Roronoa Zoro serves as the swordsman for the Straw Hat crew, and he has a deep fascination with cursed swords. His journey into swordsmanship began in Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue, where he was always challenged by his childhood friend, Kuina. Although he hadn’t given it much thought at the time, his experiences in Shimotsuki Village will help him grasp the significance of mastering Enma, one of the 21 Great Grade swords.
Enma, named after the ruler of the Underworld, put Zoro to the test ever since Hiyori entrusted it to him. While some might see Enma as a difficult sword for persistently siphoning Zoro’s Haki, it has only accepted one master since its creation, setting a high bar for any future swordsman. So, how did Zoro manage to master Enma in One Piece?
How did Zoro obtain Enma?
1. Zoro received Enma as a trade for leaving the national treasure, Shusui, in Wano.
Roronoa Zoro has had a deep passion for swordsmanship since his youth, training diligently in Shimotsuki Village located in East Blue. At that time, he didn’t realize he was a descendant of the esteemed Shimotsuki Clan, which once thrived in Wano Country. Throughout the series, Zoro’s admiration for swords and talented swordsmen has been evident. In the Wano Country arc, he will rediscover memories of his experiences with Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the master swordsmith behind the creation of the Great Grade Blades, Wado Ichimonji, and Enma.
Zoro would inherit Wado Ichimonji after the death of Kuina, as it was her beloved sword, handed down to her by her grandfather, Kouzaburou. During his training in the Village, Zoro would explore the rich history of swords and the meanings behind their names. Eventually, he would also come into possession of swords that were reputed to be cursed.
Throughout the series, Zoro comes into possession of Shusui, a notable sword among the 21 Great Grade blades that belonged to the famous Shimotsuki Ryuma. Following his victory over Ryuma during the Thriller Bark arc, Zoro received Shusui as a farewell gift to replace his broken sword. Zoro cherishes his swords greatly, as they are often given to him by respected samurai or swordsmen.
Throughout the Wano arc, Zoro uncovers more details about the sword’s original owner and the location of his final resting place. After Zoro escaped the corrupt magistrate, Onimaru, disguised as Gyukimaru, a highway robber, took Shusui to safeguard the honor of the samurai who had perished in Ringo. When Onimaru encountered Shusui, he quickly returned it to the grave of Shimotsuki Ryuma, preventing Zoro from getting it back. As Shusui was seen as a national treasure of the Sword God Ryuma, who had lived centuries ago, Onimaru was unwilling to let Zoro have the sword, thinking he had stolen it.
Recognizing the value of the Shusui sword, Hiyori decided to give Zoro the Meitou Enma, another legendary weapon that had the unique distinction of injuring Kaido. While Zoro felt a bit reluctant to part with Shusui, the chance to wield Enma made it a fair trade
How was Zoro able to control Enma?
Through understanding what the sword needed from him and why it was testing him
When Zoro got his hands on Enma for the first time, it pushed him to his limits by extracting his Ryuo, or Haki. With just one slash, Enma enabled Zoro to reshape the coastline, but it came at the price of leaving his arm in a weakened state. Although Zoro managed to gain control over Enma fairly quickly, he still had to learn to master it.
Before Zoro faced King, he found it challenging to master Enma without it siphoning excessive Haki from him. During their fight, Zoro grappled with controlling Enma, which kept pulling his Haki, leaving him exhausted and facing the grim prospect of death unless he could come up with a strategy to manage the sword
- To comprehend the significance of the swords, Zoro turned to Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the perfect mentor for his journey. The ongoing trials presented by Enma compelled Zoro to exceed his boundaries, leading him to awaken his Conqueror’s Haki.
Throughout this period, Zoro came to grasp the intentions behind Enma’s actions. He discovered that the swordsmith responsible for Enma was none other than Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the Village Geezer from the East Blue. With his growing knowledge of swords and cursed blades, Zoro realized that Enma was simply assessing his skills, much like how Kozuki Oden could handle it effortlessly.
Each blade is a like person with a unique disposition… A swordsman is one who tames the sword’s wild nature and bends it to their will!!
Zoro realized that the sword wasn’t acting out of spite; it was more about testing his boundaries. This insight made him aware that he had to rise to its expectations. He understood that to truly connect with Enma, he needed to keep pushing his limits and channeling his Haki. This was essential for Enma to accept him as its master. In the process, Zoro also unlocked his latent Conqueror’s Haki, which was likely crucial for mastering Enma, as it demanded a constant flow of Haki and needed to be subdued by the Conqueror’s Haki.