Contenuti
Intro
Roronoa Zoro is one of the main characters in the anime and manga One Piece, created by writer and cartoonist Eiichiro Oda. He is one of the pirates of Straw Hat, the pirate group headed by Monkey D. Luffy, and is the first member to join the crew.
Before joining the crew, Zoro was a bounty hunter whose goal was to clash with the famous swordsman Mihawk, the world’s strongest swordsman and a member of the fleet of seven. However, during his journey he meets Rufy and, impressed by his courage and determination, decides to join him in his search for the legendary One Piece treasure.
As the master of the Three-sword technique , a style of fencing he created during his childhood training in the village of Shimotsuki , Zoro is among the three most powerful Straw Hat fighters, along with Rufy and Sanji .His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman, to honor a promise he made to his late childhood friend Kuina.
As time goes by, the swordsman, becomes stronger and stronger and faces numerous opponents, being regarded by all as one of the twelve pirates who are called the“Worst Generation.”
Appearance
Roronoa Zoro is a very tall, muscular man with brush-cut green hair and a scar on his forehead. He always wears a pair of black pants, a belt with three sheaths for his swords, and a green and white striped shirt.
He is used to carrying his three swords at all times, which are his favorite weapon. One of these is his father’s sword, the“Yubashiri,” while his other two swords have varied over time due to their destruction and have therefore been replaced during his long journey.
He has three identical gold earrings on his left earlobe and wears a black bandana around his left biceps that he ties on his forehead when it is time to get serious during a fight.
Another feature of Zoro’s body are his many scars, which were given during some extreme battles in which he participated. In particular, he has a huge scar extending from his left shoulder to his right hip that he acquired during his defeat against the world’s greatest swordsman, Mihawk, in Baratie.
Because of his hair, he is frequently teased, through the nickname bush, by his crewmate Sanji.
Personality
Zoro usually maintains a very stern, serious and aloof personality, but he often loses his temper in an awkward and exaggerated comic style. He rarely jokes with the rest of the crew but, rather, prefers to be alone to devote himself to his training.
However, this introverted nature of his does not go against the deep respect and loyalty to his fellow crewmates that will lead him to protect them whenever they need help.
However, in difficult moments, Zoro maintains a certain solemnity that allows him to analyze the situation judiciously, without being swayed by emotion. An example of his behavior can be seen when Usop leaves the crew. Unlike his comrades who cry and despair, Zoro, remains cool, reminding them that it was Usopp himself who chose to fight Rufy and leave later. He also states that they should not let him return unless he apologizes to the entire crew for his attitude.
Zoro is very mistrustful of outsiders and places his trust only in those close to him. However, over time, he seems to have learned to put more trust in others, as he agreed with the alliance with Law and believed Hiyori when she revealed her identity to him.
He is also very perceptive, which he demonstrates by providing important and logical decisions at critical moments and assessing the situation from an objective point of view, as he did in Water 7 by considering the best way to handle what seemed like Robin’s betrayal.
Zoro is a very loyal character devoted to the samurai philosophy of Bushido. He firmly believes in honor and integrity and always fights honestly, refusing to attack an opponent whose back is turned, except in situations where his friends’ lives are in danger. In battles he is absurdly reckless, sustaining wounds that would kill a normal person, and gaining strength through his unshakable willpower.
In addition to all these gifts, however, he also has some flaws such as his shameless love of alcohol and his poor sense of direction that leads him to lose himself, and thus to become detached from his companions, on countless occasions.
Skills and powers
Zoro has dedicated his life to becoming the world’s strongest swordsman . Even before he joined the crew, he was famous for his outstanding skills and achievements in battles. His skills improved dramatically after becoming the member of the Straw Hat Pirates and, most importantly, after training for two years following the teachings of the “strongest swordsman in the world,” Dracule Mihawk.
Zoro was the second Straw Hat to receive a bounty , and for much of the crew’s existence, his bounty was the second highest. During the crew’s journey, Zoro came to possess some of the most legendary swords in history and used them both to improve his skills and to develop more devastating attacks.
Zoro generally does not plan actions and strategies in advance, but goes with his instincts. However, he fights intelligently on several occasions, managing, in a short time, to learn all the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy.
This aptitude for fighting goes hand in hand with hisimmense physical strength, gained during extensive training. He, in fact, spends time on the ship lifting incredibly large and heavy weights to keep getting stronger.
Zoro also demonstrated incredible speed and agility in pursuing opponents and avoiding their attacks. He is considered one of the fastest straw hats because of his physical power that increases his running ability. He also exhibits immense levels of durability and resilience, having survived numerous serious wounds and having continued to fight while afflicted. One of his greatest assets as a warrior, in fact, is his inexplicable tolerance for pain.
In addition, he is an extremely skilled user of Busoshoku Haki, a very powerful form of haki that he learned during his training under Mihawk Hawk Eyes.
Sword techniques
Zoro is an extremely skilled swordsman who became one through training in the Shimotsuki Village Dojo when he was still a child.
After reaching adulthood, he became a great master swordsman, famous for being able to wield three swords at once.
Zoro’s fencing style incorporates his enormous physical strength to overwhelm opponents and cause significant damage through his extremely accurate sword strikes.
As one of the world’s strongest swordsmen, Zoro, over the course of his long journey has developed numerous techniques that have enabled him to win against the strongest and most feared opponents.
The following are the most iconic techniques used throughout the series.
Three-sword technique
The three-sword technique is Zoro’s main fighting style, and consists of wielding three swords simultaneously, holding one in the left hand, one in the right, and one in the mouth.
When making cuts with this technique, the swordsman can create vortex-like attacks that sweep dozens of opponents at once. He is also able to effectively use all three of his swords to parry attacks so as to repel even opponents who possess more strength than he does.
Two-sword technique
The two-sword technique is Zoro’s original fighting style in his childhood before he began practicing the three-sword technique. Zoro has immense mastery of this fighting style. By wielding only two swords, the power of the attacks will be less, but the slashes will take on greater speed of execution.
One-sword technique
As in previous techniques, Zoro has an exceptional ability that allows him to perform finishing moves against a wide range of enemies. Similar to the two-sword technique, he performs flying cuts and sheathing and reinserting slashes with this move, mainly to defeat or injure powerful opponents with a single blow. A tremendous improvement in the use of this technique can be seen, when he is able to tear through Mr. 1’s extremely tough body, second in Baroque Works only to Crocodile.
Nine-sword technique
The nine-sword technique is among his most powerful moves. Through it he is able to create a solid illusion of himself with multiple heads and arms that can effectively cut through even the strongest of opponents, all surrounded by a dark and menacing aura. Zoro uses this technique in moments of anger and frustration such as against CP9 member Kaku or against a pacifist at the Sabaody archipelago .
Weapons
There are a total of seven swords owned by Zoro, all katanas that he had to replace due to damage from their use.
These are the swords that Zoro currently possesses.
- Wado Ichimonji: forged by legendary Wano blacksmith Shimotsuki Kozaburo and formerly owned by his niece and friend of Zoro, Kuina. It was given to him by Kuina’s father after his untimely death. It is the only one of Zoro’s swords that did not shatter when he first clashed with Mihawk’s Yoru sword.
- Sandai Kitetsu: said to be“cursed” and to bring great misfortune to its owner. It was forged by the great Wano blacksmith Kozuki Sukiyaki and was given to Zoro in LogueTown by the arms dealer Ipponmatsu .
- Enma: Also forged by Shimotsuki Kozaburo and originally wielded by the legendary samurai Kozuki Oden. Oden’s daughter, Kozuki Hiyori , who inherited Enma, granted it to Zoro with the promise that she would return Shusui to Ryuma’s tomb.
These are the swords instead that were once owned by Zoro, but were destroyed or removed from his possession.
- Two unnamed katanas given to him as a child by Shimotsuki Kozaburo . They were destroyed during Zoro’s first duel with Dracule Mihawk.
- Yubashiri: Formerly an heirloom of Ipponmatsu’s family, he gave it to Zoro after witnessing the swordsman’s great fortune. It was then destroyed by Shu (a navy captain) at Enies Lobby, which made it rust to the point of crumbling. It was then laid to rest at the grave of the Rumbar Pirates on Thriller Bark.
- Shusui : A powerful Black Blade, originally wielded by the legendary samurai Ryuma and a treasured heirloom throughout the Wano Country. It was stolen along with Ryuma’s body from Gecko Moria and used by Ryuma’s corpse when he was revived into a zombie. Ryuma gave it to Zoro after being defeated by the swordsman on Thriller Bark. The sword was returned to Ryuma’s tomb, where Zoro left it in exchange for Enma at Hiyori’s behest.
Opening story of Roronoa Zoro
Roronoa Zoro was born in East Blue in the village of Shimotsuki. As early as age 8, he began training in a dojo as a swordsman. Even as a child, Zoro was stronger than most adults, but not strong enough to defeat Kuina, the daughter of the dojo master, Koushiro. During one of their fights, Kuina confided his dream of becoming the best swordsman in the world, and, Zoro, hearing this, proposed making a promise: one of them would become the best swordsman in the world.
The next day, Kuina suffered a fatal fall down the stairs of his dojo. Zoro, upon learning of his companion’s disappearance, decided to pursue his dream of becoming a swordsman so as to fulfill their promise. He took Kuina’s sword, Wado Ichimonji, with him and began training hard in the three-sword technique, holding his two swords in each hand, and Kuina’s sword clenched between his teeth.
Eventually, Zoro learned of Dracule Mihawk, the world’s greatest swordsman, and decided to set out to sea to seek him out and challenge him to a duel.
On his journey, Zoro arrived in Shells Town where he was imprisoned because he injured the spoiled son of the navy captain. On the ninth day of Zoro’s imprisonment, Koby and Monkey D. Rufy, having arrived on the island, run right into the swordsman. It is at this point in the story that Rufy invites Zoro to become his first crew member. Initially, however, Zoro flatly refused to become a pirate, but changed his mind when he learned of his impending death sentence. Refusing to die, Zoro accepted Rufy’s invitation and revealed to him his dream of becoming the best swordsman in the world. After freeing the swordsman, the rubber boy defeated the Navy chief and later sailed with Zoro to their next destination.
From here on, the new crew will begin wandering from island to island, finding more and more members to join the crew. In Orange Town they make the acquaintance of Nami, a petty thief skilled in navigation. Instead, on Gecko Island they will meet Usopp who will join the crew as a sniper.
Arriving at the Baratie restaurant in search of a cook, the crew meets Johnny and Yosaku, Zoro’s former fellow bounty hunters. Here they meet cook Sanji , who also is persuaded by Rufy to join the straw hat crew.
At this moment in the story there is an unexpected twist, Mihawk hawk eyes appears. Zoro then decides to challenge him to a duel to realize his dream. In the confrontation, however, Mihawk easily defended himself with the tiny dagger around his neck and defeated Zoro with ease. Despite the ruinous defeat, Mihawk declared that he would remember his name, and as a testament to Zoro’s strength of will, he drew his black sword and dealt him the killing blow. Zoro, after a long period of labor, recovered from his injuries and, thanks to his indomitable willpower, decided to continue his journey to become much stronger and succeed in defeating the world’s strongest swordsman.
