I get really bored at work so I spent the day thinking about my favorite One Piece villains. I didn't pick villains that I don't think we've seen the full potential of yet (Blackbeard, Navy Admirals, Emperors including current arc) and frenemies (including Kuma). So here's my list.
10. Wapol
This is just a very comedic villain. I think he perfectly balances being very funny and you still wanting to see him get violently injured. His motives are weak and he's not very threatening, but he still serves as the cherry on top of one of, if not my favorite story arc.
9. Gekko Moriah
I don't really care for Moriah much or for Thriller Bark. But I like the variety of sort of intelligent underdog villains, and Moriah's plan to assemble an army of the dead is pretty neat.
8. Baroque Works
Listed as an organization because that's the form they are really cool as. A mysterious organization of secret assassins is cool enough in principle, but as usual in one piece, it's the eccentricities that make it work. Their structure is really neat, and they include frenemy Mr. 2, decent villain Mr. 3, and two villains from one of the series best fights, Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas. Not to mention the organization contained one and a half crew members.
7. Magellan
Magellan's comedy stinks and he doesn't get to have any really good counterplay with Luffy. But that's sort of the point. Other than Kuma, no one else has ever been insurmountable for Luffy.
6. The Celestial Dragons
Simple and perfect formula. Show us people that there would be dire consequences for attacking and make us want really badly for Luffy to punch them.
5. Donquixote Dofflamingo
Probably the last warlord that the crew will have as a serious antagonist and a good sendoff. In terms of sheer threat and hateability he tops the chart, but I think his ultimate fight with Luffy could have been a little better.
4. Eneru
Not everyone's favorite arc but you have to admit that when they built him up to be so mighty, a literal god who was untouchable by all, and then that moment when he and Luffy first meet... priceless.
3. Arlong
A good threat at the time and actually I think an intelligent foe, considering his patience and strategic plans for world conquest. But the hatred against Arlong is just very personal. I don't think it could ever be topped.
2. Crocodile
Not my favorite arc, but when I thought about it, he's actually one of the best villains. Hell, his organization is on this list, but I think he deserves to be separate from it. He has the intelligence, the threat, and the hatred factor in high levels. But as the first logia, he set the standard still for what I think a good antagonist to Luffy should be, one that he really has to be clever to beat. I'm still waiting for One Piece to get past a point where Luffy can just haki everything and call it a day.
1. CP9
I couldn't pick a single person. Rob Lucci has a really good fight and is a great antagonist, but hardly feels like he's the literal boss of the group. Spandam is more trash fodder like the Dragons or Wapol. And the best member is just the guy who fights Zoro, Kaku. But CP9 is diverse like that. It covers all basis. From their stunning entrance to their awesome six power mastery, they dominate what many people consider to be the best story arc One Piece has ever had.
So what are your guys favorite villains?