One Piece: Oda Finally Reveals the Reason Why He Gave Zoro Three Swords

by

The anime series *One Piece* features incredibly skilled swordsmen, and Roronoa Zoro is arguably the most well-known. As the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, Zoro is famous for his unique fighting style, Santoryu, where he wields three swords – one in each hand and one held in his mouth. This has led many fans to question why creator Eiichiro Oda chose three swords for Zoro instead of a single blade.

Roronoa Zoro stands out from other skilled swordsmen in One Piece because he fights with three blades simultaneously. While characters like Dracule Mihawk and Trafalgar Law each use a single, named sword, Zoro currently wields three: Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, and Enma. He’s used many swords throughout his journey, all due to his unique three-sword fighting style. Whether he’ll acquire another sword before the series ends remains a mystery, but fans are optimistic he will.

Roronoa Zoro Practices Santoryu Three Sword Style

The Birth of Santoryu in One Piece

  • Zoro started practicing Santoryu after Kuina’s death.

Many anime characters are skilled swordsmen who fight with more than one blade, like Killer Bee from Naruto, King Bradley from Fullmetal Alchemist, and Inosuke Hashibira from Demon Slayer. In One Piece, alongside the famous Roronoa Zoro, Hatchan (also known as Hachi) is another swordsman who uses multiple swords, employing a Six Sword Style. Despite this, Hatchan isn’t necessarily stronger than Zoro, who is known for his Three Sword Style, Santoryu.

I swear to never lose again! —Zoro

Zoro first showed off his unique three-sword fighting style, Santoryu, in chapter 6 of One Piece, called “The First.” Before that, he was known as Two-Sword Zoro. He gained the third sword, Wado Ichimonji, later on. This sword is incredibly meaningful to Zoro because it belonged to Kuina, a skilled swordswoman who had defeated him over two thousand times when they were younger.

Kuina tragically passed away after a fall down the stairs, just one day after she and Zoro made a promise to compete until one of them became the world’s greatest swordsman. Her sudden death deeply affected Zoro, but it also strengthened his determination and led him to completely change how he fought. He requested the Wado Ichimonji sword, and with it, Zoro developed his unique three-sword style, Santoryu.

Eiichiro Oda Explains Why Zoro Has Three Swords

Oda Wanted Zoro to Surpass a Real-Life Swordsman

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, has shared many details about Roronoa Zoro over time. Zoro’s character changed a lot during development – he was originally planned as a bodyguard for Buggy the Clown, and Oda even considered making him a one-eyed character *before* he lost his left eye. Oda also explained the reason he decided to give Zoro three swords.

In a September 2023 interview with Netflix, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, revealed the reason behind Roronoa Zoro’s unique three-sword fighting style. Though Zoro initially trained with two swords and later acquired Kuina’s Wado Ichimonji, Oda specifically designed Zoro to wield three swords to exceed the skill of a historical swordsman.

I remember Eiichiro Oda explaining the reason behind Zoro’s three swords. He mentioned a famous Japanese swordsman named Musashi Miyamoto, considered by many to be the best ever – he fought with two swords. Oda wanted Zoro to be even more impressive than Miyamoto, so he decided to give him a third sword. Essentially, Oda’s goal was for Zoro to outdo Miyamoto by wielding three swords instead of just two.

Roronoa Zoro Aims to Be the World’s Strongest Swordsman

Zoro Might Get a New Sword Before One Piece Ends

Roronoa Zoro, from One Piece, has always dreamed of becoming the world’s best swordsman. He’s dedicated his life to training, hoping to surpass Dracule Mihawk and fulfill a promise he made to Kuina. This strong desire is why Zoro is determined to survive anything the series throws at him, unless the author, Eiichiro Oda, decides otherwise.

If I fail to safeguard my captain’s dream, then my own goals are meaningless. -Zoro

Zoro is consistently getting stronger throughout the series, and it would be fitting if he fulfills his dream before One Piece concludes – he’s certainly earned it. The challenge, of course, is that he needs to become stronger than the current top swordsman. Regardless of whether he gains another sword, Zoro remains determined to keep his promise to Kuina and to achieve his own goals.

Read More

2025-09-21 17:34