquarters relay network requires travel between Paradise and the New World to pass through Marineford, making Headquarters the center of rapid deployment. 477

Naval and logistical warfare

• Marine warships can cross the Calm Belt by using Sea Stone embedded in their hulls to imitate the sea's vibrations and avoid attracting Sea Kings. 16
• The Marines maintain large-scale naval formations, including warship encirclements, shore batteries, and mass troop deployments for major wars. 353
• Devil Fruit users have been integrated into logistics and engineering, including construction, transportation, smelting, aerial movement, and soundproofing. 312

Specialized forces

• Sea Beast's Fang — An independent Fish-Man and Mermaid legion commanded by Jinbe, built around underwater warfare and racial combat advantages. 326 327
• Azure Sky Song / Azure Sky Fortress — An aerial Marine force centered on Kuina's Float-Float Fruit, intended to establish airborne combat doctrine and fortress-scale deployment. 327 395 570
• Marine Science Unit — A technical and research arm supporting advanced equipment, rescue operations, and specialized projects. 294 395
• Intelligence network — Operated through officers such as Rosinante and Deuce to analyze pirate activity, conduct covert operations, and identify emerging threats. 324 395

Major operations

Operation	Result
Ohara Buster Call	Carried out the World Government's order to erase Ohara and destroy the Tree of Omniscience, later becoming a defining example of Marine complicity in unjust orders. 5 559
North Blue campaign against the Donquixote Family	Sengoku and Tsuru used Rosinante's intelligence to dismantle more than half of the family's North Blue operations. 64
Arlong Park intervention	Wright's forces defeated the Arlong Pirates, arrested a corrupt Marine colonel, and restored hope to Cocoyasi Village. 130 131
Summit War at Marineford	Marine Headquarters defeated Whitebeard's forces through overwhelming mobilization, killing Whitebeard and expanding into his former territory. 353 371 377
Totto Land operation	The Marines ambushed the Big Mom Pirates, deployed large-scale Combined Assault Formations, and ultimately dismantled BIGMOM's position. 482 488 500 504
Wano campaign	The Marines intervened against Kaido while avoiding direct interference in Wano's internal succession struggle; Wright ultimately defeated Kaido. 527 538 548
Marine Headquarters declaration	The organization rejected the World Government's removal of Wright and declared independence in the name of justice. 561 562
Assault on Mary Geoise	Marine forces, allied pirates, Revolutionary Army members, and other powers mobilized aboard Azure Sky Fortress for a live-broadcast attack on the World Government's capital. 570

Relationships

• World Government — Former superior institution. The relationship deteriorated as Marine officers recognized systemic corruption and rejected orders contrary to justice; Marine Headquarters later declared separation. 555 559 562
• Celestial Dragons — Their atrocities, political influence, and use of the Marines as protectors of privilege became a central cause of institutional dissent. 187 556 559
• Impel Down — A parallel World Government institution that declared separation after the World Government's crimes were exposed; Marine Headquarters supplied it with material and financial support. 561
• Shichibukai — Nominal allies who historically acted independently and resisted Marine direction. Jinbe became the first Shichibukai to formally serve under a Marine Admiral, while several later fought beside Marine Headquarters at Mary Geoise. 327 570
• Fish-Man Island — A protected partner whose citizens formed Sea Beast's Fang under Jinbe; the relationship was intended to improve understanding between Fish-Men, Mermaids, and humans. 326 327
• Revolutionary Army — Initially an enemy force, but Wright maintained covert cooperation with Dragon where their goals aligned against the World Government. 380 523
• Member States — Increasingly sought Marine support through Lightforged Beacon access and external garrisons capable of responding rapidly without directly controlling domestic affairs. 523 530

Notable Quotes

“Correcting Chaos, we are leaving the World Government's command!” 562

“The Navy's Duty Is to Protect.” 562

“Justice will no longer be late.” 466