<p>If you look at the <a href="http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Dracule_Mihawk" rel="nofollow">wiki page</a> of <em>Mihawk</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Dracule Mihawk is a member of the Shichibukai and the first one to
  be revealed. <strong>He is also the current holder of the title, "Greatest
  Swordsman in the World</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This should answer the title question.</p>

<p>As for the relationship with <em>Shanks</em> (it is listed under the <a href="http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Dracule_Mihawk#Shanks" rel="nofollow"><strong>Friends</strong> list</a>),</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In the past, Mihawk was a rival to one of the most powerful pirates in
  One Piece, Shanks. However, Mihawk lost interest in him after Shanks
  lost his left arm. He retains a neutral, though somewhat friendly
  relationship with Shanks, and is able to track him down if the need
  arises. He and Shanks do manage to get along, regardless of the fact
  that the two are opposites in personalities. Shanks is also able to
  get Mihawk to join in when he threw a party to celebrate Luffy's
  coming, even when moments beforehand Mihawk had scorned how laid-back
  Shanks was.</p>
  
  <p>Mihawk even mused out an apology to Shanks during the battle at
  Marineford, where he declares that he will not be holding anything
  back against Luffy right before going after him. When Shanks
  showed up during the Whitebeard War, Mihawk left the battle, stating
  that battling Shanks was beyond the scope of the World Government's
  agreement.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So its not that he's really scared of <em>Shanks</em>, but just that he relishes the <strong>Frenemy</strong> kind-of relationship with him, and that's why moves out of the battle, when <em>Shanks</em> enters the scene.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T14:03:14.593Z
Lovely answer, but I'd like to add a link to this article on the OP Fan Page : http://www.opfanpage.com/2019/01/16/does-the-vivre-card-databook-confirm-that-mihawk-is-yonko-level . While not a good source in itself, it is citing the Vivre Card Databook (which is official) and I agree with the reasoning of the author. Tl;dr - Mihawk is yonkou level for certain and may be stronger too when it comes to swordplay.
TheGamer007
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-06T10:50:12.963Z
2015-07-04T05:39:02.360Z
2015-07-04T05:39:02.360Z
Rahul
<p>When Shanks entered the Battle of Marineford, it was to end it. All he used was a single sword to stop Akainu (considered as the strongest in the marines now) from killing Coby.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/R2Jw5.png" alt="Shanks stopping akainu"></p>

<p>Mihawk left the battlefield saying that he had only agreed to fight Whitebeard. So is this just a normal reason for him to leave or was he scared that he would have lost to Shanks? Because, in the war Mihawk fought with other pirates except for Whitebeard so it seems a bit contradictory to what he said while leaving.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/5OIXc.png" alt="Mihwak&#39;s reason while leaving"></p>

<p>Then there was a scene where he actually tracks down Shanks just to inform him about Luffy's first bounty. Is there any particular reason behind this?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VlBxz.png" alt="Mihawk with the news of Luffy&#39;s bounty"></p>

<p>Also, does Mihawk has some relation with Shanks or is he scared of him?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-06T09:57:22.137Z
Akainu to Ace: My Magma is stronger than your Fire.
Shanks to Akainu: BP! My sword is stronger than your Magma. ;-)
Masked Man
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-06T10:05:19.033Z
Haha Thats what!
If Akainu is the strongest amongst the marines (and has the Haoshoku no haki) and then also Shanks handled it so easily!. If mihwak has not been shown with it then definitely he is not as strong as akainu.
So its possible that Shanks is way stronger than Mihawk!
votelessbubble
<one-piece>
Is Dracule Mihawk really the strongest swordsman?
# Is Dracule Mihawk really the strongest swordsman?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-11-06
When Shanks entered the Battle of Marineford, it was to end it. All he used was a single sword to stop Akainu (considered as the strongest in the marines now) from killing Coby.

![Shanks stopping akainu](https://i.sstatic.net/R2Jw5.png)

Mihawk left the battlefield saying that he had only agreed to fight Whitebeard. So is this just a normal reason for him to leave or was he scared that he would have lost to Shanks? Because, in the war Mihawk fought with other pirates except for Whitebeard so it seems a bit contradictory to what he said while leaving.

![Mihwak's reason while leaving](https://i.sstatic.net/5OIXc.png)

Then there was a scene where he actually tracks down Shanks just to inform him about Luffy's first bounty. Is there any particular reason behind this?

![Mihawk with the news of Luffy's bounty](https://i.sstatic.net/VlBxz.png)

Also, does Mihawk has some relation with Shanks or is he scared of him?
**Tags:** one-piece
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Akainu to Ace: My Magma is stronger than your Fire.
Shanks to Akainu: BP! My sword is stronger than your Magma. ;-)  
> **username_0**: Haha Thats what!
If Akainu is the strongest amongst the marines (and has the Haoshoku no haki) and then also Shanks handled it so easily!. If mihwak has not been shown with it then definitely he is not as strong as akainu.
So its possible that Shanks is way stronger than Mihawk!  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2013-11-06. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
If you look at the [wiki page](http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Dracule_Mihawk) of *Mihawk*

> Dracule Mihawk is a member of the Shichibukai and the first one to
> be revealed. **He is also the current holder of the title, "Greatest
> Swordsman in the World**.

This should answer the title question.

As for the relationship with *Shanks* (it is listed under the [**Friends** list](http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Dracule_Mihawk#Shanks)),

> In the past, Mihawk was a rival to one of the most powerful pirates in
> One Piece, Shanks. However, Mihawk lost interest in him after Shanks
> lost his left arm. He retains a neutral, though somewhat friendly
> relationship with Shanks, and is able to track him down if the need
> arises. He and Shanks do manage to get along, regardless of the fact
> that the two are opposites in personalities. Shanks is also able to
> get Mihawk to join in when he threw a party to celebrate Luffy's
> coming, even when moments beforehand Mihawk had scorned how laid-back
> Shanks was.
>
> Mihawk even mused out an apology to Shanks during the battle at
> Marineford, where he declares that he will not be holding anything
> back against Luffy right before going after him. When Shanks
> showed up during the Whitebeard War, Mihawk left the battle, stating
> that battling Shanks was beyond the scope of the World Government's
> agreement.

So its not that he's really scared of *Shanks*, but just that he relishes the **Frenemy** kind-of relationship with him, and that's why moves out of the battle, when *Shanks* enters the scene.
> **Comments:**
> **username_3** (2019-01-17): Lovely answer, but I'd like to add a link to this article on the OP Fan Page : http://www.opfanpage.com/2019/01/16/does-the-vivre-card-databook-confirm-that-mihawk-is-yonko-level . While not a good source in itself, it is citing the Vivre Card Databook (which is official) and I agree with the reasoning of the author. Tl;dr - Mihawk is yonkou level for certain and may be stronger too when it comes to swordplay.  
---
