User blog comment:AYET/The worth of the Shichibukai to the Marines/@comment-3425840-20130530013138/@comment-3425840-20130530125457

The problem with VA from war to be Admiral level is, their age... We all know that in One Piece world age is a factor (not as crucial as real world but somewhat - the only person to totally defy age is Kureha).

Now the VA from the war time are already past their prime years, yes they are not too old and can possibly hold on to their strength for a while but I can't picture them getting a lot stronger. Late forties is not the time to train don't you think?

BB and Shanks are late thirty to early forty and those two are the only ones in the old generation that I can picture to get stronger. The others can at best get a one time boost with DF or get back into shape *cough Moriah cough* but that's the limit imo.