Zoro's Swords: Every Sword Roronoa Zoro Ever Used, Plus the Famous Swords of One Piece
Roronoa Zoro is the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of the best characters Eiichiro Oda ever wrote: a man who fights with three swords at once, one of them in his mouth, because he swore to a friend that he would become the world's greatest swordsman. His swords have names, histories and curses of their own, and they change as the story goes on.
This guide lists every sword Zoro has used, by name, with how he got each one and what happened to it. After that come the One Piece sword grades and the most famous blades in the series, from Mihawk's Yoru to Whitebeard's Murakumogiri.
What Are Zoro's Swords Called? (All Names)
Zoro has carried five named swords: Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, Yubashiri, Shusui and Enma. Today his three swords are Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu and Enma.
| Sword | Grade | How Zoro got it | Where it is now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wado Ichimonji | Great Grade | Kuina's sword, given to him by her father | Still Zoro's |
| Sandai Kitetsu | Grade | Loguetown sword shop | Still Zoro's |
| Yubashiri | Skillful Grade | A gift from Ipponmatsu in Loguetown | Destroyed at Enies Lobby |
| Shusui | Great Grade | Won from Ryuma on Thriller Bark | Returned to Ryuma's grave in Wano |
| Enma | Great Grade | Given to him in Wano in place of Shusui | Still Zoro's |
How Many Swords Does Zoro Have?
Zoro carries three swords, because his fighting style, Santoryu (Three Sword Style), uses one in each hand and one in his mouth. When the story starts he has Wado Ichimonji and two plain swords; Mihawk breaks the two plain ones in their first duel at the Baratie. Since then he has owned five named swords in all, and the set has changed twice: Yubashiri was replaced by Shusui, and Shusui by Enma.
Wado Ichimonji: Kuina's Sword
Zoro with Wado Ichimonji (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Wado Ichimonji is the sword that matters most to Zoro. It belonged to Kuina, the daughter of his sword teacher in Shimotsuki Village, who beat him in every one of their matches. After Kuina died in an accident, Zoro begged her father for the sword and promised to become the world's greatest swordsman for both of them. It is the white-handled sword he holds in his mouth.
Wado Ichimonji is one of the 21 Great Grade swords. In Wano we learn it was made by the swordsmith Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the same smith who made Enma.
Shop: One Piece Roronoa Zoro Wado Ichimonji Steel Sword For Cosplay
Shop: One Piece Roronoa Zoro Meitou Wado Sword For Cosplay
Sandai Kitetsu: Zoro's Cursed Sword
Zoro in Three Sword Style, Sandai Kitetsu in his right hand (One Piece manga colour art). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha
Sandai Kitetsu, the "third Kitetsu", is the last of three cursed Kitetsu swords, and every Kitetsu is said to bring death to its owner. Zoro found it in Ipponmatsu's sword shop in Loguetown and tested the curse in the most Zoro way possible: he threw the sword into the air and held out his arm beneath it. The blade spun past his arm without a cut, and Ipponmatsu was so impressed that he let Zoro have it.
It is a Grade sword, the lowest of the four grades, but it has stayed in Zoro's set ever since. The two older Kitetsu blades rank higher (see Shodai and Nidai Kitetsu).
Shop: One Piece Roronoa Zoro Sandai Kitetsu Sword For Cosplaying
Yubashiri: The Sword Zoro Lost at Enies Lobby
Ipponmatsu offers Zoro Yubashiri in Loguetown (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Yubashiri was a gift. On the same day in Loguetown, Ipponmatsu gave Zoro this Skillful Grade sword from his own collection, so Zoro left the shop with Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri. It was Zoro's third sword until Enies Lobby, where Shu of the Rust-Rust Fruit touched the blade and rusted it away. It was the first of Zoro's swords to be destroyed.
Shop: One Piece Zoro Sword Yubashiri Real Steel For Cosplay
Shusui: Ryuma's Black Blade
Zoro with Shusui, its black blade and red temper line showing (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Shusui belonged to Ryuma, the legendary samurai of Wano who is said to have cut down a dragon. On Thriller Bark, Ryuma's body was brought back as a zombie and Zoro beat him in a sword duel. Ryuma recognised Zoro as a true swordsman and gave him Shusui. It is a Great Grade sword and a black blade, which makes it instantly recognisable.
In Wano, Zoro learned that Shusui was a national treasure that had been taken from Ryuma's grave. He gave it back, and in return he was given Enma.
Shop: One Piece Roronoa Zoro Shusui Sword For Cosplay
Enma: Oden's Sword
Enma, with its purple handle and gold guard (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Enma was one of the two swords of Kozuki Oden, the samurai of Wano who left Kaido with the scar he still carries. Oden's daughter Hiyori gave it to Zoro after he returned Shusui. Enma pulls Haki out of whoever holds it, so a weaker swordsman would be drained dry, and Zoro has to learn to control it during the fight on Onigashima.
It is a Great Grade sword made by Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the smith behind Wado Ichimonji, so Zoro now carries two swords from the same hand.
Shop: One Piece Zoro Swords - 104cm Bamboo Cosplay Katanas, Three-Sword Sets and Singles
One Piece Sword Grades Explained
In One Piece the best swords are ranked into grades. The higher the grade, the rarer the sword.
| Grade | Japanese name | How many | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Grade | Saijo O Wazamono | 12 | Yoru, Murakumogiri, Shodai Kitetsu, Ace |
| Great Grade | O Wazamono | 21 | Wado Ichimonji, Shusui, Enma, Nidai Kitetsu |
| Skillful Grade | Ryo Wazamono | 50 | Yubashiri |
| Grade | Wazamono | Not fixed | Sandai Kitetsu |
Famous One Piece Swords Beyond Zoro
Yoru: Mihawk's Sword
Mihawk's black blade, Yoru (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Dracule Mihawk is the world's greatest swordsman, the man Zoro has to beat, and Yoru is his huge black sword with a cross-shaped hilt. It is one of the 12 Supreme Grade swords.
Shop: One Piece Dracule Mihawk Yoru Sword For Cosplay
Murakumogiri: Whitebeard's Blade
A young Whitebeard with Murakumogiri (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Whitebeard's weapon is a long-handled blade rather than a sword, and it is still a Supreme Grade blade. He fought with it alongside his Quake-Quake Fruit for decades.
Ame no Habakiri: Oden's Other Sword
Oden's two swords: the white Ame no Habakiri and the purple Enma (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Oden fought with two swords: Enma, which went to Zoro, and the white-sheathed Ame no Habakiri.
Shop: One Piece Kozuki Oden Ame no Habakiri Real Steel Katana
Shodai and Nidai Kitetsu: The Other Cursed Swords
Nidai Kitetsu (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
The first Kitetsu, Shodai Kitetsu, is a Supreme Grade sword; the second, Nidai Kitetsu, is a Great Grade sword. Luffy picked up Nidai Kitetsu in Wano, taking it from the swordsmith Hitetsu so he could carry the sick Tama to safety.
Shop: One Piece Luffy Nidai Kitetsu Real Steel Katana
Kikoku: Law's Sword
Trafalgar Law's long sword, Kikoku (One Piece). © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation
Trafalgar Law carries Kikoku, a very long nodachi that he rests on his shoulder and uses together with his Op-Op Fruit powers.
Shop: One Piece "Surgeon of Death" Trafalgar D. Water Law Sword For Cosplay
Gryphon: Shanks' Sword
Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors and the man who gave Luffy his straw hat, fights with Gryphon, a curved sabre.
Shop: One Piece Shanks Gryphon Real Steel Sword
Ace: Gol D. Roger's Sword
The Pirate King's sabre is called Ace, and it is one of the 12 Supreme Grade swords.
Shop: One Piece Gol D. Roger Real Steel Sword
Zoro Sword Replicas and Keychains
If you want Zoro's swords on your wall or at your side, there are a few ways to do it:
- Zoro sword keychains: little 15cm alloy versions of his swords with scabbards, in seven colours. One Piece Zoro Sword Keychains
- A full Three Sword Style set: 104cm bamboo cosplay katanas, with Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu plus your choice of Enma, Yubashiri or Shusui, or any one sword on its own. One Piece Zoro Swords - Bamboo Cosplay Katanas
- Carbon steel display swords: Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, Yubashiri and Shusui.
Shop: One Piece Zoro Sword Keychains
Zoro's Swords: FAQ
What are Zoro's 3 swords called?
Today they are Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu and Enma. Before Wano, his third sword was Shusui, and before Thriller Bark it was Yubashiri.
Which sword does Zoro hold in his mouth?
Wado Ichimonji, the white-handled sword that belonged to Kuina.
What is Zoro's strongest sword?
Wado Ichimonji and Enma are both Great Grade, the highest grade Zoro has carried. Enma is the more demanding of the two, because it drains its wielder's Haki.
What happened to Shusui?
Zoro returned it to Ryuma's grave in Wano, where it belonged as a national treasure, and was given Enma instead.
What is the strongest sword in One Piece?
The 12 Supreme Grade swords are the highest rank. Mihawk's Yoru is the best known, because it belongs to the world's greatest swordsman.
Are Zoro's swords real Japanese swords?
No. They are made up for One Piece, though they are drawn as katana. Our guide to the parts of a katana and the types of Japanese swords explains the real thing.
So Zoro's swords are Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu and Enma today, with Yubashiri and Shusui in his past. Browse our One Piece collection for the swords, figures and cosplay.
Image credits: One Piece anime frames © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation. One Piece manga colour art © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha.