Mihawk holds the title of "World's Greatest Swordsman" and, as such, it is beyond any doubt that his swordsmanship skills are superior to those of Shanks. This was, once again, brought up in One Piece 1058 where he was specifically compared to Shanks.
The strongest pirate alive in the current story of One Piece is Red Hair Shanks. One Piece is currently in its Final Saga, focusing on the events of the Egghead Island Arc.
Luffy is close to Shanks in terms of power and it is only after their fight that he will officially be able to call himself stronger than Shanks.
As seen in his battle with Sakazuki, Shanks can use armament haki to imbue his sword with this power. Shanks can proficiently use observation haki as well, thus, making him one of the strongest haki users in the One Piece anime series.
Shanks has clashed against Kaido when the latter tried to reach Marineford. It is very likely that Shanks would be able to injure Kaido in this battle.
Shanks' scar caused by Blackbeard because he's mistaking the gomu no mi with yami no mi which Blackbeard been searching for decades.
Shanks is probably way above Zoro`s level. Of all the characters still alive in One Piece, Dracule Mihawk is undoubtedly the strongest swordsman in the world. After all, he holds the title. Vista was the commander of the fifth division of Whitebeard`s Pirates and was considered the best swordsman in Whitebeard`s crew.
Like many characters on this list, Shanks isn't a traditional swordsman and he doesn't appear to be a proficient with a blade as Mihawk, however, it is believed that he is stronger than the latter. Shanks is presumably far above Zoro's level.
Shanks is the only member confirmed to have not eaten a Devil Fruit. Shanks is the only member who is not an Admiral of a Fleet. Shanks is the only member of the original Four Emperors to not be a member of the Rocks Pirates.
There is no denying that Kaido is the strongest pirate alive in the One Piece world, and he's been repeatedly mentioned to be just that by people and even Eiichiro Oda himself.
Shanks is actually a deep undercover government agent. When he had the fruit, he was taking it back to the government before Luffy ate it. He didn't kill Luffy immediately because he liked him or some other anime reason, but at the end of the anime he gets betrayed.
Therefore, Shanks gives up his arm to save Luffy, a child of prophecy who will bring a great change in the world. This sacrifice acts as a catalyst for Luffy to become King of the Pirates and to fulfil his destiny.
It is evident that the only person capable of surpassing Roger is Luffy. Even though Luffy still has a lot to achieve, he is the only person who can transform the entire world.
As one of the Four Emperors, he cannot let just any pirate roam freely after directly clashing with him. Not to mention, Shanks wins the fight fair and square. If Kid was stronger, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy the Red Hair Pirates.
Since the events narrated in One Piece's prologue, Shanks and Luffy are yet to meet directly. An encounter was close to happening at the end of Wano Arc, but it ultimately didn't happen. Feeling each other's presence, however, both expressed mutual respect and affection.
1. Dracule Mihawk. Dracule Mihawk, better known as Hawk Eyes, is recognized as the “World's Greatest Swordsman” in One Piece right now. Being the best swordsman of his generation, his swordsmanship skills are unmatched.
Shanks is an outstanding fighter who can overpower almost anyone in One Piece. Yet, he does not seem to have the power to defeat a ninja as powerful and determined as Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto would likely have to use his entire arsenal to defeat Shanks but would be the winner nonetheless.
"Enter Shanks! The Ultimate War Ends at Last" is the 489th episode of the One Piece anime.
It is blatantly stated in his introduction that Kaido is the strongest in the world. He is, without a doubt, stronger than Shanks……. On a 1v1, that is. The reason why Shanks is still a bit more feared is because he has a more powerful crew.
In order to prove his courage to the pirates, Luffy took a knife and stabbed himself below the left eye. The act resulted in a scar that certainly made him look tough as a pirate. While there was some humor in this, it proved too brutal for the anime.
One Piece finally reveals the secret of Shanks' incredible power, and it lies in his mastery of Observation Haki and his ability to see the future.
Shanks could be the biological son of Rocks D. Xebec, the leader of the Rocks Pirates in One Piece. The theory dictates that Shanks was found by Garp as a 1-year-old baby after the defeat of Rocks at God Valley 38 years prior.