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My Reaction to Oda’s Reveal Regarding Shimotsuki Ryuma’s Family Tree and Zoro

Everyone who guessed this about Zoro, pat yourselves on the back. WE WERE RIGHT!

Since the introduction of the late Daiymo of Ringo in Wano Country, fans speculated that he had some connection to the Straw Hat Pirates’ main swordsman. The two look almost exactly alike, after all. That alone is cause for speculation. Then we have the fact that the village where Zoro grew up, Shimotsuki, was founded by immigrants from Wano Country. One of whom turned out to not only be related to Ringo’s former Daimyo and Zoro’s late friend, Kuina, but forged swords used by Zoro and Oden. There were too many connections for this to be mere coincidence, especially since this is Oda-Sama writing it. Finally, after months of speculating, Oda confirmed what many guessed about Roronora Zoro: he’s a descendant of the legendary samurai Ryuma!

SBS Vol 105 Reveal About Zoro

In a recent post to Reddit, One Piece fans were treated to the latest SBS done by Eichiro Oda for the manga volumes. In the SBS, or Q&A, fans asked Oda what his connection was to the Shimotsuki family of Wano Country. Rather than teasing us about it further, Oda told the fans everything. The subsequent family tree, while a little confusing, did reveal it all.

There you have it. Roronoa Zoro is a direct descendant of Ryuma Shimotsuki, the legendary hero of Wano Country. AKA, the man whose zombie Zoro fought on Thriller Bark and the ancestor of the Shimotsuki family. In other words, Zoro is not only distantly related to his childhood friend, Kuina, but also to the Shimotsuki family.

This Explains So Much About Zoro

This revelation about Zoro’s ancestry is a potentially big reveal in the story of One Piece, and here’s why.

Firstly, now that we know this about Zoro, we can recontextualize several of his actions throughout the story thus far. For example, his fight with the zombie of Ryuma on Thriller Bark suddenly becomes all the more important with the reveal that Zoro fought and defeated his own ancestor. That means that Ryuma’s sword, Shusui, was not only his by right of victory but also by bloodline.

In addition, this also adds a new layer to Zoro’s time in Wano Country. From the outset, it felt like Zoro had a strong bond with this powerful, isolated nation. From the fact that he wielded Ryuma’s blade to his acting like a wandering samurai, Zoro fit in in a way the other Straw Hats didn’t. Now we know why: Zoro was returning to the land of his ancestors to help save it from Kaido.

The fact that Zoro’s a descendant of Ryuma also ties in with Oda’s overarching themes about destiny and fate. Like Ryuma, Zoro’s one of the strongest swordsman in the world, but he aims to be the absolute best. He wants to fulfill the shared dream he and Kuina had as kids, and its fitting that they’re both descendants of Ryuma. In his lifetime, Ryuma was hailed as the best swordsman in the world, and it showed! Therefore, it seems like fate that one of his descendants aspires to reach the same heights of his ancestors.

Zoro is Meant to be the Best in the World

Zoro is one of my favorite members of the Straw Hats, and I’m itching for the day when he has his rematch with Hawkeye. The fact that he’s the descendant of the greatest samurai Wano’s ever known makes me all the more certain that he’s going to become the world’s best swordsman. When that day comes…I’m going to cry manly tears of joy.

Also, here’s a link to more things about the SBS. I never knew that thing about Otama!

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One Piece Chapter 1033 Review/Recap

Interesting fact about the Straw Hat Pirates. Oda once told fans what country the Straw Hats would be from if they were from the real world. With his samurai demeanor and skill with the sword, Zoro would be from Japan. In-universe, though, it’s been speculated that Zoro has a strong connection to Wano that he didn’t know about. In this chapter, we see that connection grow even stronger, as Zoro learns more about his new sword, Enma, and why it’s so aggressive.

Recap

As Queen and Sanji continue their fight, Queen drops something interesting about King. He’s the last of the Lunarian’s, a species so tough, they could survive anywhere. Meanwhile, Zoro has trouble getting Enma under control as it continues draining his Haki. As a result of the sword’s power, Zoro almost loses his other swords, including the one that belonged to Kuina’s family. As Zoro thinks about his new sword, he remembers something from his hometown in the East Blue.

Once, there was an old blacksmith that Zoro met a few times. He explained how a sword is made to fight others, and a swordsman is someone that tames them. Moreover, “cursed swords” are just something people call a sword that’s too strong for them to control. That old man was actually Kuina’s grandfather, and he emigrated from Wano fifty years beforehand: Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the one who crafted Enma. Realizing that Enma’s merely testing him, Zoro resolves to give Oden’s blade what it wants and stops holding back against the legendary blade. If he wants to be the world’s finest swordsman, he can’t settle for anything less.

Review

Well, that settles it: Zoro has been connected to Wano long before he ever set foot in the country. The town where he learned how to be a swordsman was founded by immigrants from Wano, and the sword’s he uses all come from Wano. If my suspicions about that person from Yamato’s flashback are correct, then Zoro might be a descendant of Wano samurai.

I’ve said it several times now: Oda never adds anything into One Piece without a reason. It all ends up connecting back to each other. It’s part of what makes One Piece so great: everything’s connected and has a purpose in a greater puzzle. Zoro was meant to come to Wano, and the sword that once belonged to Oden was meant to belong to him. He’s going to master Enma and defeat King, and when he does, he’ll be closer than ever to his dream.

A lot of people are probably wanting One Piece to start focusing on the fight between Luffy and Kaido, but we need to be patient. Oda’s making sure there are no loose ends before giving us the fight of the century. It will be worth it.

I Give “Shimotsuki Kozaburo” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 995 Review/Recap

I think that we all knew going in to the raid on Onigashima that the Straw Hats were about to face their toughest battle yet. After all, they’re going up against two Yonko at once. But if they can’t win against Kaido and Big Mom, then what hope will they have against Blackbeard? After the last chapter saw Queen unleash a plague of ice zombie demons on everyone, things get desperate. And this week, things get even worse.

Recap

As Marco continues to try and block Big Mom’s path, he soon finds himself outflanked by Perospero, who’s more than willing to take a killing shot against him. Fortunately, though, help arrives in the form of the Sulong-empowered Wanda and Carrot. Both of them have a score to settle against Perospero for killing Pedro, so they stay behind to fight Perospero while Marco pursues Big Mom into the palace of Onigashima.

Inside Onigashima, things are becoming desperate for the Straw Hats. Zoro and Drake are desperately trying to get the antibodies from Apoo, but the pirate remains as slippery as ever. Worse, Chopper manages to get infected by the ice virus!

Elsewhere, Nami and Usopp are doing no better. Try as they might, they can’t overcome the likes of Ulti and Page One. Left on the brink of death by the two Beast Pirates, Nami’s left with a choice: admit that Luffy won’t become the Pirate King and live, or refuse and die. In utter defiance, Nami proclaims that Luffy won’t stop until he’s King of the Pirates. Enraged, Ulti prepares to end the navigator’s life…only to be stopped by the timely arrival of Otama atop a giant dog.

Review

This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen the Straw Hats get backed into a corner. They’ve had to deal with this kind of scenario several times in the past, and aside from Sabaody, they always came out on top. Hell, Sabaody ended with them being separated for two years instead of being outright killed or captured. In other words, I knew that the Straw Hats were going to make it out of this in one piece. And I was right.

No matter how bad things may look, I know that the Straw Hats are going to get out of this mess in one piece. Simple as that. Good chapter, overall.

I Give “A Kuonichi’s Oath” A 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 994 Review/Recap

So, for some reason I thought that One Piece was on break this week. Imagine my surprise when I find out that the new chapter’s out today! Despite being caught off guard by this, I think the focus of this week’s chapter seems appropriate, since yesterday was Halloween. In this week’s chapter, its the attack of the Ice Zombies!

Recap

On the roof of Onigashima, the Scabbards are left reeling by Kikunojo’s loss of his arm. Fortunately, Kin’emon uses his foxfire technique to cauterize the wound, saving Kiku’s life in the process. Despite the injury, though, none of the Scabbards are willing to back down. For his part, Kaido admits that he’s impressed with the Samurai’s resolve, saying that it’s how a person faces death that defines who they are. Out of respect for his opponents, Kaido reverts to his human form as he prepares to end the fight.

Down below, Luffy, Sanji, and Jinbei continue to fight their way to the top so they may face Kaido. In the banquet hall, things are not looking good. Queen’s ice plague bullets have turned both friend and foe into ice zombies. Both the Alliance and Beast Pirates are horrorified at having to fight their own comrades, while Chopper looks on in disgust at Queen. Fortunately, he realizes that Queen would have an antidote on him, which he does. Except he gave it to Apoo and told everyone about it. If the Alliance can get the antidote in the next hour, they can save everyone; otherwise, the plague will kill all the ice zombies.

At Momonosuke and Shinobu’s location, Yamato faces down the forces of the Flying Six while explaining who they are. They were at Oden’s execution twenty years ago, and were moved to tears by Shinobu scolding everyone for calling Oden a fool. Yamato tried to save Momo at Kuri that day, but he couldn’t make it in time. This time, though, he’s not going to fail again. He proclaims himself as Yamato, and that he will save them from the Beast Pirates.

Review

How do you know if someone is truly evil? Well, one obvious sign is the fact that they’re willing to sacrifice their own forces in order to wipe out the enemy and having no regard for their safety. The fact that Queen’s willing to turn his own men into ice zombies disgusts me to no end, even if that tactic is nothing new in One Piece. While things may look bad right now for the Alliance, this may end up working out for them in the long-term.

Here’s my logic: the Beast Pirates have seen that Queen and their leaders don’t care about potentially turning them into ice zombies. If Chopper can cure everyone, then there’s a chance that they’ll turn on Queen as a result. I mean, if I were in their shoes, I’d mutiny.

As for Yamato, he’s proving to be the wild card that will turn the battle in the Alliance’s favor. If he can keep the Beast Pirates at bay, Luffy and the others can take down Kaido. It may not look like it now, but I can see the writing on the wall: Kaido falls tonight.

Alas, any chance of the 1,000th chapter coming out this year seems to be dashed. The manga’s on break for real next week. Still, Oda’s health is more important, so I won’t complain. Also, having the 1,000th chapter come out in 2021 will be a good way to start the year!

I Give “Also Known as Yamato” a 3.8/5

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One Piece Chapter 982 Review/Recap

Well, it’s official: One Piece is back on a weekly release schedule. It’s a good thing, too, because things are starting to heat up. Last week saw some powerful allies join the Alliance: Nekomamushi and his Minks, and Marco and Izo of the Whitebeard Pirates. However, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Last week saw a few hiccups occur for the Alliance, and that trend continues this week. Am I really, though? No, and I’ll explain why after I recap this chapter. The Battle for Onigashima enters a new stage.

Recap

In the heart of Onigashima, Orochi and Kaido are drinking to their hearts content. They still think that the Alliance lies scattered and divided. That is, until Kanjuro barges in with a battered and beaten Momonosuke in tow. Kanjuro then immediately tells Orochi everything: the attack on the Alliance failed, and their fleet is already on their way.

Despite the assurances of Black Maria of the Flying Six, Orochi will not be remain calm. He wont’ rest until the Kozuki Clan lies dead at his feet. Thus, he seizes Momonosuke. He will crucify the boy in front of all of Wano and bring an end to the age of the Kozuki Clan himself.

While all of this is happening, other events are taking place. Firstly, Marco, Izo, Nekomamushi, and the Minks are headed to Onigashima to reinforce the Alliance.

Secondly, Denjiro manages to subdue another of the Flying Six on the Southern Front. He then splits his forces in two. One half will head to the back of the island; the other will advance on the dome and attack it from above.

Back with Kin’emon’s group, Chopper and Usopp lure a very livid Big Mom away from everyone else, giving them the chance to push forward.

Unfortunately for Nami, she’s found by Prometheus, who is not happy that she took Zeus with her!

Finally, in the Central Front, two of the Flying Six, Ulti and Page One, get cornered by Luffy himself. The Battle for Onigashima is about to enter a new stage.

Review

Now for an explanation as to why I’m not concerned about the Alliance yet. Ideally, I’d want for Kanjuro to make it to Orochi and Kaido right before the Alliance begins their big attack. That way, they’d have no time to prepare. giving the Alliance a better chance of winning. However, I had a feeling that that wouldn’t happen, in the end. Now that Orochi is aware his plan failed, he’s not going to drop his guard again.

Luckily, Kaido and Orochi aren’t aware that the majority of the Alliance has already infiltrated the island disguised as members of the Beast Pirates. With Luffy’s team creating a ruckus, they’ve got everyone distracted. Meanwhile, Usopp and Chopper can keep Big Mom away from the fight. That tips the odds even more in the Alliance’s favor. And with one of the Flying Six taken out, and another two in Luffy’s sights, that’s half of some of Kaido’s best forces soon to be out of the fight.

Top that off with Denjiro splitting his forces up, and now Kaido will be completely surrounded. No room to maneuver, and no place for them to escape from.

There are lots of variables left in play, but at the moment, there’s little doubt in my mind: the Alliance has the advantage. They can win this fight!

As far as chapters go, I think that this was one of the more interesting ones, by virtue of how much happened. I’m hoping that Oda can keep this momentum going, as this promises to be one of the biggest fights in One Piece history. KICK KAIDO’S BUTT, LUFFY!!

I Give “Ruffian Vs. Ruffian” a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 925 Review/Recap

This chapter does not do a lot to advance the immediate plot: we don’t see Luffy at all, but he’s still in prison. The real focus of this chapter actually takes us abroad to the rest of the world, and there is a lot of big news. First, it’s now confirmed that Gekko Moriah is still alive, with Perona leaving Mihawk’s island to reunite with her captain. That could be a mistake, though. Moriah went to the headquarters of none other than the new Yonko, Blackbeard. I already Blackbeard was already incredibly powerful, but the Blackbeard pirates are getting stronger with each passing day.

The fact that Shiryu now has Absalom’s Clear-Clear fruit means that they most likely killed him. If everyone in Blackbeard’s inner circle has fruit powers, then I am honestly terrified.

I’ve known it for a long time now: Blackbeard is going to be Luffy’s last and most significant obstacle to becoming the King of the Pirates. The Blackbeard Pirates are essentially the antithesis to the Straw Hats, down to most of the crew’s skills. When the day comes that they finally clash, it might be one of the biggest fights in manga history.

Meanwhile, in Wano, the Straw Hats have split up to prepare for the rebellion in two weeks. Chopper and the minks are looking after Tama, Raizou’s gone to bust Luffy out of jail, and I don’t know where everyone else is. But we also get a glimpse of two more of Kaido’s officers, and if they are tough as they look, they could be a problem. Even Jack seems scared of them.

King also seems to be responsible for trying to break Luffy and Kid. He’sepgoing to be sorely disappointed.

Other News From Blackbeard

Oh, one last thing: Blackbeard mentions that the Revolutionary Army attacked the Reverie to get Kuma back. Hope they are all safe!

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