One great fact aboutOne Piece’slengthy episodes is the evident skill & character growth given to every character in the series. The series’ numerous episodes allowEiichiro Oda to spice up every characterslowly but surely. A prime, leading example character that fits the category is Monkey D. Luffy, the story’s protagonist. Gradually, Luffy has grown his combat skills throughout the series, honing them close to even a Yonko’s level.
Another star character that has evolved significantly inOne Pieceis Roronoa Zoro, popularly known as “Pirate Hunter." With the lofty goal of becoming the “World’s Strongest Swordsman,” Zoro’s three-sword style has taken different noticeable turns in the series. At the rate of this character’s skill evolution, he might just become the World’s Strongest Swordsman. So, how has Zoro evolved his swordsmanship throughoutOne Piece?
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This post will not include Zoro’s feats from the One Piece manga.
The Notorious Pirate Hunter
Zoro’s ever-standing title as the “Pirate Hunter,” despite being a central member of the Straw Hats, is one of the best running gags inOne Piece. His unique three-sword style makes him stand out and easily recognizable, so the “Pirate Hunter” title won’t be going any time soon. Tracing Zoro’s swordsmanship back to its infancy stage will trigger fans' memories of his master, Koushirou, the head of the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki village. Intending to become stronger,Zoro trained effortlesslyunder his master until he met Kuina, Koushiro’s daughter, who easily bested him in the way of the sword.
Zoro’s defeat by the child prodigy sparked a deep friendship between the both of them and even caused Zoro to develop the three-sword style to combat Kuina’s expert use of a single sword. Zoro and Kuina both vowed to be the World’s Strongest Swordsman, but Kuina’s path to the goal was cut off by her early death – caused by an accident. The whole situation motivated Zoro into collecting the Wado Ichimonji from his master, Koushiro, and making a promise to become the “World’s Strongest Swordsman” on his and Kuina’s behalf.
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Zoro earned quite a name for himself as a Bounty Hunter, defeating and capturing pirates. But his occupation as a bounty hunter didn’t last since Luffy recruited him as his first crew member. Sailing throughthe Grand Line with Luffy, Zoro soon discovered Mihawk, the World’s Strongest Swordsman, and challenged the powerful Shichibukai, putting his resolve and skill on the line. Unfortunately, he lost completely to Mihawk, who defeated him with a mere dagger. The battle showed Zoro that he was still far from achieving his goal as a swordsman to become the strongest and despite his apparent loss, Zoro managed to surprise the veteran swordsman, who was impressed by Zoro’s unshaken resolve and determination.
Similarly, in the Thriller Bark arc, despite losing to Bartholomew Kuma, Zoro stood his ground, proving his loyalty to Luffy – even offering his own life to the Shichibukai on Luffy’s behalf. Zoro is a character that values honor above everything else, so choosing honor over his life is not a surprising feat forOne Piecediehard fans. Throughout the arcs, before the post-time skip, Zoro improved on his swordsmanship, significantlyexecuting moves like theKiki Kyuutoryu: Asurain the Enies Lobby arc. However, Zoro and the rest of the other straw hats hit a solid barrier at Saobody Archipelago in the form of Admiral Borsalino, preventing them from sailing to Fishman Island.
Post-Time Skip Zoro
After the Straw Hats, including Zoro, lost miserably to Admiral Borsalino and were sent to different parts of the world, Zoro approached the warlord, Mihawk, begging him to train him. This action signaled significant character growth for Zoro as he was willing to cast aside his honor andlearn from a better swordsman. It turned out to be a wise decision because the results were worth it. A one-eyed Zoro emerged from the time-skip with new abilities and skills in his arsenal. The leading change in Zoro after the time-skip was none other than Armament Haki. Zoro learned how to incorporate the powerful technique into his sword style, making his sword slashes more formidable than ever.
Also,Zoro’s three-sword style evolved tremendously, and fans got a good look at what the pirate hunter could do in the Dressrossa arc. The high-paced fight Zoro had with Admiral Fujitora shocked fans as even the meteors summoned by the top commander of the marines were sliced through effortlessly by Zoro, earning a smirk of approval from his mentor, Mihawk. Another battle that put Zoro’s skills on display was the fight with Pica, Donquioxte’s subordinate. Pica had a formidable Devil fruit that allowed him to assimilate his body with any stone he touched. The fruit allowed him to transform into a gigantic entity that wreaked havoc on the island of Dressrossa.
Despite Pica’s imposing size, what was more impressivewas Zoro’sSantoryu Ougi: Ichidai Sanzen Daisen Sekai, which he used to cut through the gigantic Pica, proving that Zoro’s sword skills were now on a different level compared to his skills during the pre-time skip period.
Zoro in Wano
Zoro has shownjaw-dropping moves in Wano Arcand is still showing signs of evolving his sword style. After all, his goal is to become the “World’s Strongest Swordsman.” The first classic move viewers witnessed in the arc featured in Zoro’s fight with Killer, where he usedSantoryu Ougi: Rengoku Onigirito defeat the laughing pirate. However, what hasOne Piecefans currently excited about is Zoro’s tying of his headband in the ongoing fight against Kaido.
For years,One Pieceleft out the pirate’s signature move – but now it’s back, meaning that Zoro is about to get serious. In episode 1017 ofOne Piece, Kaido dodged Zoro’sOne-Sword Style: Flying Dragon Blaze,out of wariness, proving that he now has the capacity to injure a Yonko using Emma – Oden’s sword. Fans can only watch, wait, and wonder at how powerful Zoro will be at the end of Wano Arc.
