In the realm of anime, a common trend seems to be scarfing down huge amounts of food. Characters in these Japanese tales often take joy in stuffing their faces at the speed of light. One protagonist that's oddly suited for this is Luffy from One Piece. When this wannabe pirate sees a dish that he likes, his stomach is bottomless. Next to Goku from Dragon Ball, Luffy is among the hungriest characters ever put to screen, able to consume food on a level rarely seen onscreen.
That being said, Luffy's elastic body can only carry him so far in this area. There exist several characters who seem tailor-made to dethrone him in a culinary competition. Many of them come from his own show. He may want to be king of the pirates, but his position as king of the entre is about to be usurped.
10 Charlotte High-Fat
This may seem out of left field considering the character's stature. After all, this guy is fairly muscular, and much of that muscle is concentrated at his upper body. His midsection and bottom half are comically small in comparison, leading one to believe that he doesn't indulge in much junk food.
However, this type of physique has gifted him with extraordinary endurance. He's like an RPG character who focused exclusively on that stat. He's able to withstand attacks that would have flattened lesser men. Who's to say that this endurance doesn't extend to his insides? He's a healthy guy, so he must have a healthy digestive tract.
9 Big Mom
Charlotte Linlin is one of the many sizeable characters in One Piece. She has been that way all her life, and it doesn't take much imagination to figure out the reason. This is a woman who drools when talking because she's always hungry. When she doesn't get food, she erupts into a fit of rage.
If she still doesn't get sustenance, she rapidly deteriorates after just a few hours. Her body has become so permanently altered by her habits that physically can't stop eating without wasting away. An eating contest would seem like just another afternoon to her.
8 Patty
This is another character who may not look like a worthy contender (at least to viewers who remember him). He's also equipped with plenty of upper body strength and no time for leg day. However, Patty serves as a devoted chef of the Baratie restaurant. He often comes up with elaborate cuisines, complete with flamboyant poses, and he spits on anyone who he feels is unworthy of his dishes' elegance. Years of practice have also enabled him to prepare his meals with extreme efficiency. Clearly, this cook has an extensive understanding of the culinary arts.
This, combined with his physique, tells audiences that he knows exactly what to put in his body and how much he can digest at one time. Such knowledge would surely come in handy during an eating contest. Patty may be more of a side character, but he's still a worthy opponent.
7 Zeff
Being the head chef of the Baratie, this swarthy is an even greater aficionado of culinary arts than Patty. This obviously means he has a far more detailed grasp on food. All the advantages that Patty has in this area are amplified here.
What Zeff also has is immense stamina and control over his body. He was once stranded for 85 days with only the occasional scrap of food. That's why he has the peg leg. Sure, it's completely unrealistic, but this is anime land. Crazy, fantastical things like this happen every day, so think about what would happen if Zeff put such bodily mastery to work when he actually has food on the table.
6 Blackbeard
Marshall D. Teach is probably the biggest version of Blackbeard ever put to screen, and that girth isn't just for show. He can shake off attacks and projectiles that would have proven fatal to anyone else. On top of that, he's rumored to have never slept a day in his life. Clearly, he's not bound by normal human needs, gleefully overpowered in an already crazy show.
That durability extends further. To the surprise of fans, he's the only human capable of wielding two Devil Fruits at the same time. This would have killed the Average Joe. As such, an eating contest would be a piece of cake (pun intended).
5 Lucky Roux
Sure, this one may seem obvious, but it's no less applicable. Not only does this rotund rapscallion look like Dr. Eggman's second cousin, but he always seems to be stuffing his face.
Roux is often consuming sake or some other ration in the background. Whenever he does take center stage, he's munching on a drumstick. Granted, it's stereotypical, but this means that he's gotten plenty of practice. It takes real devotion to hold onto a food item 27/7. Plus, the fact that he never stops could mean that he's built up a high tolerance to even the most copious amounts of grub. Sometimes, the low-hanging Devil Fruit is the most effective.
4 Alvida
At first glance, this pirate captain appears to be an emaciated speck next to her peers. However, she only gained this slim physique after eating a Devil Fruit. Prior to this, she was as big as they come.
Pre-Fruit Alvida may not tower over her enemies like some other pirates, but she more than makes up for this in width, both in her face and body. In fact, the buttons on her clothes cling desperately for dear life. Overindulgence in the spoils hasn't been kind to her. She doesn't seem to care, though, as evidenced by her fancy coat, long nails, adornment of rings. She might jump right into an eating contest to prove herself superior. She could probably store the food in her cheeks like a chipmunk to get a leg up.
3 Kokora
This alcoholic doesn't even look human. Her oversized mouth takes up most of her face. Although this could theoretically help her consume more food at one time, it makes her out to be a freak of nature even in the anime landscape. Heaven help viewers if she were ever translated to live-action.
The reason for this is that she's not human; she's actually a mermaid in disguise. Once a beautiful creature, she succumbed to the bottle and let herself go. Considering swimming burns more calories than most other exercises, this is no small feat. Alvida would doubtless be a tough opponent to beat in an eating contest.
2 Franky
This boy's nickname is "Iron Man," the reason for which should be obvious after looking at him. He comes with a slew of cybernetic modifications to make him an imposing presence to even the most bloodthirsty pirate. These aren't just for show, however. He can control several parts of his body, altering them how he sees fit. If he wants his hair in a different style, so be it.
Who's to say he can't change himself to be unbeatable in an eating contest? Robotic parts could theoretically digest food more efficiently than organic ones. By all accounts, Franky is better, stronger, faster, and more of a pig than the average scallywag.
1 Usopp
One of the oldest members of Luffy's crew, Usopp has dedicated himself to becoming a brave and legendary pirate. Unfortunately, this means that he doesn't cope well when separated from the rest of the crew. The lack of purpose caused him to seek solace in food, giving him five chins and a round body to match the length of his nose.
Luckily, he slimmed back down afterwards, but there's always the chance that he could call on this transformation again. Consider how scrawny he was at the start. Going from that to Papu Papu from Crash Bandicoot is nothing to sneeze at. This radical change shows his body's ability to alter itself in ways most people only dream of. Such a bizarre gift could be put to excellent use in dethroning his leader, albeit only in an eating contest. Then again, some people in this weird show would say that's the only thing that matters.