‘One Piece’: All swords used by Zoro, confirmed
Roronoa Zoro, Luffy’s de facto first mate in One Piece, is known for his ambition to defeat Dracule Mihawk and become the greatest swordsman in the entire world. I also know him as one of the only cartoon men I thought was attractive as a preteen, but that is neither here nor there.
To achieve his goal, Zoro must perfect his sword skills, which is no easy task when you’re as committed to mastering the three-sword fighting style as he is. Thanks to his position with the Straw Hats, he’s had a lot of practice battling tough enemies, and because he is determined to use the three-sword style, he’s handled a lot of swords.
How many swords does Zoro use?
“A lot” is not an objective quantifier, so how many swords are we talking about here? Throughout the One Piece saga, Zoro uses five named swords. That may not be a lot to you if you spend a lot of time around swords, but it is to me. If we count his unnamed swords, Zoro’s sword count goes up to a whopping (at least, to me) 9 swords.
Wado Ichimonji is the first sword we see Zoro use, and he’ll continue to use it until the end. The sword was originally intended for Zoro’s friend and rival Kuina, but her untimely death prevented her from inheriting it. Instead, her father Koshiro gifted it to Zoro, who then pledged to become the greatest swordsman in the world in Kuina’s honor. The sword is an incredibly powerful Meito, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades. Even now, as One Piece’s Final Saga continues, Wado Ichimonji is full of potential just waiting to be explored.
Zoro also uses two unnamed katanas at the start, but they, much like Zoro himself, get wrecked during his fight with Mihawk. He then uses Johnny and Yosaku’s swords as substitutes in the battle at Arlong Park until the crew reaches Loguetown, where Zoro receives his next named swords: Yubashiri and the cursed blade, Sandai Kitetsu. One of the 50 Skillful Blades, Yubashiri is slightly weaker than Wado Ichimonji but a stunning sword nonetheless. Zoro used it until its defeat at the hands of Shu during the Enies Lobby Arc. Sandai Kitetsu is a lower grade than Yubashiri, but its cursed nature makes it stronger and harder to control. Still, Zoro has shown impressive control over the sword and continues to use it in the present.
In Thriller Bark, Zoro gains the Black Blade Shusui, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades. He uses it until he reaches Wano, where he lays it to rest with the samurai who once wielded it, Shimotsuki Ryuma. In exchange for returning the blade, he receives another of the 21 Great Grade Blades, Enma. The sword uses its user’s Haki—mysterious spiritual energy that allows people to become temporarily and superhumanly powerful—to become even stronger, forcing Zoro to refine his Haki constantly so he can use it safely. While he has yet to get his hands on a Supreme Grade Blade, Zoro’s current sword lineup in One Piece makes him a swordsman to be reckoned with.
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