Even though Monkey D. Luffy doesn't officially have a vice-captain, two crew members are often referred to as "The Wings of Luffy." Roronoa Zoro serves as one of these wings, and he is striving to become the greatest swordsman in the One Piece anime series. To realize his dream, he must defeat Dracule Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in One Piece.
Dracule Mihawk wields the All Black or Yoru Sword, considered the most formidable blade and cementing his reputation as the best of the best. However, in addition to Yoru, there are other impressive swords in the world of One Piece, and Zoro has managed to acquire some, proving his worth as a warrior and marking another achievement in his journey to becoming a great swordsman. And while each of these blades has something to offer, a few of Zoro's swords in One Piece are superior.
One Piece (1999)
TV-14Monkey D. Luffy sets off on an adventure with his pirate crew in hopes of finding the greatest treasure ever, known as the "One Piece."
Release Date October 20, 1999 Cast Mayumi Tanaka , Akemi Okamura , Laurent Vernin , Tony Beck , Kazuya Nakai Main Genre Animation Seasons 17 Dual Katana
First Appearance: Romance Dawn Arc
Zoro's initial swords were a pair of katanas, which might've been ordinary in the hands of any other swordsman; however, in Zoro's hands, they were deadly weapons waiting to strike. Dual Katana was part of Zoro's three sword styles until Dracule Mihawk shattered them in battle. Although these blades were unnamed katanas and did not withstand attacks from Mihawk, their quality could not be overlooked, given Zoro's outstanding knowledge of swords.
The destruction of the Dual Katana came along with Zoro's first defeat. It was at this moment that Zoro promised Luffy to remain unbeaten, and he still stands by his words. Dual Katanas paved the way for Zoro, teaching him how to fight and accompanying him during his early days with Luffy, including some of the best episodes in One Piece.
6 Sandai Kitetsu
First Appearance: Loguetown Arc
Chronologically, Sandai Kitetsu is the third katana Zoro acquired in One Piece. After the wreck of his Dual Katana, Zoro came across Sandai Kitetsu in Loguetown. Sandai Kitetsu is a superior-quality sword minted by Kozuki Sukiyaki, the father of Kozuki Oden.
Sandai Kitetsu shares the descent of the cursed swords of the Kitetsu family. Despite being a cursed sword, Sandai Kitetsu did not deter Zoro. However, there were some instances where Sandai disobeyed Roronoa by acting unpredictably, thus affecting his battling prowess. Eventually, as expected, Sandai Kitetsu accepted Zoro as its new master, owing to his strong willpower and physique. Unfortunately, it is the weakest sword that Zoro currently has.
5 Wado Ichimonji
First Appearance: Romance Dawn Arc
Wado Ichimonji was entrusted to Zoro by Koshiro, his first mentor. After the mysterious death of Shimotsuki Kuina, Zoro's childhood rival and friend, he resolved to surpass every swordsman in the world as a way of honoring her, accepting Wado Ichimonji. Zoro's admiration for Kuina and his grief for her death, coupled with his perseverance to defeat her, made him develop the Three-sword Style - a Sword style using three katana: two in the hands and one in the mouth.
Despite being Zoro's first sword, Wado Ichimonji must not be underestimated, as it was crafted by the legendary Shimotzuki Kozaburo, who also forged the mighty Enma. Zoro still handles the esteemed katana, whose endurance in the famous One Piece fight against Dracule Mihawk demonstrates its remarkable vitality. Moreover, Wado Ichimonji holds great emotional value for Zoro, and it's unlikely to be left behind.
4 Nakiri Swords
First Appearance: Arlong Park Arc
In a clash against the officers of Captain Kuro - Nyaban Brothers (Buchi and Sham) - it became painfully clear that one-sword fighting wasn't Zoro's way. During the Arlong Park Arc, Zoro was exposed to fighting exponentially tough adversaries, meaning he needed to be in top shape. Therefore, after losing his dual katanas, Zoro found replacements and borrowed Nakiri Blades from Johhny and Osaku to confront Hachi, a swordsman of the Arlong Pirates. Johhny and Osaku were friends of the former bounty hunter Zoro.
Apart from Kamaza's Scythe, Nakiri swords are among the few swords that Zoro borrowed and returned after the battle. The battle against Hachi was still tough, as Zoro was already suffering wounds from Hawkeye. However, he eventually won.
3 Yubashiri
First Appearance: Loguetown Arc
Even though the Blade Yubashiri is considered the family heirloom of Ipponmatsu - the owner of the shop in Loguetown - the sword was handed over to Zoro. Zoro himself acknowledged the superior strength of Yubashiri to Sandai Kitetsu. Unfortunately, during the Ennies Lobby Arc, Yubashiri was corroded by a captain of marines who manifested the powers of Rust-Rust or Sabi Sabi no Mi, a dangerous evil fruit in One Piece. The wielder of the Sabi Sabi no Mi devil fruit can disintegrate any metal substance it touches.
Zoro had great admiration for Yubashiri, and he even paid tribute to this blade during Thriller Bark Arc. However, One Piece is very much a parade of swords, meaning the decline of Yubashiri made way for yet another formidable sword.
2 Shusui
First Appearance: Thriller Bark Arc
Gecko Moria was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea who stole the corpse of the legendary Ryuma, a samurai from the Land of Wano and Zoro's ancestor. Ryuma was converted into a zombie by Gecko Moria's Kage Kage no Mi devil fruit, and, in the Thriller Bark Arc, Zoro confronted the zombie Ryuma. After indulging in combat with Zoro, Ryuma was impressed with Zoro's judgment and gave him the legendary sword Shusui. The Shusui is an extraordinary katana, ranking among the 21 greatest swords of all time. Nonetheless, Zoro decided to replace Shusui with Enma.
Even though Sandai Kitetsu has been with Zoro for a long time, some fan theories say Zoro might substitute it and take Shusui again. Given the fact that Shusui is a Black Sword, continuously coated with the mystical One Piece magic of Haki, the theory makes sense. In addition, the blood relation of Ryuma with Zoro adds strength to this claim, adding a layer of complexity to Zoro's sword choices.
1 Enma
First Appearance: Wano Country Arc
After the death of Kozuki Oden, Enma was inherited by his daughter, Kozuki Hiyori. To preserve the Wano treasure Shusui on the Land of Wano, she offered Enma to Zoro in exchange. Enma is the most powerful sword that Zoro ever wielded and the only known blade to ever injure Kaido, former Emperor of the Sea.
Enma features a unique ability to draw Haki from the user's body to enhance its strength. Not everything is perfect, though; just like the Sandai Kitetsu, there were instances when Enma disregarded Zoro. He used this sword to confront Kaido and was able to put a permanent scar on the Emperor of the Sea's body. It was Enma's attacks combined with the other two swords that defeated King. Despite the given triumphs, the temperamental Enma has not fully given into Zoro's commands, meaning he has not yet mastered its true potential.
One Piece is available to stream on Netflix.
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