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Roronoa Zoro

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Roronoa Zoro
One Piece character
File:Roronoazoro2.jpg
Roronoa Zoro, from the anime and manga series One Piece.
First appearanceManga Chapter #3
Anime Episode #3
Created byEiichiro Oda
In-universe information
Nickname"Pirate Hunter"[1]
"Mr. Bushido" (Vivi)
"Mr. Swordsman" (Robin)
"Samurai Man" (Kokoro)
Marimo(Sanji Original Version),
"Porcupine Head" and "Sword-Boy"(Sanji from 4kids dub),
"Moss-head" and "Kelp-head" (Sanji from Funimation Dub),
"National Treasure"(Japanese)
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
OccupationPirate (Straw-Hat Pirates, First Mate)

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) 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.

About Zoro

According to Eiichiro Oda, Zoro resembles a shark.[4] Oda uses the color green to represent Zoro, and he smells of steel.[5] Oda has also said that Zoro's favorite foods are white rice, sea monster meat, and "stuff that goes with ale" .[6] His family name, Roronoa, comes from the real-life French pirate François l'Ollonais[7].

Zoro is a skilled swordsman, able to use one, two and three swords in varying attack styles, although he is most proficient with the fictional sword technique 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.[8] Though not a samurai, he maintains his own code of honor. His goal is to become the greatest swordsman in the world[9], by beating the current greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk.

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 he beat her as a result of her gender, he would be dishonored. 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. [10] Zoro is one of the most popular One Piece characters, ranking second in the most recent Japanese fan poll.[11] According to series creator Eiichiro Oda Zoro was originally intended to be a bodyguard of Buggy the Clown.[12]

Powers and 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) and the recently obtained Shuusui which replaced the broken Yubashiri.

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[13], and his physical strength is enough to lift a building[14]. Zoro also has the ability to cut through solid steel[15], or materials as hard as steel, which he learned when fighting Das Bones (Baroque Works Mr. 1) in Alabasta. He is also capable of using the 'Asura' technique[16], which gives the impression of Zoro wielding nine swords simultaneously. In addition, Zoro can expand the muscle mass of his arms, an ability he often employs to break through opponent's physical defenses. [17] He also possesses incredible vitality, as he regularly loses immense amounts of blood during battle.

Roronoa Zoro in other media

In the one-shot comic story Cross Epoch, a collaborative effort between Eiichiro Oda and Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama, Zoro and Piccolo are portrayed traveling together as wandering swordsmen.

Zoro appears in a VG Cats comic[18] alongside Tony Tony Chopper, that comments on a trope within anime.

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.[19]

Roronoa Zoro has appeared as a playable character in most One Piece video games, including One Piece: Grand Battle and One Piece: Unlimited Adventure.

Zoro was featured in Jump Super Stars and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars as a playable character.

References

  1. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.1 - Chapter 3, page 1 ((JP) ISBN 4-08-872509-3 (US) ISBN 1-56931-901-4 )
  2. ^ SBS questions: One Piece Manga - Vol.4, Chapter 27, Fan question: What are the ages of Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Shanks?((JP) ISBN 4-08-872594-8 (US) ISBN 1-59116-337-4 )
  3. ^ SBS questions: One Piece Manga - Vol.15, Chapter 130, Fan question Oda-sensei!! I've been thinking about this a lot... what are Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji's birthdays? Tell us!! ((JP) ISBN 4-08-873009-7 (US) ISBN 1-4215-1092-8 )
  4. ^ SBS questions: One Piece Manga - Vol.20 - Chapter 177, Fan question: What animals represent each of the 5 crew members, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami and Usopp? ((JP) ISBN 4-08-873158-1 )
  5. ^ SBS questions: One Piece Manga - Vol.40 - Chapter 380, Fan question: What colors represent the crew. What do each of the Straw Hat Crew smell like ((JP) ISBN 4-08-874003-3 )
  6. ^ SBS questions: One Piece Manga - Vol.45 Chapter 439, Fan Question: Luffy's favorite food is meat. What about everyone else on the crew? ((JP) ISBN 4-08-874314-1 )
  7. ^ SBS questions:One Piece Manga - Vol.4 - Chapter 28, Fan Question: Isn't the source of Zoro's name the famous pirate "Frances L'ollonais"? ((JP) ISBN 1-59116-337-4 )
  8. ^ SBS questions:One Piece Manga - Vol.5 - Chapter 43, Fan Question: You know, with Zoro's 3-sword style, I don't think he'd be able to talk with the sword in his mouth... Could it be... ventriloquism? ((JP) ISBN 4-08-872619-7 )
  9. ^ IGN: One Piece Guide
  10. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.12 - Chapter 107((JP) ISBN 4-08-872822-X (US) ISBN 1-59116-852-X )
  11. ^ SBS questions:One Piece Manga - Vol.43 ((JP) ISBN 4-08-874149-8 )
  12. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.3 - End of Chapter 24: The making of Buggy Pirate Crew ((JP) ISBN 4-08-872569-7 (US) ISBN 1-59116-184-3 )
  13. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.33 - Chapter 312 ((JP) ISBN 4-08-873593-5 )
  14. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.21 - Chapter 194((JP) ISBN 4-08-873194-8 )
  15. ^ One Piece Manga Vol.21 - Chapter 195((JP) ISBN 4-08-873194-8 )
  16. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.43 - Chapter 417((JP) ISBN 4-08-874149-8 )
  17. ^ One Piece Manga - Vol.43 - Chapter 416((JP) ISBN 4-08-874149-8 )
  18. ^ VG Cats: Animoo Break
  19. ^ Huntington News

See also

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