The Definitive Guide to Zoro Sword Lore and Replicas

The legendary status of the shounen anime One Piece has made the Straw Hat Pirates a favorite among cosplayers, but if you’re cosplaying Roronoa Zoro, no outfit is complete without an accurate replica of his katana swords.

Zoro goes through several swords throughout the show and at one point ends up wielding three of them at the same time so that he can use the Three Sword Style, a fighting technique that involves dual wielding two samurai swords while he holds a third sword in his mouth.

While you can’t expect to go full Japanese ninja anytime soon, these lore tidbits should make it easier to pick which cosplay sword you want.

Understanding One Piece Swords: Katana Grades In the Anime and Manga Series

In many shonen anime and manga, the swordsman is only as good as his sword. Katanas are often given symbolic meanings that require the hero to develop their combat abilities and personal character before they get to wield them. Demon Slayer has swords transform during some breathing styles, but in One Piece, a swordsman knows they’ve made it if they get their hands on any of these meito swords.

Supreme Grade Swords

The Saijo O Wazamono or Supreme Grade Swords are the strongest swords in One Piece. Many of them are able to cut through impossibly thick and durable material such as glaciers and mountains. These swords are so durable that they require little maintenance.

Only twelve of these swords exist. Mihawk’s Yoru sword and the Shodai Kitetsu are counted among the Supreme Grade Swords.

Great Grade Swords

Just a step below the Supreme Grade Swords are the Great Grade Swords or O Wazamono. There are 21 O Wazamono, so most of the strong swords we see in the anime belong to this category. 

There’s not a lot to separate them in power from the Saijo O Wazamono because Zoro’s Enma, Shusui, and Wado Ichimonji are all from this category and can still easily challenge higher grade swords.

Skillful Grade Swords

Like their higher grade siblings, the Skillful Grade Swords or Ryo Wazamono are known for their strength and sharpness but are notably weaker than the previously mentioned swords. That said, they can be easily used for a speed-based swordsmanship technique.

Grade Swords

Last and least of the meito are the Grade Swords or Wazamono. The gist with these swords is that they’re stronger than regular swords, but are ranked far below their higher grade siblings. Though you won’t see these swords slicing through waves anytime soon, they are still incredibly sharp and durable versus other non-graded swords.

Roronoa Zoro Has 3 Primary Swords

Roronoa Zoro always seems to be changing swords or getting new ones while traveling with Luffy, but these days, he sticks to three graded swords that he can use in his custom fighting style. 

All of these swords are meito blades.

• Wado Ichimonji

The Wado Ichimonji is a sword that Zoro received from his childhood friend, Kuina. It was through her that he learned about the Shimotsuki family, a renowned family of swordsmen from Wano Country. Wado Ichimonji was meant to be given to Kuina, but after her death, her father gave it to Zoro to honor her memory. Because of this, Wado Ichimonji is Zoro’s most prized sword.

• Sandai Kitetsu

Zoro came across the Sandai Kitetsu through sheer luck after finding it in a bargain bin at a sword shop in Loguetown. While everyone else ignored it because it didn’t seem important, Zoro was able to recognize the sword as a Grade sword immediately. He then proceeded to place a bet against the store’s owner: if he could prove he was lucky enough to nullify the Sandai Kitetsu’s curse, he could take it home.

Zoro was successful and so the store owner gave him not just Sandai Kitetsu but also Yubashiri. Today, he uses Sandai Kitetsu as part of his Three Sword Style technique.

• Shusui

Shusui is a black sword that once belonged to Shimotsuki Ryuma, a famous samurai who once lived in Wano country. Ryuma haunted the sword after it was stolen from his grave, but later allowed Zoro to take it with him because he thought the pirate was a skilled and honorable swordsman. 

Other Roronoa Zoro Swords

Aside from his current main swords, Zoro has used two other swords in his journeys. These swords were either lost, broken, or left behind, but are still notable for their history and powerful abilities as seen in the anime.

• Yubashiri

Yubashiri was a Skillful Grade sword that Ipponmatsu gifted to Zoro after he proved he could use Sandai Kitetsu safely. It was lightweight and incredibly sharp, allowing Zoro to cut through a Sea Train carriage. It was later destroyed by Shu and now sits in pieces on Thriller Bark.

• Yama Enma

Yama Enma, better known as simply “Enma”, is a purple sword used by Zoro when he isn’t using Shusui. The sword is a Great Grade sword that once belonged to Kozuki Oden, a samurai lord in Wano Country who left his position to become a samurai. 

The sword is also depicted with a black scabbard, making it possible to cosplay Zoro using Enma in either its purple or black sword version.

Roronoa Zoro Katana Replicas to Check Out

1. Enma (Black Blade Version) Replica

A cosplay-ready copy of Zoro’s Enma katana. This sword features a bright red hamon complemented by red tassel accents decorating the scabbard. It has a triquetra-shaped tsuba painted in gold to match the sword’s pommel.

• Material: Carbon steel
• Length: 104 cm

2. Sandai Kitetsu Replica 

An exquisite red and gold replica of the Sandai Kitetsu, this cosplay sword has a red scabbard with a sheen that resembles traditional Japanese lacquer work. Gold bands decorate the scabbard and the sword’s hilt, matching the tsuba that connects the blade to the handle.

• Material: Stainless steel
• Length: 103 cm

3. Shusui Replica

A replica of Shusui that uses a predominantly black sword. This copy has a red hamon that’s similar to the one found on the Enma sword replica while remaining visually distinct. The sword has a flower-shaped tsuba and comes with a scabbard decorated with purple kamon seals.

• Material: Stainless steel
• Length: 103 cm

4. Wado Ichimonji Replica

A gorgeous all-white replica of the Wado Ichimonji that’s perfect for your anime sword replicas collection. The sword is patterned strictly after traditional katanas and features a white fabric wrapped handle and a circular tsuba. The sword also has a believable faux hamon line, giving this sword an even more authentic feel.

• Material: High carbon steel
• Length: 105 cm

5. Yubashiri Replica

This replica of Yubashiri features a stainless steel blade with bronze tone details. It is capped with metal at sheath’s ends and the sword’s pommel. It also uses a cross-shaped tsuba to protect your hands while you play-fight other cosplayers.

• Material: Stainless steel
• Length: 103 cm

Conclusion

Zoro’s swords may be hard to keep track of, but understanding which sword it is you want best helps to make sure that your cosplay is accurate and your One Piece collection is complete. Though some of the swords are similar in appearance, each of them have a distinct feature that sets it apart from the others, making it possible for avid fans like you to tell Zoro’s swords apart.