By
Hannah Diffey
Published 34 minutes ago
Hannah is a senior writer and self-publisher for the anime section at ScreenRant. There, she focuses on writing news, features, and list-style articles about all things anime and manga. She works as a freelance writer in the entertainment industry, focusing on video games, anime, and literature.
Her published works can be found on ScreenRant, FinanceBuzz, She Reads, and She Writes.
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Roronoa Zoro may be one of the most steadfast heroes in One Piece, but the blades he carries tell a far grimmer story than most viewers realize. Behind each sword lies a web of curses, deaths, stolen legacies, and sacrifices that have shaped his journey from a stubborn child to the right-hand man of the future Pirate King. Far from simple weapons, Zoro’s swords are constant reminders that his path to greatness is paved with tragedy.
Every major upgrade in Zoro’s arsenal comes with a price of friends lost, ancient spirits awakened, or legendary warriors laid to rest. His blades are extensions of his ambition, yet almost all of them contain dark histories tied to murder, misfortune, or burdens only the strongest could shoulder. When viewed as a pattern, Zoro’s sword collection reveals a legacy of danger that no other Straw Hat must confront.
Wado Ichimonji is a Childhood Promise Born From Death
Despite being the purest of Zoro’s swords, Wado Ichimonji carries one of the heaviest emotional burdens. The sword was meant for Kuina, Zoro’s childhood rival who died far too young, leaving behind a shattered dream and a grieving mentor. Zoro didn’t inherit the blade as a prize but as a memorial, a symbol of a girl who would never see adulthood.
Wado Ichimonji’s legacy becomes even darker when fans consider its creator, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, a master swordsmith who fled Wano under mysterious circumstances. His disappearance from his homeland left questions about how the sword ended up in a remote dojo, and whether Kozaburo himself carried guilt or secrets tied to its creation.
Zoro’s relationship with Wado is less about raw power and more about a promise made to a dead friend. The blade constantly reminds him that every step toward becoming the world’s strongest swordsman must honor someone who died before ever seeing her own potential.
Yubashiri was a Gift That Was Doomed to Rust Away
zoro holding a rusty broken yubashiri in one piece
Yubashiri came into Zoro’s possession through luck and courage, yet it met one of the most tragic ends in his collection. A kind shopkeeper entrusted the blade to him after witnessing his resolve, unknowingly giving Zoro a weapon that would be destroyed in one of the One Piece series’ cruelest moments.
The Marine captain Shu didn’t break Yubashiri in combat. He simply touched it. His rust-based Devil Fruit ability reduced the sword to dust, robbing Zoro of a treasured weapon without an honorable duel or heroic last stand. For a swordsman who respects the soul of every blade he touches, watching Yubashiri rot away was a personal humiliation.
Zoro later buried the remains of the sword on Thriller Bark, giving it a warrior’s farewell. Even in death, Yubashiri revealed a deeper truth about Zoro, because he treats every sword as a companion, not a tool, which makes each loss sting more than the wounds on his body.
Sandai Kitetsu is a Blade That Wants Its Wielder Dead
Zoro wielding Saddai Kitetsu in One Piece
The Kitetsu line is infamous across the world for a reason. Each blade was crafted with such skill and malice that they’re cursed to bring misery to anyone reckless enough to wield them. Sandai Kitetsu didn’t simply intimidate Zoro when he first held it, it tried to claim his life.
When Zoro challenged the sword’s curse by tossing it into the air, he wasn’t announcing bravado, he was gambling with a blade that had supposedly killed countless previous owners. Surviving its test was less a result of destiny and more a near-miraculous moment of compatibility between swordsman and weapon.
Since then, Sandai Kitetsu has remained one of the most volatile blades in Zoro’s arsenal. Its thirst for danger seems to feed off his willingness to face death head-on, creating a partnership built on risk rather than trust. In a sense, Zoro keeps the sword not because it is safe, but because it reflects his own willingness to walk a path lined with danger.
Shusui is a Black Blade Stolen From a Hero’s Grave
Few swords in One Piece carry a darker backstory than Shusui, a national treasure of Wano ripped from the grave of the legendary samurai Ryuma. Its theft was a desecration so severe that it sparked national outrage, and Zoro unknowingly wielded the stolen artifact for years.
When Zoro faced Ryuma’s reanimated corpse on Thriller Bark, the battle wasn’t just a test of strength, it was a fight against a puppet wearing the body of a national hero. The zombie’s admiration for Zoro led him to surrender Shusui, but the sword remained stained by the circumstances of its theft.
Returning the blade to Ryuma’s grave in Wano was a symbolic act of respect, yet it came only after years of Zoro benefiting from a relic that had been stolen from its rightful homeland. Its story highlights the strange moral line Zoro walks: he honors the dead, yet often wields weapons born from their tragedies.
Enma is a Soul-Draining Blade That Tests Its Master
Zoro surprised as he holds Enma. Behind him, Shimotsuki Village can be seen.Custom Image by Rodrigo Sandoval Lahut.
Enma may be Zoro’s most shocking sword yet, not because of its power, but because of its hunger. The blade drains its wielder’s Haki without restraint, forcing Zoro into a struggle where losing control means death. Unlike his other swords, Enma doesn’t merely challenge his skill; it challenges his survival.
The sword once belonged to Kozuki Oden, a warrior whose monstrous strength allowed him to tame Enma without losing his life. For Zoro, mastering the blade meant reliving Oden’s legacy of pain, pressure, and near-fatal overexertion. Every swing became a battle against a weapon that constantly tried to empty his life force.
During the fight against King, Enma forced Zoro to confront something even darker with his own dormant Conqueror’s Haki. The blade didn’t simply demand power, it demanded self-realization, dragging out abilities Zoro had never fully confronted. In many ways, Enma reshaped his identity more violently than any enemy ever could.
Zoro Even Has Temporary Blades With Violent Ends
Zoro in One Piece
Even Zoro’s throwaway weapons reveal how death follows him. From Marine cutlasses to random swords borrowed from fallen foes, each temporary blade becomes part of a brief rampage before being discarded. The most disturbing example occurred during the Wano arc, when Zoro used the seppuku blade given to him under the pretense of ritual suicide.
This tiny, unwieldy knife became the tool he used to butcher a corrupt magistrate and dozens of his men in a whirlwind of blood and shamisen music. The scene reinforced a chilling truth about Zoro, showing that even the weakest weapon becomes lethal in his hands, and even ceremonial blades meant for death find new purpose in his grasp.
Each blade forces Zoro to confront tragedy, curses, or historical burdens that most warriors would avoid.
Zoro’s sword collection isn’t just a lineup of cool weapons. Each blade forces Zoro to confront tragedy, curses, or historical burdens that most warriors would avoid. From Kuina’s death to Enma’s soul-draining hunger, every One Piece sword adds another shadow to Zoro’s legend. Yet he carries them without hesitation. Because to become the world’s strongest swordsman, Zoro must not only master each blade, he must also master the darkness that comes with them.
One Piece
Created by
Eiichiro Oda
First Film
One Piece: The Movie
First TV Show
One Piece
Cast
Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
Video Game(s)
One Piece: Unlimited World Red, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, One Piece: World Seeker, One Piece Odyssey
Character(s)
Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)
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One Piece
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