One Piece has over four million loyal fans in Japan alone. Millions more are diehard followers worldwide. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the most sought-after themes in cosplay events. Its wacky characters with crazy hairstyles and colors are enough to tickle one’s imagination. Their katana and other bladed weapons are worth the admiration, too.
People new to the manga or anime series would want to pick the right sword for cosplay. But what is a One Piece katana? What characteristics do these swords have? Hang on to your seats because we will embark on a journey of discovery and exploration – One Piece-style.
Screenshot of One Piece by One Piece Official YouTube Channel.
One Piece Katana with Personality
One Piece bladed weapons aren’t your ordinary Japanese swords. These tools of destruction have unique personalities that, according to the Great Grade Blades creator, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, make the swords sentient.
For instance, the Sandai Kitetsu slashes more frequently than necessary, earning the ‘problem child’ nickname. Meanwhile, the Shutsui sword is challenging to control and handle because it has a ‘bad temper.’ Lastly, the Enma is blood-thirsty, testing and pushing its wielder’s skills and patience before giving in.
Hence, only exceptionally gifted people can wield One Piece katana swords and other bladed weapons. Otherwise, it’s an early trip to the grave for weak mortals.
Interestingly, One Piece swords pick who can wield them. Aspiring sword wielders must study the weapon’s unique traits and personalities to avoid going under the sword’s spell. That’s why One Piece characters are a rare breed.
Popular Katana on One Piece
One Piece katana resembles the quintessential Japanese sword, with some exaggerations to match their characters’ outrageous appearances and weird personalities. This blade is the most common weapon on One Piece, although some use sabers, longswords, cutlasses, and tantos. So, what katana swords should you pick for your cosplay? Let’s look at the more popular ones.
Nidai Kitetsu
This One Piece katana belongs to the 21 Great Grade swords forged by the legendary swordsmith Kotetsu. Its extraordinary strength and razor-sharpness make the Nidai Kitetsu at par with legendary swords, like the Ame no Habakiri, Enma, Wado Ichimonji, and Shusui.
There’s one hiccup! The Nidai Kitetsu is “cursed.” Legend says whoever wields this sword will meet a horrible death. So far, Luffy has managed to tame the curse. He uses the blade to slash and cut down enemies. At one point, the Nidai Kitetsu cut through several swords like a hot knife through butter. And this was despite Luffy’s questionable sword-handling skills.
Luffy detected the Nidai Kitetsu with the Kenbunshoku Haki, a mysterious power enabling its wielder to sense others’ presence, emotions, and strengths.
The Nidai Kitetsu looks impressive in purple and gold. It features a stunning blue flame-patterned hamon and a gold cross-pattee-shaped tsuba. The tsuba is purple, mimicking the deep purplish hue of the saya.
Sandai Kitetsu
Screenshot of Zoro and Sandai Kitetsu by Anime_Craze on YouTube.
One can consider the Sandai a third-generation Kitetsu. It also means this One Piece katana is as cursed as the Shodai Kitetsu (first generation) and Nidai Kitetsu (second generation). However, unlike the first two Kitetsus, the Sandai isn’t a Great Grade sword, only a Grade blade.
Kozuki Sukiyaki followed in the footsteps of his great swordsmith ancestor, Kotetsu (who created the Nidai). It’s an imitation sword exported overseas and acquired by Ipponmatsu. The latter refused to sell the sword to Zoro because of its cursed nature.
Zoro was adamant, testing the Sandai’s curse by letting its razor-sharp edge fall on his arm. Ipponmatsu let Zoro keep the One Piece sword when he proved his luck was greater than the curse.
Although the Sandai Kitetsu isn’t as robust as the Nidai, Zoro still managed to wield it with exceptional confidence. The swashbuckling One Piece hero used the Sandai to defeat King, Daz Bonez, Bartholomew Kuma, Pica, Enel, Kaidou, Hody Jones, Oars, Kaku, and Ryuma.
The Sandai has exceptional sharpness, perfect for slicing objects. Although a bloodthirsty “problem child,” the Sandai can half a Sea Train carriage and block Kaku’s formidable Rokushiki technique. This sword is tough enough to withstand repeated blows from a 21 Great Grade sword, Shimotsuki Ryuma’s Shusui.
Wado Ichimonji
One of the 21 Great Grade blades, Wado Ichimonji is the result of Shimotsuki Kozaburo’s efforts to create an indestructible sword. Kozaburo kept the sword in Koushirou’s Isshin Dojo until the latter’s daughter, Kuina, was challenged to a duel with real swords by Roronoa Zoro.
Kuina lost the challenge (and her life), encouraging Zoro to request Koushirou for the Wado Ichimonji. The former obliged, handing the Great Grade sword to the dojo’s second-best student.
The Wado Ichimonji is second only to the Enma as the One Piece world’s most powerful blades. It’s a magnificent katana with incredible strength and durability, even without a Haki. The blade can withstand repeated strikes from the Supreme Grade sword, Yoru.
Zoro’s favorite sword for his One Sword Style, Wado Ichimonji can easily cut through a giant iceberg and a battleship. When used in the Three Sword Style, Zoro holds the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth.
The blade’s exceptional sharpness and strength can slash through the toughest armor. It can also stand head-to-head with the Shusui black blade wielded by the zombified shinobi, Shimotsuki Ryuma.
Interestingly, the Wado Ichimonji’s powers improved after he time skip. It allowed Zoro to cut down the giant Pica several times before delivering the final blow.
Enma
Here’s another One Piece katana wielded by Roronoa Zoro and one of the series’ 21 Great Grade blades. The Enma is a moderately curved katana following the Shobu Zukuri style. It’s like the Nidai Kitetsu in its color scheme, except it is mostly lilac, not purple.
Like the Wado Ichimonji, the Enma is the creation of the great Shimotsuki Kozaburo. It’s an exceptional sword, capable of slicing hell in half. This allusion makes the One Piece sword the equivalent of the heaven-splitting Ame no Habakiri.
Because of its immense power, no ordinary mortal can wield the Enma. Many tried, but failed. The first to wield its power was Kozuki Oden. Together with the Ame no Habakiri, Oden used the Enma to scar Kaidou. The sword passed onto Oden’s father, Sukiyaki, upon the former’s death. In turn, Sukiyaki heirloomed the Enma to Kozuki Hiyori, Oden’s daughter.
At the time, Zoro wielded the Shusui. Kozuki asked Zoro to exchange the Shusui for the Enma because the latter is one of Wano’s national treasures. Roronoa Zoro obliged.
The Enma is a powerful One Piece katana. It can cut the Mountain God in half, stand up to two of the 12 Supreme Grade blades (Edward Newgate’s Murakumogiri and Gol D. Roger’s Ace). The sword releases the wielder’s Busoshoku Haki, making it one of the blood-thirstiest blades in the saga.
Ame no Habakiri
If Enma can split hell’s bottom, Ame no Habakiri can slice through heaven with its exceptional sharpness. Unlike the Enma and Wado Uchimonji, Ame no Habakiri isn’t a Shimotsuki Kozaburo creation. Instead, this Great Grade sword is the brainchild of Kozuki Sukiyaki, Oden’s father.
Kozuki Oden teamed the Ame no Habakiri with the Enma to perfect his legendary Daito Two Sword technique. This style allowed the youthful Oden to wound Kaidou and defeat countless enemies. Sukiyaki reclaimed the Ame no Habakiri after Oden’s death and gave it to the latter’s son, Momonosuke.
The Ame no Habakiri One Piece katana has impressive sharpness and power. Imagine slicing through heaven with a swift strike. Oden’s skill is also exceptional, allowing him to bisect the Mountain God with a single slash, although he also relied on the Enma to execute a perfect attack.
The sword’s abilities match the Enma, making them a formidable tandem.
Shusui
Screenshot of Ryuma and Shusui by Shusui on YouTube.
This sword is another Roronoa Zoro favorite for a time. It formed the trio of powerful swords necessary for the swashbuckler’s famed Three Sword Style. Together with the Sandai Kitetsu and Wado Ichimonji, the Shisui shines with its unparalleled sharpness and strength.
As a Great Grade blade, the Shusui has exceptional power. Its first owner was Shimotsuki Ryuma, a legendary samurai, turning the sword into a black blade. Ryuma went to the grave with the Shusui before reappearing as a zombified fighter.
Ryuma gave Shusui to Zoro after the former’s defeat by the latter. It replaced Roronoa Zoro’s Yubashiri, joining the Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu in Zoro’s Three Sword Style. Zoro exchanged the Shusui for the Enma upon Kozuki Hiyori’s request because the latter was a Wano national treasure.
The Shusui features a unique reverse wave Kanemoto-style hamon and a flowerlike octofoil tsuba. It’s a Hira Zukuri katana with a solid tsuka and a black bo-hi.
This sword has impressive power, albeit a “problem child.” It’s challenging to control, leaving a trail of blood and devastation in its wake. Zoro trained with Dracule Mihawk to learn to control the Shusui. It became Zoro’s favorite sword for his One Sword Style because it was better than the Sandai Kitetsu and Wado Ichimonji.
It can cut through a galleon ship, decapitate the Dragon Number Thirteen, and slice through Pica’s stone golems. Too bad, Zoro had to exchange it for the Enma.
Yubashiri
Roronoa Zoro’s Yubashiri might be long gone, but it remains a favorite of One Piece cosplayers. Ipponmatsu bequeathed the Yubashiri to Zoro after the latter displayed his ability to control the sword’s curse.
This One Piece katana has a long blade, a cross-shaped tsuba, and a black tsuka. It features an irregular midarebo hamon and is considerably lighter than other One Piece swords.
The Yubashiri is a Skillful Grade sword, leveraging its lightweight characteristics to strike with surgical precision. Although light, the Yubashiri’s sharpness and strength are beyond question, especially when used with the Sandai Kitetsu.
Unfortunately, the Yubashiri met its destruction when Zoro fought the Sabi Sabi no Mi-wielding Shu.
Shodai Kitetsu
As mentioned, the Shodai Kitetsu is the predecessor of the Nidai Kitetsu and the “grandfather” of the Sandai Kitetsu. This sword is a Supreme Grade blade forged by the legendary Kitetsu.
Its powers rivals that of Whitebeard’s Murakumogiri, Gol D. Roger’s Ace, and Dracule Mihawk’s Yoru. And like the other Kitetsus, the Shodai can bring bad luck to its wielders. They could end in horrible death.
Shigure
Tashigi owns the Shigure, an ordinary katana with a blue (in manga) or green (in anime) tsuka and tsuba. Although the saya has an elaborate design, the nagasa is as normal as one can expect from a conventional katana.
It might be an ordinary One Piece katana, but the Shigure can hold its own against more formidable swords like the Wado Ichimonji. It can deflect cannonballs and go head-to-head with the Shusui and Sandai Kitetsu.
Sukesan and Kakusan
If you’re a fan of using two katanas in your cosplay, you will want to consider Kin’emon’s Kakusan and Sukesan. These swords have flame-patterned saya and rectangular tsuba.
Kin’emon used these swords to amplify his Foxfire Style, a technique leveraging fire. Interestingly, Roronoa Zoro learned the style and used it to improve his Three Sword Style.
Karakuri
Fans of giant blades will love Karakuri. This sword features a golden star-shaped tsuba and a gray saya with lighter-shaded circular patterns. Black diamonds dot the tsuka.
Holed’em owns the Karakuri. This sword is unique because its wielder can divide the blade into smaller segments, forming a durable and stinging whip. Holed’em can also set the Karakuri on fire.
Soto Muso
Kawamatsu wields this One Piece sword. It’s the simplest weapon in the series, featuring only a handle, blade, and scabbard. However, the handle or hilt has diamond patterns to make it more appealing.
The Soto Muso is a product of Wano County’s superior sword-making industry. Although it’s not a Great Grade or Supreme blade, the Soto Muso can cut down Beast Pirates in one solid and swift motion.
Our One Piece Katana Collection
Katana Sword has some of the best One Piece katana offerings. You could pick from our selection and bring your favorite One Piece character to life. Pick the Enma and relive its power. You could do the same with the Wado Ichimonji, Yubashiri, Ame no Habakiri, and Nidai Kitetsu.
These masterpieces can also make for an excellent centerpiece in your living room display. Each handmade sword is a precise replica, with fittings and intricate details to tickle the fancy. So, get your One Piece sword from us today.
Conclusion
One Piece continues to fascinate the manga and anime crowd. And if you’re serious about pushing your cosplay to the next level, you can trust us to deliver the most realistic One Piece katana swords to boost your character.
