Roronoa Zoro

Roronoa Zoro
One Piece character
File:Roronoazoro2.jpg Roronoa Zoro, from the anime and manga series One Piece.
First appearance	Manga Chapter #3 Anime Episode #2
Created by	Eiichiro Oda
In-universe information
Nickname	"Pirate Hunter" "Marimo" Mr. Bushido
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Occupation	Pirate (Straw-Hat Pirates, Swordsman)

Roronoa Zoro (ロロノア・ゾロ) (Written as Roronoa Zolo in the 4Kids dub and FUNimation edited dub, as well as the European English translation and English manga) is a fictional character in the manga and anime series One Piece by Eiichiro Oda. He is a swordsman and the first member to join the Straw Hat Pirates.

Creation and conception

Zoro was originally intended to be a bodyguard of Buggy the Clown.

Character outline

Personality

Zoro is an often a serious character, and will never back down from a challenge if he asked for one. He says that he doesn't fear death, and will initially self-harm himself in various situations to help his comrades in need. An example of this is seen in Little Garden where he cuts his own legs to escape from Mr. 3's wax trap. Contrast to this, he can be seen pulling a goofy face at various moments. Zoro also has a rivalry with Sanji, as the two always try to out perform one another.

Abilities

Over the course of the story Zoro has used many different swords, carrying three at a time with one, the Wadō Ichimonji, remaining with him through the entire series thus far. His other notable swords are Sandai Kitetsu, Yubashiri (Yu-bashiri in the Viz translation) which he both got at a samurai sword shop in Loguetown. He recently obtained Shuusui (Autumn Water) which replaced the broken Yubashiri (which was broken by one of the Marine captains that attacked Enies Lobby). Most of Zoro's swords have been Meitou (Named Blade).

Zoro has several sword techniques at his disposal, using one sword, two swords, or all three. He is also capable of fighting effectively with no swords, and his physical strength is enough to lift a building. Zoro also has the ability to cut through solid steel, or materials as hard as steel, which he learned when fighting Das Bones (Baroque Works Mr. 1) in Arabasta. He is also capable of using the 'Asura' technique, which gives Zoro three faces and six arms, thus totaling nine swords. Including Ichibugen, the only one seen so far is Makyuusen. In addition, Zoro can expand the muscle mass of his arms, an ability he often employs to break through opponent's physical defenses. He also possesses incredible vitality, as he regularly loses immense amounts of blood during battle. Zoro has stated that he is not very good at 1 sword style during his fight with the Nyaban Brothers.

Plot overview

As a child, Zoro trained in a dojo in Shimoshiki Village. He defeated all of the adults of the dojo, but consistently lost to Kuina, the sensei's daughter. After two thousand and one victories against Zoro, Kuina confided in him. Her father told her that as a woman, she would naturally become weaker than Zoro and could never be a great sword fighter. Zoro became furious, telling Kuina that if one day he beat her, to explain it as a result of her gender would be an insult to the effort and training he put in to defeat her. The two children vow that one of them will become the world's strongest sword fighter. The next morning, Kuina dies falling down a set of stairs. Zoro asks her father for her katana, Wadō Ichimonji, and swears to become a swordsman so renowned that his name will be heard even in heaven. To fulfill his dream he must defeat Dracule "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk, the man currently regarded as the strongest sword fighter in the One Piece world. Zoro also displays several personality quirks, a trait common in One Piece characters. Zoro is extremely poor at understanding geographical directions and gets lost very easily. Zoro also sleeps a great deal, and has been known to sleep through important events. Zoro also likes to drink, and although he has an abnormally high alcohol tolerance, he claims that a true swordsman should never let himself get drunk. Zoro is also very loyal to Luffy, even begging Bartholomew Kuma, a Shichibukai, to exchange Luffy's life for his.

Appearances in other media

Aside from the initial anime and manga, Zoro has appeared in other media. He is the main character in One Piece Movie 5: Curse of the Sacred Sword, on where he meets with with an old accomplice and stops him from gaining a cursed sword. Aside, he is featured in all the One Piece films, often playing a minor role in a fight. In the one-shot comic story Cross Epoch, a collaborative effort between Eiichiro Oda and Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Zoro and Piccolo are portrayed traveling together as wandering swordsmen. Zoro appears in a VG Cats comic alongside Tony Tony Chopper, that comments on a trope within anime. Roronoa Zoro has appeared as a playable character in most One Piece video games, including One Piece: Grand Battle and One Piece: Unlimited Adventure. He was also featured in Jump Super Stars and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars as a playable character.

A Mattel Inc. action figure, the "One Piece Triple Slash Zoro Roronoa" figure, was recalled in October 2007 because small magnets in the toy can fall out and be swallowed or aspirated by small children.

Reception

Zoro is one of the most popular One Piece characters, ranking second in the most recent Japanese fan poll.

Trivia

According to Eiichiro Oda, Zoro resembles a shark. Oda uses the color green to represent Zoro, and he smells of steel. Oda has also said that Zoro's favorite foods are white rice, sea monster meat, and "stuff that goes with ale". His family name, Roronoa, comes from the real-life French pirate François l'Ollonais.

Zoro is a skilled swordsman, able to use one, two and three swords in varying attack styles, and even no swords, although he is most proficient with the fictional sword style Santōryū (literally: three sword style), clutching his third sword in his mouth. Zoro is somehow able to speak with his sword held in his mouth; Eiichiro Oda has stated that it is his heart that allows him to do so. Though not a samurai, he maintains his own code of honor. His goal is to become the greatest swordsman in the world, by beating the current greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk.