Are you wondering if Shusui is the strongest blade in One Piece after seeing Zoro wielding it in the manga or anime? We don’t blame you because Zoro was able to do some pretty amazing things while wielding it. With Shusui, Zoro cut a ginormous galleon ship in half, decapitated an enormous dragon with a single slash, and cleanly sliced apart Pica’s mountain-sized golem. Here is everything you need to know: if Shusui is the strongest blade, its history, its appearance in the anime and manga, and its overall design.
One Piece: Is Shusui the Strongest Blade? History, Appearance, and Design
The quality of Shusui is Great Grade Swords which makes it one of the better blades, but it is not the strongest in One Piece. On the other hand, Enma holds the title of one of the strongest blades in One Piece due to its ability to draw out its user’s haki making their attacks more powerful. For this reason, plus the soul that resides in the blade, is why Zoro was okay swapping to Enma after Shusui was stolen and returned to Wano Country. Finally, Enma’s blade is not black yet, so Zoro can make it even stronger.
Shusui is the same grade as Enma despite it being a black blade. If you remember, turning a sword black can raise its grade. It also doesn’t mean it will draw out the sword’s haki. This makes it even more impressive and lends belief that it is often not the quality of the blade that makes it powerful but its wielder.
History of Shusui
Shusui was once wielded by the legendary samurai Shimotsuki Ryuma and is the national treasure of the Wano Country. Upon Ryuma’s death, it was buried with him, where it remained until Gecko Moria robbed his grave. Ryuma was reanimated as a zombie on Thriller Bark and bequeathed Shusui to Zoro after his defeat as he was satisfied with Zoro being its new master. Zoro changed to Enma after Shusui was stolen and returned to Ryuma’s grave by Gyukimaru.
Appearance of Shusui
Shusui first makes its appearance in the following chapter and episode of the manga and anime, respectively:
- Chapter: 448
- Episode: 342
Shusui also makes appearances in the following One Piece story arcs:
- Thriller Bark Arc
- Punk Hazard Arc
- Dressrosa Arc
- Wano Country Arc
Design of Shusui
Shusui was designed to increase its user’s destructive power and damage potential by an insane amount. This is shown when Zoro used it against Oars when it absorbed the flying slash of Ichimonji’s and Kitetsu’s swords, increasing its power. Shusui is so durable that a dinosaur stepping on it wouldn’t cause it to bend even a millimeter. As a result, he deflected Oars’ punch when Zoro wielded it horizontally.
Things aren’t all great with Shusui, though. The blade has a temper due to the soul that resides in it and is also heavier than Yubashiri, reducing Zoro’s attack control. Nevertheless, Zoro overcame these negatives through extensive training and skill that would prove tough to most other wielders.
The One Piece Manga is available to read on Viz Media.
The One Piece anime is currently available on popular streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu.
