Shonen is one of those anime genres that can span literal decades with the same cast of characters and yet, still give you something new to talk about. It adds more to the characters as time goes on, yet still keeping their ultimate essence in line. For example, if a character has magical powers, they evolve instead of maxing out in one go. And no other Shonen does that better than One Piece, especially when you take a look at characters like the sword-wielding Zoro.

Roronoa Zoro is a swordsman, first and foremost. As such, he has wielded 6 proper swords in the entirety of One Piece. This doesn’t include his other blade weapons such as a cutlass and a tanto he had been forced to use as the situation called for. Nor does it include the time when he borrowed Nakiri swords from Johnny and Yusaku during his battle against Hachan. I mean, the guy might be indisposed but he can’t fight without his beloved swords by his side.

But that’s just who Zoro is. As a former Bounty Hunter, he was already pretty formidable. Now that he’s become one of the nine senior guards of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, he is infamous across the high seas for his prowess with blades. Couple that up with his Three-Sword style of combat, and he’s bested quite a lot of enemies already. Some of those enemies even hold legendary status in One Piece.

But what about the swords themselves? A blade is only as good as its master’s, but all of the swords that Zoro owned were something special. Each had its look and unique names, to boot. They are so strong and valuable that they can’t be replaced by just any old blade. So, let’s rank the weapons of Roronoa Zoro, one of the top 3 strongest combatants of the Straw Hat Crew!

6. Two Twin Unnamed Katanas

These shouldn’t count per se, but I will because they were exclusively given to him as his first swords in his childhood. Like, this was the start of it all!

Shimotsuki Kozaburo gave a child Zoro his first two katanas to train and hone his skill. And they served him well, even being used alongside Wado Ichimonji for an extended amount of time. But ultimately, they were broken during Zoro’s first battle with Dracule Mihawk.

As such, they were pretty weak and nothing spectacular beyond their significance as being the first swords Zoro owned.

Sandai Kitetsu is a Grade Sword, which is more commonly known as a Wazamono blade. Zoro happened to pick it up from a barrel during the Logue Town arc after he sensed that there was something sinister about it.

Considering its Kitetsu status, Sendai Kitetsu is also a Cursed Sword. This means that it is notorious for being difficult to control due to its bloodlust. What’s worse is how it promises a terrible death to its owner.

However, Zoro seems to have it all under check, so there isn’t much cause to worry. It’s also the one sword from his early days he still keeps on hand.

4. Yubashiri

Just like with Sendai Kitetsu, Yubashiri was also acquired during the Logue Town arc of the series. Zoro impressed Ipponmatsu with his courage in wielding the cursed sword, so he gifted Yubashiri to him.

Yubashiri is known to be the exact opposite of the Sandai Kitetsu i.e., it is very easy to control. It’s a very lightweight blade but sharp and precise where it matters. Sadly, Zoro lost it during the Enies Lobby arc when he faced off against Shu. It was later given a funeral alongside the Rumbar Pirates in soil that was from the West Blue.

3. Wado Ichimonji

Wado Ichimonji happens to be the very first sword with a name that Zoro carried on him. Forged by Shimotsuki Kozaburou, it was once owned by Zoro’s dojo master and was going to be handed down to his daughter Kuina.

But after she died, Zoro took the sword to follow the pact he made with Kuina to become the best swordsman in the world. This is a pretty balanced sword, with no particular sinister energy to it. However, it is considered better than the Wazamono swords he owned previously.

2. Enma

Enma is an incredibly strong sword of the 21 O Wazamono grade. Also forged by Shimotsuki Kozaburo, it first was in the hands of Kozuki Oden, the Daimyo of the Kuri region, alongside his other sword, Ame no Habakiri.

Oden would wield the two blades together to perform his signature technique known as the ‘Oden Nitoryu,’. It is considered to be one of the best blades ever created, however, it still notoriously difficult to control.

This sword’s quirk is that it drains Ryou from the body of the user automatically. This means the wounds it leaves behind are much larger than intended and, at the same time, harder to control. After losing Ryuma, Kozuki Hiyori gifted Enma to Zoro as a replacement.

1. Shisui

Known as the blade of the ‘Sword God’ Shimotsuki Ryuma, Shisui is yet another 21 O Wazamono grade sword. It is rumored that Ryuma was able to slay a literal dragon with this, so it’s something special.

After his death, his zombie wielded it against Zoro, who defeated him during the Thriller Bark arc. As a token of respect, Ryuma gave him Shisui to keep. It has a unique black appearance due to its constantly being charged by Armament Haki, leading to it being known as ‘Kokuto’. Shisui is one of two black blades in One Piece, the other being Yoru which belongs to Mihawk.

Known for its hardness and durability, Shusui is arguably the strongest sword that is currently in Zoro’s arsenal. It easily overpowers both Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu, its damage greater than both of them combined.