The Mystery of Zoro’s Connection to Wano

Many fans often wonder: Does Zoro have any ties to Wano? As the story progresses into the Wano arc, everyone is eagerly anticipating how Zoro’s past will be explored in relation to this region, but so far, little has been revealed. It’s not that he has no connection to Wano; however, Eiichiro Oda hasn’t felt the need to delve into those details deeply within the main storyline.

Revelations from Chapter 105 SBS

In Chapter 105 of the SBS (Shitsumon o Boshū Suru?, “I’m Taking Questions”), Oda revealed that a group of samurai from Wano had traveled around the world. Among them were Shimotsuki Kozaburo and Furiko, the sister of Ringo’s former leader, Shimotsuki Ushimaru. Furiko was married to a swordsman from the village and had a son named Roronoa Arashi, who is indeed Zoro’s father. Unfortunately, Zoro’s father passed away. While Arashi died in a battle against the harsh realities of war, Zoro’s mother died due to illness.

Zoro’s Notable Connections

Thus, Zoro has connections to other famous characters in One Piece. Shimotsuki Ushimaru is a descendant of the legendary swordsman of Wano, Shimotsuki Ryuma. Zoro’s grandmother also belongs to this lineage. Remember the zombie samurai that fought Zoro at Thriller Bark? That was none other than Ryuma.

Finally, the leader of the samurai group who left Wano, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, is the father of Koshiro, the swordsmith who forged Enma. When this group arrived in East Blue, they established a settlement in a remote village. Everyone in the village, including Kozaburo, decided to settle down and formed the Shimotsuki village. Koshiro opened a dojo in the village, got married, and had a daughter named Kuina. This means that Zoro and his childhood rival, Kuina, are distant relatives.