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Main Character Index > Inhabitants > Blue Seas (East Blue Pirate Crews) | Paradise | Sky People | Fish-Man Island | New World (Wano [Kozuki Clan | Kozuki Oden])

Land of Wano
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wano_country_infobox.png

"Samurai is the title of the swordsmen from the land of Wano. Wano is a nation with closed borders. No outsiders are allowed within. They aren't even affiliated with the World Government. And these samurai are so powerful... that even the Navy does not dare breach their territory."
Brook (Chapter 655)

The Land of Wano is a powerful, isolated country in the New World that is not affiliated with the World Government. It is based on feudal Japan and is renowned for its isolationism, and being inhabited by powerful samurai. The land was previously ruled by the Kozuki Family, until Kaido conspired with the family's usurper, Shogun Kurozumi Orochi, to overthrow their rule 20 years before the beginning of the story. It remains ruled by Orochi in allegiance with Kaido's faction, its citizens enslaved to work in factories building weapons which are then transported to Dressrosa ruled by Kaido's ally, the Warlord Doflamingo, and distributed in the Black Market in exchange for the SMILE Fruits.


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    In General 
  • Artistic License – Geography: Just like most of the New World, Wano's hydrography runs on nonsensoleum. The sea currents flow into the country like some sort of reverse river, and yet the Straw Hats come across a waterfall that brings freshwater into the sea just like a traditional river. This all happens in the same water stream. The whole thing gets lampshaded.
  • Beware the Skull Base: Near Wano there's the island of Onigashima, which has an enormous horned and skulls-shaped cave. Kaido has been living there and using it as main base for more than twenty years. Becomes a hell of a lot more literal when Kaido uses his power to levitate the entire structure, planning to drop in on top of the flower capital, crushing it and all its citizens to replace them with his own forces in one swift move. Even as the Samurai alliance fights desperately to prevent that outcome, Yamato reveals that the vast amounts of gunpowder and weaponry stored in the castle's basement are at risk of going off if the castle drops unexpectedly without Kaido's control, meaning the entire thing is one massive floating bomb.
  • The Blacksmith: Wano is known for its smithery and metallurgy, with its craftsmen being to able to make things like swords. In addition, because Wano is the source of seastone, Wano craftsmen are some of the only people in the world able to mine and forge this rare mineral. The Kozuki Clan in particular is notable for being the ones who created the Ponegylphs scattered across the world.
  • Bystander Syndrome:
    • For many years, Wano has kept themselves isolated from the outside world, ignoring several major events such as the Paramount War. It was the Kozuki Clan itself that closed the borders at the end of the Void Century to protect the country from a great outside power, heavily implied to be the nascent World Government.
    • This is a country-wide problem for a the longest of time. Wano's citizens, especially those from the Flower Capital are utterly apathetic. A drought? No one lifted a finger but Oden. The Kurozumi clan were persecuted to the last child? "All Kurozumis are criminal scum". They didn't even notice the hundreds of people disappearing during the start of Orochi's reign. Unsurprisingly, this attitude comes back to bite them in the form of Kurozumi Orochi who makes it his mission to make Wano's citizens suffer.
  • Close-Range Combatant: Wano citizens traditionally favor swords or spears, which poses a problem for the rebellion as Orochi's been outlawing weapon possession for 20 years and the weapon factories have been producing neither as their products are slated for export.
  • Crapsack World: Life outside of Wano's capital is not happy, to say the least. Because of Kaido's factories, the land has become a wasteland, not unlike that of Fist of the North Star.
  • Create Your Own Villain: While Orochi's revenge on Wano itself is very much Misplaced Retribution, the main reason he and his family became so depraved and hell-bent on revenge in the first place was because almost all of the Kurozumi clan was hunted down by the people of Wano even though only Orochi's grandfather was guilty of treason.
  • Edible Theme Naming: Five of the six major regions in Wano, Ringo, Kibi, Kuri, Hakumai, and Udon, are all named after food. They are however spelled slightly differently in Japanese to sound more like locations.
  • Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The country and its people resemble feudal Japan and the Arc of Wano, while a sendoff to that era and Japan's culture, it also criticizes the strict rules of the time.
  • Gaia's Lament: Kaido's factories have turned the countryside of Wano into a wasteland where the rivers are poisoned and wild animals roam free in abandoned villages.
  • Holding Out for a Hero: Ever since Oden's death, the inhabitants of Wano are waiting for the Nine Shadows who will take down Kaido and Orochi's reign as prophesied by Toki before dying. Publicily nobody believes it, but the Kozuki supporters are still waiting and quickly gather when the Akazaya Nine return. Orochi himself believes the prophecy and is wary of the samurais' return.
  • Locked Out of the Loop:
    • Thanks to their Bystander Syndrome, most of the natives of Wano are completely ignorant of events and individuals that are well-known to the rest of the world. This becomes extremely prevalent when Big Mom enters the picture, especially after she briefly becomes amnesiac. With the exception of Momo (who has experienced part of the world outside of Wano), locals like Tama, Kiku, and Hyogoro haven't a clue of who she is, let alone the fact that she's as dangerous as Kaido, the brutal warlord they’re trying to overthrow. As a result, they're confused when Chopper, Luffy, and, most of all, the Animal Kingdom Pirates, including one of Kaido's top lieutenants in Queen, show themselves to be absolutely terrified of her.
    • Played for Drama in flashback, Oden is forced to humiliate himself by dancing naked in the street to stop the kidnapping of Wano's citizens. The very same citizens who laugh at him for humiliating himself.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: When the people finally realize that Oden humiliated and sacrificed himself to save them all from Orochi and Kaido's wrath, they are sorry to have laughed at him and called him "fool of a lord". Unfortunately, it's too late for them; with Orochi in control, they now have no choice but live under the thumb of a tyrant who wants all of Wano to be run to the ground for what they did to the Kurozumi clan.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted. Several characters in Wano share names with other characters, though the names themselves are in kanji rather than katakana.
  • Real Is Brown: Completely inverted. Sure, One Piece is a very outlandish and cartoonish series, but the country of Wano is even more colorful than Whole Cake Island, with every building having bright colours and the inhabitants wearing colorful clothing and having strange hair colors. The author is said to have deliberately made the Land of Wano this colorful.
  • Red Light District: There is a literal red light district in the Flower Capital, run by the local Yakuza, where there are multiple courtesans.
  • Samurai Ponytail: All the samurai from the Land of Wano, which is based on feudal Japan, wear their hair in a ponytail, making them easy to recognize. One of them, Kiku, ties her usual Hime Cut into a high ponytail in combat.
  • Scenery Porn: The Land of Wano looks absolutely gorgeous, to say the least. Subverted in a big way though when we see what the country looks like outside the capital, however.
  • Shrouded in Myth: Wano is a very mysterious place to the outside world because of its location in the New World, its isolationist laws, and its natural waterfall defenses. Wano's reputation as being the home of invincible samurai is enhanced by the fact the main subject of those rumors is Kozuki Oden, the strongest samurai Wano has ever seen, while the average samurai is not nearly as powerful as him.
  • Stay in the Kitchen: Being based on feudal Japan, the country's general view on women is regressive for the time. This isn't to say all the women in Wano are subservient and submissive however.
  • Sunken City: In the aftermath of the onigashima War, in Chapter 1055, is revealed that the original Wano of 800 years ago was a much larger country that like other islands was easily accessible by port, until mountainous walls grew around it. Becuase these walls did not drain rainwater, the citizens were forced to abandon the sunken country and create the Wano of today on the deceptively enormous Fuji Mountain. The road ponegliff to Laugh Tale resides in the old country, only accessible through a secret chamber known only by Kozuki Sukiyaki or by fish-men.
  • Tokyo Is the Center of the Universe: Wano is basically the Japan of the One Piece world. Flashbacks of Wano's past and Kozuki Oden show how the major powers of the world are related to Wano one way or another. Three out of the Four Emperors and the Pirate King himself worked with Wano in the past, and in the present Kaido and the World Government are having long-term relationships with Wano. A fact that ex-Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself lampshades it during a Marine congress in chapter 957.
  • World of Badass: In a World Of Badass, no less. Wano has managed to maintain its isolation thanks to being home to incredibly strong warriors. Some of the strongest samurai are powerful enough to kill a dragon in one hit or curb-stomp a top officer of an Emperor's fleet. This strength and reputation make the Marines not want anything to do with the country and for centuries even the World Government hasn't landed its hands on it.
  • World of Technicolor Hair: Fittingly with Wano's bright and colorful atmosphere (in the Flower Capital, at least), the majority of the inhabitants have hair of unusual and bright color, going from light-blue, to pink, to purple. The characters with natural hair color, such as Oden or Kin'emon, are an exception to this rule.
  • Wutai: Wano is just one giant love letter to traditional Japanese culture and heritage. The country is heavily styled after feudal Japan, complete with samurai, ninjas, geishas, and the like. What natural beauty untouched by the ravages of Kaido resemble the Ukiyo-e genre of Japanese art with gorgeous locations looking like they came straight out of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings. This aesthetic also is prevalent in varying degrees in Wano's people such as Kin'emon and the country's fauna. Additionally, many of the country's native creatures come straight out of traditional Japanese Mythology such as komainu, tanuki, and qilin to just name a few.

Kozuki Clan

The feudal family which used to rule the country until Kaido's assault twenty years before the Wano Arc. See their page here.

Kurozumi Clan and supporters

Originally one of Wano's six ruling families, it lost this position after a failed attempt to usurp the shogun's throne. Orochi eventually usurps the Kozuki Clan twenty years before the Wano arc with the aid of Kaido.

    Kurozumi Orochi 

Kurozumi Orochi

Voiced by: Hiroshi Iwasaki (JP), Keith Silverstein (EN)

Age: 54

Debut: Chapter 927 (Manga), Episode 921 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata-no-Orochi

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kurozumi_orochi_anime.png
Click here to see his orochi form

"Consider my words to be nonsense at your own peril! I have the power to act upon them!"
Chapter 959

The current shogun of Wano and an ally of Kaido. As a part of his deal with Kaido, he also assisted in the persecution of the Kozuki Clan. He has eaten the Snake-Snake Fruit (Hebi Hebi no Mi), Model: Yamata-no-Orochi, a Mythical Zoan-class Fruit that allows him to transform into the Yamata-no-Orochi, the eight-headed serpent from Japanese Mythology.


  • 0% Approval Rating: Deconstructed. Orochi is hated by almost every living person in Wano (even his own allies and inner circle) for running the country into the ground and making everybody other than his minions miserable, only being kept in power by the fact that he has the backing of one of the Four Emperors. The deconstruction is that Orochi knows full well how hated he is and not only does he not care, he's actively cultivating that hatred; the reason he's such a horrible leader isn't that he is incompetent, its because he's deliberately destroying the country and tormenting its people out of vengeance for the persecution his family faced. Once Orochi is dead, all of Wano not only rejoices, but also ensures that the only legacy he leaves behind is as nothing more than a selfish, childish monster who was hated by everyone around him.
  • Adaptation Expansion: In the manga, once Kaido makes his intention clear to take over Wano, Orochi only has a moment to realize what's happening before Kaido slices his head off. In the anime, Orochi actually manages to get out a tirade on Kaido, scolding him about their deal as if he was in charge and demanding Kaido kill Momonosuke. Kaido beheads him here when it seemed like he would follow Orochi's command.
  • Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Once Orochi is at the mercy of Hiyori, knowing he has neither Kaido, his powers or any of his men to protect him, he pathetically begs for his life, making excuses that he was used by Kaido. Hiyori calls him out on that.
  • And There Was Much Rejoicing: The end of the Wano arc shows the citizens of Wano and the Flower Capital celebrating his death alongside the Akazaya Nine and the Straw Hat Pirates.
  • Arc Villain: He's one of the primary antagonists in the Wano Arc and one of the very few to not be an actual pirate, albeit deeply connected to one. In the plot of the Wano Arc, Orochi has more relevance than Kaido, who is just the muscle to enact Orochi's plan to overthrow the previous shogun and turn Wano into a wasteland. Until Kaido deceives Orochi and beheads him, gaining full relevance of the events of Onigashima.
  • Arms Dealer: He's secretly making deals with The World Government to supply them with weapons, now that Joker is being imprisoned. But the price he asks now is Dr. Vegapunk, a step-up from WG-supplied battleships.
  • Ax-Crazy: At first, Orochi seems like a classic petty and hedonistic dictator ruling his land with an iron fist but otherwise being lucid. It's steadily revealed that he is in fact completely mad and utterly consumed by prospects of vengeance. His main goal isn't to live like a king but to steadily burn Wano to the ground, and every sick thing he does is planned out with hurting its citizens in mind. Following his return after his presumed death, Orochi has lost every brink of sanity and swears to take his revenge on Kaido for his betrayal.
  • Badass Boast:
    • Albeit with a dose of Smug Snake, since Kaido is backing him, Orochi antagonizes the World Government by boasting about his power and his efficiency as a Shogun, since everyone is smiling, all of this to demand to meet Vegapunk.
    Orochi: I didn't ask you if it was possible or not. Celestial Dragons? Navy? You must know that the country of Wano does not fear these things. The whole lot of you together could not bring our nation to its knees. I have Kaido backing me up!!!
    Chapter 929
    • While confronting some of the Akazaya Nine, Orochi changes into his orochi form and boasts that he will make them feel his wrath after 20 years of fear. Right after that, the samurai quickly behead him.
  • Beneath the Mask:
    • He's not afraid of antagonizing The World Government, claiming that Kaido has his back. Yet it's revealed that he's still worried about the prophecy of Kozuki Clan's vengeance, even with Kaido backing him.
    • He's shown as a hedonistic dictator of Wano, but seeing more of his backstory reveals that he's more interested in making Wano citizens suffer, since he got a grudge against the populace who hunted down his extended family members ever since the Kurozumi clan got disbanded.
  • Berserk Button: Doing anything that can be perceived as mocking him or his reign over Wano will make him furious. In fact he'll murder anyone on the spot for as much as laughing at him. When Yasuie makes Orochi appear like an idiot in front of all the inhabitants of Wano, Orochi gets so pissed he kills Yasuie by himself.
  • Beware the Silly Ones: In spite of his extremely cartoonish and goofy appearance and his childish behavior, Orochi repeatedly demonstrates himself to be unusually cunning, being a great strategist when the situation calls for it and a scarily cruel and competent villain.
  • Big Bad Wannabe: Orochi is proud of having become the Shogun and mantained his rule for twenty years and, while he's one of the main antagonists of the Wano Arc, without Kaido's backing he would've been dethroned long ago and wouldn't be feared. Even his ascension is in part thanks to Higurashi's doing, since she impersonated Sukiyaki and used that to give Orochi the crown. According to Shinobu, Oden himself is aware that removing Orochi wouldn't change anything and that the real trouble is Kaido. True enough, once Kaido's and Orochi's plans are in disagreement, the former decapitates Orochi and moves him out of the picture. Orochi survives, however, and decides to burn Onigashima as payback, yet he is effectively rendered a secondary threat until his actual death at the hands of Denjiro.
  • Black Sheep: Wano is renowned for its powerful swordsmen, but Orochi has demonstrated zero talent for swordsmanship despite his propaganda and owning swords. Ironically, however, Orochi has displayed good marksmanship skills and a fondness for guns, historically the antithesis of swords and swordfighters.
  • Bullying a Dragon: Despite the massive strength gap between him and Oden, Orochi taunts and abuses the latter's better nature; justified since he's blackmailing him with hundreds of hostages and has Kaido backing him. Later, when Kaido announces his plan, Orochi objects them, acting as if Kaido was only able to occupy Wano because HE allowed it. It doesn't end well for Orochi.
  • Character Catchphrase: Translated differently depending on the source, but he does have one. Various translations have used "This is pleasing to me" (or some variation thereof) and "Formalities won't be necessary."
  • Cool Crown: Wears a large crown which, while it would normally be fitting for a ruler, is actually out of place for a Shogun, reflecting how he wants the others to notice his status.
  • Dastardly Whiplash: He's a corrupted ruler who brought most of Wano to the brink of poverty and he's drawn in a very caricaturish evil way, with large teeth and a pointy mustache.
  • Didn't See That Coming: After being informed by his spy about the plans to assault Onigashima, Orochi puts up a plan to stop said assault, destroying port Tokage and blocking any route that could lead there, but he's Out-Gambitted by Denjiro masquerading as the Yakuza boss Kyoshiro, thus being in the perfect spot to wreck his plans to sabotage the rebellion. Orochi also didn't expect that Kaido would usurp the rule of Wano from him until it was too late.
  • Dirty Coward: Orochi spent twenty years fearing a prophecy despite being behind Kaido, and armed his soldiers to the teeth out of paranoid fear, albeit justified. Judging by his immediate reaction, Yasuie seemed to have struck a nerve when he called him one. Best shown when he freezes in fear the very second someone attacks him and needs Kyoshiro to save his ass. When Oden bursts into Orochi's temple after hearing of his abuse of Wano, he charges at him with both swords drawn, with Orochi begging for his life while panicking, crying, and about to shit himself. When Semimaru stops his attack with his Barrier-Barrier Fruit, Orochi mocks Oden from behind the barrier, bragging that no one can kill him, yet he still shrinked away in fear when Oden screamed at him to come out. Upon first hearing Toki's prophecy of the Akazaya returning to claim his head in 20 years time, Orochi is so scared of the thought that he's shivering in fear, claiming to feel a chill in his bones even when sitting in a bath filled with water hot enough to scald a bath attendant. Upon meeting the Scabbards again after 20 years, Orochi was shaking, being clearly afraid, despite trying to act tough. Once he's confronted and trapped by Komurasaki, who reveals herself to be Oden's daughter Hiyori, Orochi pathetically begs for his life trying to make himself look like the victim, ignoring how he did all his unforgivable sins for petty revenge or for sick pleasure.
  • Dirty Old Man: Orochi is in his mid-fifties and he is in love with Komurasaki (Hiyori), who is young enough to be his daughter. This becomes even more creepy after the Oden flashback, where a Orochi who was in his 30's, was threatening the lives of Oden's children, Momo and Hiyori, who were only little children at that point.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: As expected from a hedonistic and corrupted ruler, not showing enough respect to him is punished with death.
  • Dystopia Justifies the Means: It's revealed that he's intentionally making Wano a hellhole, not for his own comfort, but rather to make the citizens suffer for hunting his extended clan members, even after his guilty grandfather was executed. Getting all the comfort and hedonism was just a bonus.
  • Entitled to Have You: Given his status as Shogun and egotistical personality, Orochi believes only he has the right to marry Komurasaki and no one else.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Orochi is a selfish asshole, but he did care for his parents who were unjustly murdered for being Kurozumis. He gave his elderly benefactors, Higurashi and Semimaru, the comforts of the palace and positions in court, upon becoming the Shogun. He also shows sympathy towards his fellow Kurozumi Kanjuro and murdered his parents' killers. Subverted because Orochi actually sees Kanjuro as nothing more than a sacrificial pawn and doesn't hesitate to lie to him to use his powers to blow up the armory in Onigashima's basement to kill everyone on the island while he and Fukurokuju escapes. Furthermore, there was no indication that Kaido's killing of Higurashi ever negatively impacted the partnership for over two decades. An SBS revealing that Tama's parents who died working in Kaido's factories were in fact part of the Kurozumi clan shows just how little Orochi views even his own family.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: When Oden learned how the Kurozumi Family was unjustly persecuted for the actions of Orochi's grandfather and how they were hunted down and terrorized with unreasonable violence and unfairly killed as sinners simply for being blood-related to his grandfather, he was in shock. However, when Orochi showed Oden a room of hundreds of hostages, Oden became furious and clashed with Kaido. To stop them from destroying the castle, Orochi came up with a deal to blackmail Oden. If Oden danced naked in the Flower Capital once a week, the hostages Orochi has taken, as well as the citizens of Wano, would be spared. Orochi and Kaido also promised to leave Wano in five years. Believing in the deal, Oden left the castle and a few hours later, he started dancing naked in the streets of the Flower Capital. He did this once a week, causing the people of Wano to lose faith and respect for him. Unknown to the people of Wano, the same person who they ridiculed, sacrificed his own honor and reputation, just to save and protect them. Oden made this choice to avoid involving innocent people in a battle and resolve Orochi's tyranny peacefully, while making amends to the Kurozumi clan as well. Unfortunately, Orochi never intended to respect the deal, mocking Oden for sacrificing his honor so easily because, unlike him, Orochi doesn't consider other people's life worth saving.
  • Evil Counterpart: To Kozuki Oden. Both are extremely significant figures within Wano who gathered together a band of allies to change the country’s future. Unlike Oden, who is a fearless Samurai who found his True Companions through his charisma and compassion and was in line to be Shogun by his birthright, Orochi manipulated and snaked his way into becoming Shogun and having followers. Additionally, whereas Oden is fearless and strong, Orochi is pathetic and cowardly and needs others to do the fighting for him.
  • Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: After murdering Yasuie in cold blood, Orochi laughs like an absolute jackass while dancing as the Ebisu Town citizens are forced to laugh due to them consuming faulty SMILE fruits thanks to him, an act that very much enrages Zoro who watches this.
  • Evil Is Petty: He is entirely motivated by his pettiness, the real reason why Wano is a near wasteland is because he wants revenge for his family getting persecuted and hunted thanks to his grandfather failed coup to take over the kingdom. He doesn't care in ruling the kingdom but more for being in power and watching the citizens outside the Flower Capital suffer while he can enjoy and laughs at their misery, that's all. To the point there was no real reason for him to hide the failed SMILES among Ebisu Town's garbage, other than the fact that their sadness/mournfulness and gloomy atmosphere bothered him which mind you again was something he himself caused but shows zero remorse in doing so.
  • Evil Versus Evil: Orochi wants Wano to die a slow and painful death, and so he vocally disagrees when Kaido reveals his plan to convert all of Wano into factories for war. After Kaido seemingly kills him, Orochi comes back and burns his fortress in revenge. Orochi then decides to use Kanjuros's drawing powers to create a fire monster to blow up all of Kaido's weapons in the basement to kill everyone on Onigashima in revenge towards his betrayal.
  • Exact Words: During a meeting with CP0 agents, he says the Land of Wano has become a paradise thanks to him and asks if they (the agents) have seen anyone not smiling. This is true, because after feeding them defective SMILE, the poor inhabitants can't express any emotion but happiness.
  • Eyes Always Shut: When he's a servant of Yasu'ie Orochi keeps his eyes constantly closed, giving him a more servile appearance as well as a way to hide his true and vile intentions.
  • The Farmer and the Viper: The viper to Oden's farmer. Oden met Orochi when Orochi was a kid and a servant to Yasuie. Out of pity for Orochi and respect for Yasuie, whenever Orochi came to Oden and asked for money, Oden would satisfy his request at his own expense. Unknown to Oden, said money is used years later to hire Kaido and help Orochi to keep his newly-usurped position as a shogun. When Oden learned about what Orochi did while he was away and that his wife has been attacked, he is furious and rampages to Orochi's castle, attempting to kill Orochi, as well as clashing with Kaido. However, Orochi then showed Oden a room with hundreds of kidnapped, innocent citizens and threatened to deliver them to Kaido as tribute, to force Oden to surrender and endure humiliation, just to spare their fate. Orochi and Kaido promised to leave Wano in 5 years if Oden danced naked on the streets every week to save hundreds of the hostages, and Oden held onto the deal in the hopes of preventing Orochi from offering innocent people as tribute for the Beasts Pirates, and to avoid involving innocent lives in a battle between him and Kaido. However, Orochi never intended to fulfill his promise of leaving Wano.
  • Fisher King: Since he usurped the reign over Wano, the country's flora and fauna have been horrifyingly damaged by Kaido's factories. Except — of course — the capital in which he resides. When we finally meet him in person, his servants throw out chicken and vegetable dishes they made for him simply because he doesn't want or like them, while the rest of his country is in the middle of a famine he caused. Turns out he's purposefully invoking this as revenge for being hunted due to his grandfather's failed assassination plot.
  • Freudian Excuse: While he is a horrible person who ruined an entire country and acts like a cowardly, murderous brat, his backstory shows that as he grew up in abject poverty and agony from being unfairly persecuted by mobs before being groomed and told by his evil grandmother that the Kozuki family are his enemies, that everyone outside the Kurozumi clan should be treated as either a threat or a pawn, and that he, Orochi, deserved to be Shogun rather than Oden. While he revels in the decadent lifestyle he currently leads, his hedonism is somewhat understandable given his poor and famished background, and many of his worst actions. He's still a despicable tyrant, but he's also in way over his head, and if he's managed to alienate or kill everyone who ever showed him genuine kindness, it's partially because that's how he was taught to behave.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul: Orochi was not happy at how Ebisu Town was full of mourning and sadness because it ruined the atmosphere of his country. So he snuck in Kaido's leftover, failed SMILEs, making the citizens unable to express emotion other than laughter. This way he boasts to have good leadership skills because in his country everyone is smiling.
  • Gonk: He's an incredibly ugly fellow, with an over-sized head and prominent squared canines, even his Orochi form is more goofy than scary. Despite his laughable appearance, he's one of the vilest villains in the entire series and is able to show a truly frightening face when his evil plans go well.
  • Hate Sink: Orochi's a vain, arrogant and hedonistic jerk and a corrupted ruler who willingly allowed Wano to be turned into a wasteland as long as he and his followers gets a prosperous city out of the deal. He's so petty he attempts to murder Toko, a literal child, just because she laughed at him and is revealed he basically turned the inhabitants of Ebisu Town into Stepford Smilers. The reveal of his past as a member of a persecuted clan makes it even worse since it means Orochi has been willingly turning Wano into a living hell for its inhabitants out of revenge.
  • The Hedonist: His Establishing Character Moment is him throwing an extremely wasteful party with his loyalists, with him clearly enjoying every minute of it. That the majority of Wano is a desolate wasteland through his actions just highlights how vile a man Orochi really is. Although, his hedonistic acts are deliberately more to make Wano's people suffer than for his own gratification.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: An amusing four fold example in the climax.
    • He figured teaming with Kaido would offer him protection that none of his enemies would be able to bypass with the only thing in exchange for it was an island base away from Wano. For a long time that's the case, until Kadio reveals he was just biding his time to build up enough forces to go track down One Piece. Once he partnered with Big Mom, he felt that time was right, decided to take all of Wano as his own and quickly pulls a You Have Outlived Your Usefulness on Orochi.
    • The geshia he prized and conveted so much turns out to be the daughter of his most hated enemy, Oden. Once she manages to be alone with him, she manages to prick him with a seastone needle. Weakening him when he needed his powers most after he gets pinned under rubble with no way out and completely at her mercy.
    • The fire spirit he orders Kanjuro to draw and go to Onigashima's munitions to blow up the island in an attempt to take out all his enemies is not only unwittingly defeated by Kid and Law, but a small bit of it comes back and, since Orochi ordered it to come where he was. It does so and unintentionally sets him on fire.
    • And finally it's Denjiro, whom he thought was his trusted advisor, that ultimately kills him in the end.
  • Horrible Judge of Character: He seriously thought he and Kaido were equals, ignorant to the fact that Kaido actually hated him and was just using him which is why Kaido decapitated him once he had no further use for him.
  • Humiliation Conga: After years and years of cruelty towards the citizens of Wano, during the raid on Onigashima Orochi is given the payback throughout the battle he deserves. When Orochi angrily protests Kaido's New Onigashima Project, Kaido decapitates him without blinking citing he doesn't care, and Orochi is no longer needed. Kaido then rubs salt on Orochi's delusional pride as Shogun and recruits all of Orochi's men into his crew citing they can fight and avenge their fallen Shogun or join them, to which all of Orochi's men immediately join Kaido without a second with some even expressing satisfaction at his presumed demise. Once he returns from his beheading Orochi loses what little sanity he had and tries to burn down Onigashima just to spite Kaido only to run into the Scabbards after their fight with Kaido. In spite of being afraid of them Orochi foolishly fights them only for them to easily decapitate all but one of his heads to showcase firsthand how much of a weakling Orochi really is as Kin'emon coldly states they don't have time to waste on him anymore. After recovering with one remaining head Orochi is then met by an alive Komurasaki and discovers that not only did she never love him, but was Kozuki Hiyori, Oden's daughter who now has Orochi trapped in rubble at her mercy. She then proceeds to rip him apart about how much of a selfish tyrant he was and how no one is capable of caring for such a monster like him. Then Kanjuro's flame monster the Kazenbo shows up and accidentally sets Orochi on fire as he burns alive while freeing himself and tries to kill Hiyori in a last-ditch effort to spite Oden one last time. And finally, Denjiro, his most loyal follower, is the one to cut his final head off leaving Orochi to die in the flames of hatred he manifested while leaving no body behind and no one to mourn his death, leaving behind nothing but a violent legacy that everyone throughout Wano celebrates his demise.
  • Hypocrite: His behavior as a whole can be considered hypocritical:
    • Orochi's main motivation is to get revenge on his population for having persecuted his family after his own grandfather attempted to usurp the throne, despite the rest of the family being mostly innocent, yet his revenge involves innocent sons and nephews of those who persecuted his family as well, but Orochi is so self-centered to not care.
    • During the banquet, he mocks Komurasaki calling her a lowly prostitute who knows nothing of Samurai's honor, yet Orochi is the most dishonorable person in all of Wano.
    • Likewise, despite being praised as a hero for killing Oden before he could open the country to foreigners, he has no qualms in dealing with outsiders such as Kaido or the CP0, hence the World Government.
    • He angrily protests Kaido's plan to move Onigashima to the Flower Capital reminding him for how much Orochi has helped him get his weapon factories yet he has relied on Kaido since the very beginning.
    • Upon being trapped by Hiyori and her calling him out on his numerous crimes, Orochi begs her not to kill him claiming revenge solves nothing, which only highlights his hypocrisy since he's been obsessed with revenge since the beginning.
    • Orochi's main reason for his despotism towards the country of Wano is revenge against the the persecution suffered by his clan. Despite this, Kaido murdering his clansman, Higurashi, had no negative impact on their partnership for decades and it only fell apart when Orochi was personally affected via the New Onigashima Project. Not to mention he never bothered to uplift his fellow clansmen, Tama's family, that had no contribution to his power grab, gleefully subjecting them to the same grueling treatment as the people he is ostensibly punishing.
  • Hypocrite Has a Point:
    • Despite being obsessed with vengence and his actions making him no better than what he went through from the citizens of Wano as a child, he's still not wrong when he tells Oden that it was unjust what he and his family went through because of his grandfather's actions.
    • While Orochi never would have become Shogun if not for Kaido's assistance, Kaido himself never would have never gotten all his weapons and his SMILE army, as while Orochi angrily calls him out on that, he does have a point that Kaido never would have made it this far without his help Too bad Kaido always hated him and still beheads him because he doesn't need Orochi's help anymore.
  • I Lied: Orochi sentences Oden and his retainers to die by boiling in oil alive, with Kaido adding a pardon, by Oden's suggestion, if he survives a full hour. Of course, Orochi never had any intention of letting Oden go and claims to have changed the execution method at the last second, to firing squad, when Oden succeeded. Ashura Doji considers this behaviour very immature. Years later, this would come back to bite him in the ass when Kozuki Hiyori has him at her mercy and angrily cites how Oden was a honorable man who kept his word with the deal of making a fool of himself in exchange for the freedom of Wano's hostages and citizens, and even survived getting boiled alive in oil for an hour, only for Orochi to renege on their deal both times. Hiyori calls Orochi out for being a miserable, honorless wretch who spat in the face of a samurai he owed.
  • Irony:
    • His grandfather wanted to rule Wano. Orochi succeeded where he failed, but with the aim to destroy Wano because of his grandfather's actions resulting in him being hunted.
    • For as much as Orochi spent the past 20 years fearing the Kozuki's clan retaliation and the great lengths he went to, plotting and scheming to ensure that the samurai of Wano wouldn't ever get the opportunity to kill him, he had never anticipated that Kaido would've immediately kill him the second his usefulness ran out.
    • He contributes to Oden's death by boiling him alive before Kaido shoots him dead out of a show of respect. In the end, Orochi dies being set aflame (from an attack by one of his subordinates that was posing as an ally of Oden no less). Unlike Oden, Orochi's death is less dignified and ensures no one will morn him once he's gone. Hiyori even uses a variation of her father's final words, "Kurozumi was born to burn!", to deny his Dying Curse and make the parallels between their passing clear, except Orochi's is clearly presented as the more ignoble ending, which his severed head seems to realize as the flames burn him in his lamentations.
  • Impoverished Patrician: His grandfather tried to claim the throne from the heirless Shogun by assassinating rival houses. But then Sukiyaki was born as a direct heir while Orochi's grandfather was caught, which resulted in his forced seppuku while the Kurozumi clan got disbanded for his conducts and hunted down by the population.
  • Insane Troll Logic: Became shogun of Wano thanks to Oden's father, Sukiyaki, who put him in charge until his son returned — except "Sukiyaki" was actually one of Orochi's minions in disguise. And according to his logic, this means he's under no obligation to turn it over to Oden when he returns, since it's now impossible to know what Sukiyaki was thinking. Of course, this is ignoring that he stole it from its rightful owner in the first place.
  • It's All About Me: His final endgame for bringing Wano to ruin comes from a personal and selfish desire of revenge. Although he was persecuted because of his family names, like Doflamingo and his grudge against the World Nobles, his story doesn't make his actions in the right and comes off as unbelievably sociopathic and petty in the grand scheme of things. Worse of all that he's completely unable to care for anyone outside of himself. Even his most loyal subordinates, Fukurokuju and Kanjuro, Orochi is more than willing to abandon them to their fates or use them to save himself.
  • Jerkass: Even if Orochi's whole family got persecuted, it doesn't excuse the atrocious actions he commits as a shogun and how he's a self-centered and egotistical tyrant who treats the others as useful pawns at the very best.
  • Justified Extra Lives: Just like the Orochi in the original mythology, as long as he has "heads" to spare in his Orochi form, he treats decapitation as a frustrating but minor inconvenience he can recover from. In the end, it takes the cumulative efforts of Kaido, The Akazaya Nine and Denjiro and his body being burned to ashes to kill him for good by making him waste all his "spare" heads.
  • Karma Houdini Warranty: After two decades of tyranny, corruption, and getting away with a lot of evil actions in Wano, Orochi finally gets what's coming to him when Kaido, the Akazaya Nine and Denjiro decapitates him during the battle with the Animal Kingdom Pirates, each decapitation whittling down his life until he meets his end headless and on fire.
  • Killed Off for Real: After taking almost a dozen decapitations from Kaido and the Akazaya, Denjiro lops off his final head to save Hiyori from his Last Breath Bullet. This makes him one of the only antagonists in the series to actually be slain, instead of left alive to rot with their dreams crushed, although one could argue that Kaido already did that.
  • Lack of Empathy: Orochi is completely self-centered and has no regard for anyone besides him, to the point he doesn't even notice when Komurasaki is visibly uncomfortable next to him. No matter how many horrible acts he does to the people of Wano, Orochi cares nothing for their suffering and even relishes in the misery he does to them. Justified, as that was the whole point. Orochi never had any intention of leading Wano as the Shogun, he wanted to burn it and its citizens to the ground all along.
  • Large and in Charge: While his proportions don't make it clear, he's larger than the average person and is the shogun of the Land of Wano.
  • Losing Your Head: Beheading him is simply a momentary inconvenience for him, even in his human form, so long as he has spare heads in his Orochi form. Even when his last head was severed, he was somehow able to stay alive for a few minutes afterward, before the flames finally killed him for good.
  • Loving a Shadow: Judging by his comments and mourning after Komurasaki's presumed death, the only reason he "loves" Komurasaki is because of how attractive she is and her fame. His time on Onigashima proves this to be true, being completely lecherous and perverted towards women from the Animal Kingdom Pirates.
  • Manipulative Bastard: Despite viewing Kanjuro as a valuable ally, Orochi has no qualms in using his loyalty to his benefit. After Kanjuro is cut down by Kin'emon, Orochi lies to him about wanting to burn the family's burial crypt but his true intentions is to detonate the armory full of weapons that would destroy the island.
  • Meaningful Name: Kurozumi means "Black Coal", a worthy name for the main adversary of the Kozuki (Bright Moon) clan. He's also a Devil Fruit user who can turn into a many-headed serpent called Orochi, his namesake. Hoyori even taunts him in his last moments when he tries to lay a Dying Curse upon her and the land of Wano that his family name is a sign that his dreams of revenge and himself were always destined to go up in flames.
  • Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Named after the Always Chaotic Evil eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent from the Japanese Mythology and he can turn into a many-headed dragon like his namesake, making it a Meaningful Name.
  • Never My Fault: He's so petty and immature to admit fault about anything:
    • After Kyoshiro seemingly cuts down Komurasaki as a Mercy Kill, he blames Toko for the whole mess despite the fact he's the one flying off the handle over a child laughing at him and trying to kill her. Which all could've been avoided if he would've listened to everyone and just let the slight go. This is made even worse when you find out that the reason Toko always laughs at everything is because of Orochi himself, as he had the failed Smiles mixed in with the trash for Ebisu Town when their misery annoyed him.
    • Once he's at the mercy of Hiyori who calls him out as a dishonorable cowardly wrench, Orochi pathetically tries to play the victim card that he was used by Kaido and betrayed by him, ignoring that everything he did was out of his own sadistic pleasure.
  • Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: When leaving for Onigashima, Orochi leaves Kyoshiro in charge till he gets back. This is a very poor decision once it's revealed that Kyoshiro is Denjiro all along, who ends up freeing the prisoners Orochi had captured and arrive in time to save the Akazaya Nine from the Animal Kingdom Pirates.
  • Nightmare Face: During Oden's execution, some citizens try to protest but Orochi has them killed with arrows, and calls Wano's inhabitants "trash" with a scary face to highlight how much he's been corrupted by revenge.
  • Non-Action Big Bad: He's not a fighter in any capacity despite possessing a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. When Zoro and Oden attack him, he just stands there and pisses his pants in fear, and probably would have died without someone else saving his ass. This is emphasized when Kaido decapitates him in an instant, setting the stage for himself and Big Mom to serve as the Final Boss for the arc. While he survives, he never faces the Straw Hats at all, and the local heroes of Wano dispose of him unharmed.
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Orochi treats the oiran like objects, with no respect for their feelings, and pokes Komurasaki to the point of annoying her.
  • Not Quite Dead: After his apparent decapitation at Kaido's hands, Orochi later reappears alive and well during the Onigashima War and takes revenge on his former ally by burning down the whole structure. He gets beheaded again afterwards by the Akazaya Nine who don't wish to waste time on him; but lives once more from it. But this leaves him with only one more head to use, which is cut off by Denjiro and even that doesn't quite kill him immediately, enabling his burning head to trade some last words with Hiyori before he's burned to ashes, with it being implied Denjiro and Hiyori stayed to watch to make sure he's finally gone for good.
  • Odd Name Out: As revealed later, the five ruling families of Wano's Daimyos have names with the word "moon" (either Getsu or Tsuki/zuki) in them note , except for the Kurozumi Family. It turns out to be meaningful, as his grandfather tried to poison his way to the throne of Shogun, but was foiled by Sukiyaki's birth and forced to commit Seppuku, as his family was disbanded.
  • Oh, Crap!:
    • When Oden bursts into Orochi's temple after hearing of his abuse of Wano, he charges at him with both swords drawn, with Orochi begging for his life while panicking, crying, and about to shit himself. When Semimaru stops his attack with his Barrier-Barrier Fruit, Orochi mocks Oden from behind the barrier, bragging that no one can kill him, yet he still shrinked away in fear when Oden screamed at him to come out.
    • Orochi really doesn't expect Zoro to directly attack him, the shogun, and his face is paralyzed in fear as a pair of razor winds quickly approach him before he is saved by Kyoshiro.
    • When Kanjuro tells him that their plans to stop the rebels from reaching Onigashima have failed, he instantly loses his good mood and even reassurances from Black Maria and Fukurokuju that they won't reach him aren't enough to calm him down as he feels the prophecy is coming to pass despite being surrounded by powerful people.
    • When Kaido announces his plan to take Wano completely for himself, including the Flower Capital, with intent to make more factories for his weapons and put all the citizens to work as slaves, Orochi realizes he was betrayed and starts to complain right before Kaido silences him via swiftly beheading him.
    • At the height of the Onigashima battle, he runs into "Komurasaki" who keeps him entertained while he waits for Fukuroji. As the castle destabilizes and he feels the rumble from Big Mom's defeat, he starts to freak out when his trusted servant doesn't arrive (unaware he's been defeated by Raizo) followed by debris falling on top of him. When he tries to shift to his orochi form, he finds he can't, which is when Komurasaki drops the facade, reveals that she pricked him with a seastone needle to block his power and that she's Kozuki Hiyori, Oden's daughter. To say the least, he's quickly scared shitless as he doesn't have his powers or servants to protect him.
  • Off with His Head!: After Kaido announces his plan to transform Wano into a lawless pirate paradise, Orochi voices out his disagreement, claiming that the Flower Capital belongs to him. Kaido responds by decapitating him, having no more use of him, but turns out that Orochi is fine and alive thanks to the power of his Devil Fruit and burns down the castle in revenge for his betrayal. Shortly after, Orochi encounters the Akazaya Nine who cut off his heads before a fight even begins. He survives yet again but is down to one hydra head afterward, which gets sliced off by Denjiro who arrives to save Hyori from Orochi's attempted Taking You with Me gambit.
  • Omnicidal Maniac: After recovering from his second (multiple) beheading(s). Orochi once more recovers and decides to take out all of his enemies by going to Onigashima's weapons stockade then having Kanjuro use the last of his strength to draw a fire creature to head for it. Intending on detonating the stockade, blowing up Onigashima and everyone on the island while Fukurokuji and he escape. This in turn would likewise destroy the Flower Capital Onigashima is flying over.
  • Orochi: Fittingly for his namesake, he ate a Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into a eight-headed serpent. He also dies like the mythical Orochi, albeit in his human form and not drunk.
  • Pet the Dog: Telling his mole in the Akazaya Nine that his task is over and he is free to return to his side, instead of just letting him continue his role to the very end and possibly dying along with the rest. Unfortunately for Orochi, this appears to have backfired by exposing the mole's identity and the Onigashima raid continues on due to a very fortunate misunderstanding.
  • Playing the Victim Card: Once Hiyori has Orochi at her mercy, he desperately tries to play the victim as a pawn towards Kaido. Hiyori doesn't buy it and is more furious at his desperate attempts for mercy.
  • Powerful, but Incompetent: Despite the size and potential destructive capability of his Mythical Zoan-type fruit, Orochi has no formal combat training or expertise of any kind and relies primarily on his power's raw strength and intimidation factor. When he encounters the Akazaya Nine in Kaido's mansion, they defeat him effortlessly before he can even attempt to engage them.
  • Properly Paranoid: He is completely convinced that the prophecy of his overthrow is genuine but for his subordinates, Oden's family and his retainers have all been killed and don't believe him. Yasuie defies this trope by making Orochi appear as unnecessarily paranoid so that his guards would lose faith in him. Despite this, Orochi's still convinced the samurai are up to something and goes out of his way to cut off all routes to the bay to keep them from getting to Onigashima during the Fire Festival. Considering how many people he pissed off and want him dead, it's not surprising that, despite all the forces backing him, he's still looking over his shoulder just in case one of his enemies gets close. This actually gets played with, however, as he had a mole among the Akazaya Nine feeding him information, so he did know some of their plans ahead of time. That said though, he won't rest easy until the ones still loyal to the old regime are legitimately destroyed.
  • Psychopathic Manchild: Orochi is nothing but a violent selfish brat of a grown man with little patience for anyone and will throw tantrums over the smallest insult. He's completely incapable of showing any kindness or honor towards anyone and will resort towards murdering anyone who he feels is a threat, even if it is a child. His execution of Oden is a prime example of his lack of honor; despite agreeing to spare Oden and his men if Oden were to survive an hour in the boiling oil, Orochi never honors the deal and decides to execute them all regardless while laughing at them for thinking he would honor it. Ashura Doji outright refers to him as a very immature man who's making childish excuses.
  • The Quisling: Justified, as Kaido already got all that he could from the Kozuki Clan (that is almost nothing, as Oden took the secrets about the past to his grave), and therefore doesn't really have much to gain by keeping a lot of his forces in Wano. However, Kaido's crew is bound to come to intervene at the first sign of trouble. Given that he also willingly sacrificed most of the territory of Wano to be used by Kaido for his war preparations, it's not surprising that Kaido gives Orochi that much support.
  • Rags to Riches: Coming from a family who's been persecuted for years, Orochi was originally picked up off the streets by Yasuie and was appropriately poor. Some years later, Orochi takes over Wano with Kaido's help.
  • Revenge:
    • Orochi's main motivation to become shogun is to drive Wano into destruction as revenge to the entire population of Wano for his family and him having been hunted down due to his grandfather's coup attempt. This desire of revenge, combined with Orochi's pettiness, makes him a diabolical and tyrannical ruler who takes pleasure in his citizens' suffering.
    • Kaido decapitates Orochi because he wants to turn Wano into a pirate paradise. However, Orochi survives the beheading and, angered by his ally's betrayal, sets the entire palace on fire out of revenge.
  • Sadist: Orochi delights in feeding the starving citizens of Eibisu Town failed Smile Fruits, causing them to lose the ability to display any emotion but joy, robbing them of expressing their pain and sorrow. He takes great pleasure in humiliating Oden for five years before rebuking on their deal and sentencing him to death by boiling oil. He has no problem sacrificing hundreds of his own people to Kaido, likely fated for death or slavery, and to him this isn't a cost but a bonus, as all of his actions are founded on the desire to cause Wano suffering, including working much of its populace to death in factories that poison Wano's land and water. His horrible actions aren't the result of him being a foolish ruler, they're because he wants to drive Wano into ruin and its people into despair, as revenge for the persecution his family suffered as relatives to a failed daimyo.
  • Scaled Up: His Zoan Fruit allows him to turn into a Yamata-no-Orochi type of dragon, with eight writhing, snake-like heads.
  • Screams Like a Little Girl: Being the Dirty Coward that he is, Orochi's voice is very high pitched, especially whenever his cowardness is shown, and Hiroshi Iwasaki makes him sound both cowardly and sounding like a little girl.
  • Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: As Shogun, Orochi makes any rules he wants without a care in the world. He wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who breaks them without exception.
  • Sins of Our Fathers: Deconstructed. Orochi's grandfather was the one who attempted a coup to gain the throne and become Shogun over Wano. He was caught and forced to commit suicide to atone. However, Orochi's family name was also blacklisted and all family, including extended family, were hunted and killed on-sight by the populace. This left Orochi with a very bitter childhood and made it quite easy for Higurashi to guide him and direct him. While Higurashi helped him get where he is now, and Kaido helps keep him there, Orochi's present desire to run Wano into the ground is motivated by a big desire for revenge against the populace who hunted and persecuted him for something his grandfather did. Yet, his revenge includes the children and grandchildren of those who tormented his clan, who are as innocent as he was.
    Orochi: Years ago, my grandpa committed a crime and was forced to commit seppuku!!! Our clan fell into ruin... and that was one thing! But then the rest of the family left behind was chased and terrorized by strangers who claimed they were performing justice!! They beat us, threw us in the river, killed us!! I was so terrified of the mob of fools that I couldn't sleep!!!
  • The Sociopath: Reviewing his key personality traits brings to mind a sociopathic checklist. Frighteningly, he displays the majority of them during the party we first see him in:
    • Superficial Charm: Even without noting his good mood, he displays this with his Character Catchphrase alone; since it can translate to either "Formalities aren't necessary" or "This pleases me", Orochi seems to hide his selfishness in plain sight. He only ever displays a charming façade again during the Fire Festival, implying he can only maintain it when partying, which leads us to...
    • Need for Stimulation and Lack of Impulse Control: Not only does he like to throw excessive parties, but he will also give not-so Rousing Speeches for his own amusement. His prime motivation, to get revenge on the descendants of those who hunted his family, just highlights this recklessness. He even refuses to let O-Toko's laughter slide not only because of this trait, but also for his...
    • Excessive Pride and Never My Fault Tendencies: When the inevitable consequences from his angry Disproportionate Retribution happen, he tries to pin the blame on poor Toko for laughing despite his officials having advised him she's only a child and the fact that he's responsible for her uncontrollable laughter in the first place. His meeting with CP-0 before we even see his face demonstrates both just how arrogant he is and his...
    • Shallowness and Lack of Empathy: He brags to CP-0 that he made Wano a paradise and "proves" it by saying there is no one not smiling, which is true thanks to putting the failed Smiles in Ebisu Town's trash. He also shows how selfish he is throughout the party just by greedily stuffing when Wano is currently living in poverty thanks to his own manipulations. This flaw get even MORE noticeable when he "mourns" Komurasaki for her superficial traits and celebrates Wano as a place of laughter, while the citizens of Ebisu Town laugh in mourning. His lash-out at Toko even becomes this in hindsight when it's revealed he put failed Smiles in Ebisu Town's garbage just to spite her father, Yasuie, and because their mourning bothered him; in other words, he's so superficial he judges others' emotions by what he sees on the surface! Come the Fire Festival, this trait indirectly gets him beheaded, along with his...
    • Lack Of Foresight: His attack on O-Toko during the party demonstrates how he can't process how such a lunge could ruin what reputation he has with the people of Wano, or how it could result in the death of another person he desires alive. He can make successful short-term plans concerning dealing with the enemy (or at least almost successful with the given information), but when it comes to long-term planning, especially when it comes to allying with an Emperor of the Sea, Orochi is far too short-sighted to plan ahead. When he and Kaido disagree on what to do with Wano on Onigashima, the latter decapitates him on the spot.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: Orochi is very proud of being Shogun, but without Kaido or his men backing him up, Orochi would never have achieved his title. Even with a rare Mythical Zoan class fruit, Orochi is nothing but a cowardly weakling who has little to no skills in combat.
  • Start of Darkness: While he's never been a saint, as a child Orochi is told and convinced that there is nothing wrong with his grandfather’s treason and to hate Sakayuki and the Kozuki Clan for taking away “his” birthright, while the rest of his family got persecuted for carrying the Kurozumi name. From that moment, Orochi begins gathering money to pay a mercenary while poisoning the current shogun to inherit the throne, until he becomes a corrupted, hedonistic and evil ruler solely to take revenge on Wano's population.
  • Surprisingly Sudden Death: After being one of the main villains of the Wano arc, and the one most involved, during the third act Kaido decapitates him without any warning other than declaring Wano a lawless land. Subverted when Orochi suddenly returns during the Onigashima War burning down Kaido's palace out of revenge for his betrayal.
  • Taking You with Me: After being set aflame and left at Hiyori's mercy, the seastone nail she put in him comes loose allowing him to access to his powers once more. However with Onigashima about to fall, no more allies left to help him and nothing to lose, he transforms into seemingly his last head and attempts to kill Hiyori with his last bit of spite. Only for Denjiro to arrive and foil the attempt via slicing off his head before he can attack her.
  • Tears of Joy: Seeing Komurasaki again on Onigashima alive, after believing her dead, makes Orochi cry out of happiness and surprise.
  • Tempting Fate: In his introduction, he's meeting with CP0 who are trying to come to him for resources. But he naturally acts smug and even shoots one of the members while bartering with them while claiming that Wano is untouchable. Obviously at the moment he can afford to do so since the World Government don't want any trouble with Kaido at the moment and messing with Orochi will surely bring on his wrath. However with La Résistance starting to plan and make their move, the story hints that that action will come back to haunt him big time much later.
  • Underestimating Badassery: During the Onigashima war, Orochi confronts a few of the Akazaya Nine after surviving from having his head cut off the first time. He thinks just because they're wounded from their battle with Kaido, he can take them easy and goes into his Orochi form. They cut off his heads in the time it takes to blink and don't even bother acknowledging him further, citing they don't have any further time to waste on him.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: While tied up at a stake, Yasuie calls Orochi ungrateful for what he has done to him, and later Orochi shoots him. In Oden's flashback, is shown that Yasuie took Orochi under his wing when he was a homeless child but the latter stole money from Yasuie and blamed Oden for it. Orochi repays him with treachery and ultimately murder. When he constantly asked for money from Oden, the latter would always give him money despite he himself having a hard time with money. Not only did Orochi never bother to pay him back, but he repays his kindness by taking over his country as Shogun, kills his father, enslaves his people and later has Oden executed and branded to the public as a criminal.
  • Unskilled, but Strong: On paper, a Mythical Zoan is the strongest Devil Fruit type. However, while Orochi is indeed formidable in his Yamata no Orochi form and has survived death by decapitation twice, he has no formal training on how to use his powers other than intimidating his enemies, usually non-fighters. In fact, he has never been in an actual fight before. In the face of someone stronger than him, he cannot do anything but cower in fear and when he tries to fight off the weakened Akazaya Nine, they brush him off easily.
  • The Usurper: Orochi dethroned the previous ruling family of Wano, the Kozuki Clan, when he and Kaido aligned more than twenty years before the start of the story while Oden was away from Wano. Turns out his own grandfather plotted to usurp the throne as well by secretly assassinating the rival daimyos and claim the shogun status for his clan, since the Kozukis didn’t have an heir, but it went downhill when he was exposed after Sukiyaki was born into the Kozuki clan, leading to the dissolution of the Kurozumi clan.
  • Unwitting Pawn: He never once thought that Kaido would ever betray him and that the two were equals, ignorant that Kaido hated him and was using him for his own plans.
  • Villain: Exit, Stage Left: During the Onigashima War after surviving the beheading from Kaido, Orochi plans to burn and blow up the island. By chapter 1030, he is ready to leave but is waiting for Fukurokuju to leave the island.
  • Villainous Breakdown:
    • While Orochi can lose his temper for petty reasons, he remains a collected and cunning villain who maintained his position through evil ploys. However, after having been betrayed by Kaido, Orochi's reduced to a laughing, wild-eyed madman as he starts a fire to burn down all of Onigashima, willing to incinerate friend and foe alike.
    • Comes to its zenith after Big Mom is defeated and he feels the rumble of her falling from the castle. He starts to freak out as Fukurokuji hasn't arrived yet to help him escape the island while "Komurasaki" continues to play her shamasin amidst the chaos. Just as Orochi demands that she stop, some debris from the castle falls on top of him and pins him down, with him finding out he can't activate his orochi Devil Fruit power. Komurasaki shortly after reveals she's Kozuki Hiyori and that she used a seastone needle to stop his power and now has him at her mercy to his rising panic.
  • Villains Want Mercy: Going along with his Dirty Coward tendencies. Once Hiyori has him at her mercy and he can't defend himself or have any of his guards to help him, he pitifully begs for his life, even claiming he was just acting on Kaido's orders and always respected Oden. Hiyori isn't buying it and if anything, it pisses her off even more he would claim as such. He gets his bravado back when a bit of Kanjuro's fire spirit shows up and orders it to attack Hiyori. But the spirit was told to go where Orochi was, so it does and sets Orochi on fire. With him aflame, Orochi once more begs Hiyori to save him.
  • Villainous Legacy: Orochi's grandfather attempted to usurp the Shogun throne but was stopped, leading to the Kurozumi clan being rejected by Wano's society. Driven by his grandmother, Orochi continued his grandfather's plan and put the Kurozumi clan on the throne.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: Of the Written by the Winners variety. Orochi became the shogun usurping it from the Kozuki clan, with the help of the Animal Kingdom Pirates, and thanks to propaganda taught even at school, he's believed to be a hero, while the members of the Kozuki clan are considered enemies of the country. This is only the case in the Flower Capital though, while the rest of the inhabitants despise him for having turned Wano into a wasteland.
  • Would Hurt a Child: He has been hunting for Momonosuke for years and also tries to murder Toko after she laughs during his "inspiring" speech.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Kaido agreed to work for Orochi in exchange of a base, Onigashima, and a land for weapons factories. After getting everything he wanted and ready to declare war to the entire world, Kaido decides to make Wano the new base of his operations, re-christening it as "New Onigashima", and make Yamato the new shogun. Orochi only has a moment to realize he's been betrayed before Kaido cuts him down without a batting an eyelash, since he has always hated Orochi and doesn't need him anymore.
  • You Said You Would Let Them Go: Orochi has a nasty habit of promising to spare people if certain circumstances are met, only to go back on his promises and execute them anyway.

    Kurozumi Higurashi 

Kurozumi Higurashi

Voiced by: Hiroko Emori (JP)

Debut: Chapter 965 (Manga), Episode 965 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Clone-Clone Fruit

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kurozumi_higurashi_anime_concept_art.png

"I can see it!! A vision of the future!! You will be... the shogun!!!"
Chapter 965

An old woman who set Kurozumi Orochi on his path toward the throne of Shogun. She was also the previous user of Mr 2's Clone-Clone Fruit (Mane Mane no Mi).


  • Asshole Victim: She was killed off screen by Kaido for interfering in his fight with Oden.
  • The Bad Guy Wins: She's the one that concocts the whole plan to put Orochi on the throne and have Kaido back him up to do so. It nearly does derail after Oden realizes Orochi will never keep his word for their deal and almost defeats Kaido if not for her interferece by disguising herself as Momonosuke at a critical moment in the battle to distract Oden. While she does die thanks to this act, Orochi would continue to rule the nation for 20 years unopposed. The victory lasts until the present time of the story where the protagonists have organized themselves and allied together (ironically with the aid of their own powerful pirate friends in the Straw Hats, Kidd and Heart Pirates) to fight Kaido's forces and bring about Orochi's downfall.
  • Dead Person Impersonation: She impersonates Sukiyaki to pass down the throne to Orochi in Oden's absence.
  • Doomed by Canon: Since she has the Devil Fruit power that Mr. 2 would end up having, it's inevitable that Higurashi is dead by the present day of the story. Indeed, Kaido mentions he killed her as punishment for interrupting his duel with Oden with an underhanded tactic.
  • Evil Old Folks: She's an evil old woman who sends Orochi to the path of becoming a corrupted shogun.
  • Hoist by Their Own Petard: One last flashback with reveals that she was the one who made contacted with Kaido and led to him coming to Wano. Since Kaido would be the one to end her, it mixes this with a dash of Evil Is Not a Toy.
  • Hypercompetent Sidekick: Higurashi pretty much singlehandedly put Orochi on the throne by impersonating Oden and Sukiyaki, and prevents Oden's potential victory over Kaido due to a last minute ploy. It's clear that without her, Orochi would have had a much harder, if not impossible time, in becoming Shogun, and Kaido may have been defeated right then and there.
  • Killed Offscreen: As he apologizes to Oden, Kaido reveals he had her killed for distracting Oden and giving Kaido an unfair victory, but we never see it.
  • The Man Behind the Man: She set Orochi on the path of becoming Shogun and gave him the plan and means to rise to the top.
  • Moral Myopia: She convinces Orochi that the Kurozumi clan's fall from grace is not the fault of his grandfather for poisoning the other daimyo to become Shogun, but Sukiyaki's just for being born as the proper heir and rendering the plan meaningless, dismissing his grandfather's criminalization as Written by the Winners.
  • Mysterious Stranger: She seems to just be a Kurozumi supporter with a grudge against Kozuki Sukiyaki. However she can name her Devil Fruit and even gives Orochi a Mythical Zoan, both of which imply a high degree of outside knowledge and resources. Who they first meet, Orochi outright asks Higurashi if she's from the Kurozumi clan and she cuts him off, claiming who she is doesn't matter, save that she has been out of the country and suffered a terrible ordeal before finding him.
  • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: She saves Kaido by distracting Oden at a critical moment. Kaido repays her by killing her for spoiling his fight with Oden.
  • No Name Given: Her name isn't revealed in her debut chapter and Orochi simply calls her "granny". It's later revealed to be a Kurozumi as well, implying she really is Orochi's grandmother.
  • Posthumous Character: Her Devil Fruit passed on to Bentham, which hints from her first appearance that she's dead by the present. Her impact is still felt though.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: Her action set in motion Kurozumi's rise to power and consequently everything bad that happened in Wano since. She also dooms the first Kozuki rebellion by distracting Oden mid-battle with Kaido, leaving Wano to suffer for 20 more years.
  • Signature Laugh: Ni kyo kyo kyo. "Sukiyaki" laughed the exact same way when he passed the throne to Orochi.
  • Vicariously Ambitious: She wants the Kurozumis to become the royal family of Wano, but she has no interest in holding the throne herself, likely because she's too old. Instead, she passes it down to Orochi. Given the hints that there's more to her than there seems, it's implied that she has other motives as well for wanting such an unworthy person ruling the land besides what she tells Orochi.
  • Walking Spoiler: Her existence completely reframes Orochi's character and the Wano conflict. Orochi went from a despicable Quisling to a Fallen Prince seduced by a False Friend. Meanwhile, the Wano conflict was essentially instigated by an outside force if her knowledge of Devil Fruits is any indication.

    Kurozumi Semimaru 

Kurozumi Semimaru

Voiced by: Taro Yamaguchi (JP)

Debut: Chapter 965 (Manga), Episode 965 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Barrier-Barrier Fruit

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kurozumi_semimaru_anime_concept_art.png

"There is nothing to worry about, Master Orochi... Have faith in the Barrier-Barrier arts..."
Chapter 968

A member of the Kurozumi Family, Semimaru was an extremely old, blind biwa player who dressed as a monk and protected Orochi with his powers. Was the previous owner of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit (Bari Bari no Mi).


  • Doomed by Canon: Since he has the Devil Fruit power that Bartolomeo would end up having, it's inevitable that Semimaru is dead by the present day of the story.
  • Evil Old Folks: He's a member of the Kurozumi family who's just as old as Higurashi and protects Orochi and his diabolical regime.
  • Meaningful Name: The Semi from Semimaru means cicada.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: Likely named after the Heian period monk Semimaru, who was both blind and said to be an extremely skilled biwa player.
  • Posthumous Character: Given his age and the fact that Bartolomeo currently has the Barrier-Barrier Fruit powers, it's safe to assume that he died during the 24 years Time Skip.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: He was there to save Orochi from Oden's wrath, forcing the latter to swallow his pride and make a deal with Orochi.
  • The Stoic: Shows no emotions at all, even with a rampaging Oden nearby, thanks to his Devil Fruit powers.

    The Spy (UNMARKED SPOILERS) 

Kurozumi Kanjuro

Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (JP), Ben Bryant (EN)

Age: 39

Debut: Chapter 700 (Manga), Episode 629 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Brush-Brush Fruit

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kanjuro_revela_la_verdad_min.png

"Ever since I completely lost my will to go on as a child, I've been searching for my place to die. The man you thought I was never existed!!"
Chapter 974

The real identity of the Samurai known as Kanjuro. The offspring of two Kabuki theatre actors, he witnessed his family getting slaughtered on-stage because of their connection to the clan of daimyo-killers, the Kurozumi. After Orochi dispatched his and his family's persecutors, Kanjuro pledged loyalty to his relative and now shogun of Wano, being instructed to infiltrate the Kozuki Clan by posing as a loyal retainer and then feed Orochi with continuous information. He is also revealed to be a good artist.


  • Actually a Doombot: With his Devil Fruit, Kanjuro can draw an exact copy of himself, which disappears after being cut. When he reveals himself as Orochi's mole, Kin'emon slashes at him, but it turns out it's a clone he made using his Devil Fruit power while the real one kidnaps Momonosuke.
  • Affably Evil: A very dark example. Unlike Orochi or the other remaining Kurozumi family members, Kanjuro bears no true malice against Wano's people and claims his interactions with his comrades were genuine in his role as "Kanjuro of the Akazaya Nine". He's just so insane that he sees both his friendship with them and his actions as The Mole as "performances" to fulfill his death wish.
  • All for Nothing: In the end, everything he does to stop the Akazaya Nine, from stopping their army from showing to revealing himself as the traitor, is all for naught, all thanks to Kin'emon misunderstanding Yasuie's message. Even his attempts to kill them afterward ultimately fail (and ironically end up helping the protagonists in contributing to Big Mom's defeat via his kazanbo spirit drawing and the ultimate downfall of Orochi) and the Kozukis ultimately reclaim their throne.
  • Alliterative Name: With the reveal that he's part of the Kurozumi family, his full name is Kurozumi Kanjuro.
  • Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Kanjuro's appearance is inspired by a kabuki actor, which is very appropriate for the son of two actors and, as a result a Master Actor who's constantly playing a role.
  • Ax-Crazy: Owing to his shared circumstances, the real Kanjuro is just as insane as Orochi, if not more so. Unlike Orochi, however, his insanity is played out more tragically, as the murder of his family left Kanjuro without any personality and wish besides finding the perfect role to die in.
  • Bearer of Bad News: While Orochi and Kaido are celebrating and having a toast, Kanjuro arrives with a beaten Momonosuke and reveals to them that the Akazaya Nine are still alive and he actually failed to stop their operation. The last news ruins Orochi's mood, since he was convinced they had all been killed.
  • Becoming the Mask: He was so far in his role as one of the Kozuki's vassals that he was prepared to die along the rest of the Akazaya Nine during Oden's execution. He never once got out of his role until Orochi ordered him to stop.
  • Bodyguard Betrayal: As one of the Kozuki clan's retainer, he is pretty much a bodyguard for Momonosuke. This makes his betrayal sting even more.
  • Bring It: When Raizo's group arrive at the secert entrace, Kanjuro is there waiting for them with a few guards and even some painted headless warriors to fight them. After bragging about Momonosuke's execution, Kikunojo essentially tells him to shut up and prepare to defend himself for his actions as she'll show no mercy. Kanjuro all too happy to oblige and invites her to clash with him.
  • The Butler Did It: In kabuki theatre, the figure of the artist is commonly depicted as a traitor, in reference to Yamada Emosaku. The Wano Arc is constructed like a kabuki play and Kanjuro, who is an artist (painter and actor), is revealed to have always been aligned with Orochi.
  • Death from Above: To deter pursuers after kidnapping Momonosuke, Kanjuro summons a massive ink cloud from the tip of his hair and makes it rain a shower of sharp ink shards on them. This prevents anyone from stopping him and injures many of the Straw Hats' allies.
  • Death Seeker: After losing his parents, Kanjuro's one true goal became finding the perfect role to die as. For this reason, he doesn't fear death and puts himself in many dangerous situations, like being perfectly willing to be boiled alive with Oden and the other Akazaya, much to Orochi's amazement. This also makes his act more convincing, and his former allies are stunned to learn that Kanjuro has been betraying them the whole time despite having been in mortal danger with them.
  • Didn't See That Coming: Kanjuro thinks he has all angles covered to screw over the Akazaya by informing Orochi of what they have planned, leaving him in prime position to kidnap Momonosuke and have the Animal Kingdom Pirates finish off his fellow Akazaya. It nearly works... except Kanjuro has severely underestimated their allies: the Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, and Kid Pirates, who arrive and save the Akazaya from the trap. He certainly never guessed that Denjiro was The Mole within Orochi's group (when, ironically, Denjiro did suspect a spy within the Akazaya) who would successfully get the allied samurai out of the country before Orochi's attempt to cut them off. Finally, Kanjuro doesn't expect that Kin'emon misread Yasuie's hidden message and sent his fellow Akazaya, the pirates, and the Minks to the wrong port for the meeting point on a genuine mistake.
  • Distressed Dude: Kanjuro let himself be captured by the Donquixote Pirates to allow Kin'emon to follow Momonosuke, who ended up on a ship directed to Punk Hazard. Saving him is Kin'emon's main objective in Dressrosa and, after being found, Kanjuro quickly becomes a Dude OUT of Distress after he escapes on his own by drawing a bird. This is a hint that he's actually been remaining there on his own.
  • Dying Smirk: When he is finally cut down for good by Kin'emon, he lets out a laugh and smiles, telling Kin it was only fitting his best friend was the one to "close the curtains" on his performance.
  • Empty Shell: Kanjuro was born in a theatre and, after his parents were killed, he lost his emotions, spent his life living other lives (by working as a Kabuki actor) and continuously looking for the perfect role to die as.
  • Evil All Along: Kanjuro has been on Orochi's side since before ever joining Oden. While he wasn't totally faking his affection for his fellow retainers — he genuinely enjoyed his time spent with them, didn't resent them or want to hurt them, and was even perfectly happy to die together with them — he's still been acting as an informant for Orochi all along and also has no compunctions about screwing them all over. As he tells them himself during The Reveal, the Kanjuro they thought they knew never actually existed.
  • Expository Pronoun: While serving Oden as a samurai, he uses the humbling pronoun "soregashi". The moment he reveals his true colors, he switches to the informal "ore".
  • False Friend: Kanjuro played the role of a true companion toward the Akazaya Nine for years, but reveals that, while his feelings were genuine, it was all because he was into the role. Once he drops the act, Kanjuro becomes a true opponent and attacks them.
  • Five-Second Foreshadowing: In addition to the Foreshadowing below, the chapter with The Reveal added some more to help narrow it down to Kanjuro. Orochi mentions finding his spy in a Kabuki theater, the spy's silhouette looks like an ink blot, and his Devil Fruit looks like a brush tipped in ink. All of which point to Kanjuro, the painter with Art Initiates Life power and dressed like a Kabuki actor.
  • Foreshadowing: There are quite a few hints that he is The Mole in the Akazaya Nine, which some fans did indeed pick up on, some of which were explainable at the time but stand out in hindsight:
    • The way he's dressed hints that he's a Master Actor: He dresses like a committed Kabuki with white face paint at all time, showing his devotion to his role.
    • In his first appearance, he's seen munching on some lettuce in his right hand, but every drawing he does is done with his left, hinting that he's faking his supposedly bad art.
    • Doflamingo was able to recognize Kin'emon and Momonosuke by appearance, despite never seeing them before, implying he was able to obtain a picture (or drawing) of them. He might have just guessed it based on their clothing, but he still knew too much about them — like Kin's epithet — to not be getting some kind of information about them.
    • He's the only one of the allies not given a bounty in Dressrosa by Doflamingo. While Doflamingo originally gave out the bounties before Kanjuro was "rescued", he never bothered to add one for him later.
    • Despite Doflamingo ordering Sugar to transform all of the workers into toys, Kanjuro wasn't turned into one. Either he was hiding from Doflamingo's men (which is improbable due to the factory being of prime importance to him) or he's one of Doflamingo's allies.
    • When the citizens of Dressrosa were trying to capture the alliance to stop Doflamingo's Birdcage, Kanjuro drew a net for them, which would have resulted in Usopp getting captured before he managed to stop Sugar. At first it can be chalked up to his clumsy nature, but after The Reveal and his (possible) knowledge of Sugar's powers, he was trying to stop Luffy and Law before they even reached Wano.
    • When ascending Zou using Kanjuro's art, he chooses to draw a dragon seemingly just to mess with Kin'emon, who hates dragons thanks to Kaido's actions in their country. Wouldn't you think Kanjuro would hate dragons as well for the same reason if he truly were loyal to Oden?
    • When Dogstorm and Cat Viper give Kin'emon the news that Raizo is safe in chapter 816, look at the body language of the characters. Kanjuro is clenching his fist in frustration, and the last few pages hide his, and only his, full reaction.
    • After he and the other samurai have arrived 20 years in the future, some badly-drawn birds can be seen in the background, hinting him sending messages to Orochi.
    • In Oden's backstory, the Akazaya Nine members join him out of admiration and gratitude for his help or respect from being beaten in combat. Unlike Ashura who was defending his turf, Kanjuro acts out of pure malice by attacking Oden to steal his hair, with the latter briefly mentioning Kanjuro was persecuted in the past. Oden assumes it had to do with Kanjuro's crimes, but in hindsight it was a hint of him also belonging to the Kurozumi clan.
    • A Five-Second Foreshadowing: in the chapter where his identity is revealed, Orochi mentioned he gave him a Devil Fruit as payment, which rules out everyone except Kin'emon, Raizo and him.
    • When you look at quite a bit of the information that Kaido, Orochi, and their forces receive from The Mole in their ranks, Kanjuro is ultimately the only common denominator for all of them:
      • The original meeting place and new one aren't a big hint because tons of people knew about them, but that does include Kanjuro.
      • The quartet of Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, and Momonosuke left Wano planning to all head to Zou, but only Raizo made it there initially. When Jack attacks Zou, he knows that only Raizo is there (something that the Akazaya who stayed behind in Wano wouldn't know), but doesn't know where on the island he is (which all of the Minks do know). The above-mentioned four are the only ones who would know that Raizo is on Zou, but not where he is. With Raizo and Momonosuke serving as Living MacGuffins and Kin'emon spending significant time bonding with the Straw Hats, that leaves only Kanjuro as the suspicious newcomer.
      • On a related note, Kanjuro was alone in Dressrosa after being separated from his companions, so he had the opportunity to contact Kaido and Orochi and reveal the above information to them.
      • Orochi learns that Hiyori is alive and hiding "somewhere in the north" soon after Zoro and Kawamatsu reveal this to the Straw Hats and the rest of the Akazaya.
      • And perhaps most damningly, Hawkins and Drake raid the bathhouse that Nami, Robin, and Shinobu are visiting, searching for Kozuki sympathizers there. The only other people who knew that the girls were going to the baths were Brook (who, naturally, isn't a suspect) and Kanjuro.
      • Kin'emon notes that they’ve amassed 4,000 soldiers for the war against Kaido, then adds an extra 200 from the Yakuza. Yet Kanjuro AND Orochi expect exactly 4,000, though this was easy to pass off as just rounding down.
      • In flashback to Oden and the Akazaya Nine's initial attempt to strike down Kaido and Orochi after he reneges on his deal with Oden, they are taken aback by Kaido's forces being prepared to meet them in open combat, as Oden intended to take them by surprise with just his nine retainers. Kaido even outright taunts that he might have known in advance because he has a spy in Oden's castle, but given the fact that all the Akazaya were subjected to the same lethal execution attempt, It was assumed to be a servant or such keeping their eye on them, rather than a member of the nine themselves.
    • One related to his powers, when he was introduced in Oden's flashback he used to make a living by making paint brushes from the hair of people. In case of necessity, he can use his own hair as a brush to use his powers.
  • Freudian Excuse: Not unlike Orochi, Kanjuro lost his parents at a young age due to his Kurozumi liniage. This broke him mentally making him unable to feel for anything or anyone. Because of this he never formed any real bonds with the Scabbards despite serving with them for years. Unlike Orochi, this is played more tragic given Kanjuro mental state shattered from the horrors as a child.
  • Harmful to Minors: Watching his family die on stage at such a young age messed the poor guy up something fierce and was why he was readily willing to go along with Orochi's plans when approached.
  • I Am Not Left-Handed: A rare non-fighting and literal example. To draw, Kanjuro uses his left hand, but in combat, he wields his katana in his right hand. This is a hint that he's been faking being a bad artist by using his non-dominant hand. With his right hand, Kanjuro can make excellent drawings and use his Devil Fruit ability at its best, such as making an exact copy of himself. Furthermore, even without his brush, he can use his own hair to create and manipulate the ink, something he's never shown to do before revealing his true colors.
  • Inside Job: As a traitor among the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, he was purposely sabotaging their operation from the inside, guiding the enemy troops to his hidden allies and sharing the identity of several key individuals.
  • It Meant Something to Me: Kanjuro is an informant for Orochi, the shogun of Wano Country. However, despite being loyal to Orochi, he genuinely cares for his fellow retainers in a purely platonic way. He actively looks for chances to spend time with his allies and has no intention of causing them any harm. His devotion to his comrades is so intense that even astute observers like Luffy remain oblivious. He is willing to face death alongside his allies, which speaks volumes about his selflessness and unwavering commitment to his cause.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Despite serving the Kozuki for more than 20 years and never hating any of them, Kanjuro not only shows a complete lack of gratitude towards any of them, but he cruelly and sadistically mocks every single member over his betrayal and enjoys hurting them any chance he gets upon revealing his betrayal.
  • Kick the Dog: After revealing himself as the mole, Kanjuro mockingly notes that Yasu dying to salvage the raid plan was a Senseless Sacrifice because he was one of the people who knew of the change Yasu made and leaked it to Orochi all over again, calling the tragic event "beautiful". Ends up turning into a Tempting Fate moment not long after when he sees the samurai army, led by Denjiro, come to the Akazaya Nine's aid and finding out that he (as far as he knows) was tricked into leaking false information. Later, he sends a drawn clone of Kozuki Oden to trick the Akazaya and attack them, forcing Ashura Doji to tackle it out a window when it tries to blow them up.
  • Killed Offscreen: Kiku and Kanjuro begin their clash before the story focuses on other events, when the following chapter goes back to the fight, it is over and Kanjuro's dead body lies on the ground while his former comrades think of the good time spent together. However, Kanjuro's injuries are not fatal and attacks his former comrades with a fake Oden.
  • Lack of Empathy: Shows no remorse for all the pain he causes. If anything, he relishes all the pain he does to to them out of sick pleasure.
  • Last Breath Bullet: After the fake Oden attack, his injuries are genuine and severe. When Orochi contacts him, Orochi invokes this idea by having Kanjuro make an "encore" for his performance and create an ink creature of fire to set off the explosives under the Onigashima. Once it is made, Kanjuro collapses from his injuries.
    "As you wish. I shall perform... my final dance... The glorious death of the Kurozumi Clan."
  • Mad Artist: Kanjuro spent his youth in a Kabuki theatre and, after his parents were killed, his dream is to find the perfect role to die as.
  • Master Actor: Justified. When talking about him, Orochi says Kanjuro had always lived in a theatre until his parents were killed on stage. For this reason, Kanjuro has great acting skills and has fooled Oden and the other Akazaya Nine for entire years. After revealing the truth, Kanjuro says they've never met the true him.
  • Meaningful Name: If Kanjuro's name was written in only kanji, the katakana in his name could be replaced by the kanji for "suspicious" or also "wicked".
  • Method Acting: In-universe example, and greatly exaggerated. Kanjuro says he hasn't been faking the good times he's had with the Akazaya Nine and was even willing to die together with them for his role as "Kanjuro".
  • The Mole: He's been secretly working for Orochi for over 20 years. In the past, he was the mole in Oden's castle, and in the present, he's this for the Akazaya Nine and the whole Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance. However, since only Orochi knows about his role, Kanjuro is attacked by the Animal Kingdom Pirates as well until Kaido tells them his their ally.
  • Nightmare Face: While revealing his identity as Orochi's spy, Kanjuro's face is framed in the shadow, especially around his eyes, making the reveal of his true identity all the more creepy and jarring.
  • Not Quite Dead: After an intense fight against his former comrades, where Kanjuro is seemingly killed, it's revealed many chapters later that he has survived and intends to take Momonosuke down before dying for real, sending a clone of Kozuki Oden to delay the Akazaya Nine while he hunts for Momo.
  • Oh, Crap!:
    • Just when he thinks the rest of the Akazaya Nine have been successfully cornered, Kanjuro sees the Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, and Kid Pirates suddenly blast the Animal Kingdom Pirates' ships and save the Akazaya ...after he's just revealed himself as The Mole.
    • Then gets another one when Denjiro arrives and reveals himself to the Akazaya along with the samurai that Kanjuro thought he had managed to prevent from leaving the island. When Denjiro reveals that the ships already left before Orochi's attempts to block them and the ships they destroyed were just spares, Kanjuro is left in utter disbelief that he was apparently outsmarted due to Kin'emon seeing through his deception. But the real kicker? It was a complete fluke. Kin'emon actually sincerely misread Yasuie's hidden message and sent his fellow Akazaya, the pirates, and the Minks to the wrong port for the meeting point on a genuine mistake. However, Kin decides to go along with it and plays it off as if it were intentional.
  • Once is Not Enough: The Akazaya Nine did not Make Sure He's Dead as their shared history makes it really hard to finish him off. Unfortunately, this comes back to bite them when he recovers and critically wounds their member.
  • Really Royalty Reveal: Downplayed. He's actually a member of the now-fallen Kurozumi family, though not from the main bloodline like Orochi.
  • The Reveal: He's a secret member of the Kurozumi clan, and just like Orochi, he faced persecution from the rest of Wano for that, even having to watch his parents die in front of him. As a result, he's spent the rest of his life looking for a good place to die and was later recruited by Orochi, Higurashi, and Semimaru to their cause, acting as an informant for Orochi and Kaido.
  • Shapeshifter Guilt Trip: While fighting Kiku for the second time, he creates an Oden doppelgänger, knowing she wouldn't be able to point her sword at it. It works, and takes out Kikunojo.
  • Summon Magic: His Brush-Brush Fruit is fueled by his artistic talent and allows him to bring forth strong underlings to aid him, such as a massive crane he uses for escape, as well as two mounted, headless warriors who fight at his side.
  • This Cannot Be!: After thinking he has the Akazaya Nine in checkmate, he's shocked to see that not only have they been saved by the Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, and the Kid Pirates, but also that all of the Kozuki supporters had sailed from a different port than the one Orochi destroyed.
  • Undying Loyalty: Ironically, his most noble trait is also the reason for his most despicable actions. He pledged his loyalty to Orochi, and therefore to him, his orders are absolute, and he has no compunctions about crossing any moral lines if his master demands it of him, be that betraying Oden and his allies' trust, beating a child like Momonosuke viciously, or even dying to benefit his master's plan. In fact, due to his insanity, he relishes the opportunity to have a proper role to die in, be that the loyal follower of Oden or his true nature as Orochi's servant. This same trait accidentally backfires against his master. Orochi orders the mortally-wounded Kanjuro to create an art monster of living flame to set off the explosives stored in Onigashima's basement and blow all sides of the conflict to smithereens, then to head to where he is and rejoin him. Said creation, dubbed the Kazenbo, shares Kanjuro's mindless devotion to Orochi's orders, and upon failing in it's task, attempts to 'go to where he is', which results in its remnants setting him aflame.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Like Orochi, he used Oden's kindness against him ungratefully. As despite Oden giving him a home and treating him like family, Kanjuro betrays him, gets him killed and uses the friendship of the other Akazaya Nine to his advantage all the while mocking them upon revealing he's the traitor. In his case it's in part because of his sheer Undying Loyalty to Orochi— no matter how much better a master Oden was than Orochi, his loyalty was already pledged to another lord before he met Oden, so he feels no real loyalty towards him, and no regret for betraying his friends because of it— the Kanjuro who would have done was merely an act he put on until Orochi ordered otherwise.
  • Was It All a Lie?: When confronted again on Onigashima, his former allies all understandably question Kanjuro, if the 20 years they were together was a lie. Kanjuro admits he never hated any of them, and truly enjoyed the time he spent with them, but mockingly tells them all he never cared for them and actually releshes in the pain he causes them. This, coupled with his actions later getting Ashura killed, causes all the Scabbards to come to hate Kanjuro even more.
  • Walking Spoiler: Kanjuro is revealed — over 200 chapters after he first appears in the story, no less — to be The Mole in the Akazaya Nine and the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance. Since this casts all of his earlier actions during that time in a different light, it's difficult to talk about his presence in the story while concealing this major reveal.
  • Would Hurt a Child: When he catches Momo attempting to cut his bonds, Kanjuro tries to stop him but the child fights back and cuts his drawing hand. This make Kanjuro lose his mind and he brutally beats the child to a pulp, to the point where even his monstrous lord Orochi comments on his cold-heartedness.

Subordinates

    "Napping" Kyoshiro 

"Napping" Kyoshiro

Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (JP), Christopher Wehkamp (EN)

Debut: Chapter 919 (Manga), Episode 909 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kyoshiro_anime.png

A money changer for the Kurozumi Family and leader of the Kyoshiro Family, a Yakuza group in the Flower Capital. He's also Orochi's closest and most competent ally.


  • Ambiguously Evil: His maliciousness is more ambiguous more than Komurasaki's. He's a Yakuza boss and close ally to Orochi yet he apparently goes out of his way to hide the connection between Komurasaki and the Kozuki's rebellion. Until it's revealed that Kyoshiro is actually Denjiro, who became Orochi's right hand only to use him and defeat Kaido.
  • Anime Hair: His pompadour is larger than his head. And justified, since it's apparently a wig.
  • Asskicking Leads to Leadership: He started the Kyoshiro Family by effortlessly beating up a couple of random thugs who tried to bully him. The thugs were so impressed that they begged him to be their leader.
  • Blood Knight: When chaos erupts at Orochi's castle, and the Shogun transforms into his Orochi form, Kyoshiro gleefully declares that it will be a bloodbath while unsheathing his katana.
  • Delinquent Hair: He has a large faux-pompadour, indicative of his status as a yakuza. Underneath it, there's Denjiro's iconic ponytail.
  • The Dragon: He's Orochi's closest and strongest ally, not counting Kaido and his crew. After stopping an attack of Zoro directed toward Orochi, Kyoshiro defines himself as the Shogun's guard dog.
  • Enigmatic Minion: His goal is not entirely aligned with Orochi's. His behavior after chaos ensues at Orochi's castle also suggests that he's a Kozuki sympathizer.
  • A Father to His Men: Claims that whoever joins his group by exchanging sake cups with their men is like a family member to him, and does everything in his power to avenge everyone, no matter how low ranking those mooks are. He's also pretty much the second adoptive father of Komurasaki, although their working relationship might be more like comrades or allies than him having actual authority over her.
  • Foil:
    • He is one to Orochi. Whereas Orochi is a disgraceful, hedonistic Hate Sink who has no sense of Samurai spirit or honor, Kyoshiro is a dignified Noble Demon.
    • He's a bigger one to Orochi's spy Kurozumi Kanjuro. Both are member of the Akazaya Nine, both played their role to perfection, both have some illusion ability. However, while Kanjuro is a Kurozumi playing the Kozuki loyalist, Denjiro/Kyoshiro is the exact opposite; Kanjuro dressed the most flamboyant in the Akazaya Nine while Denjiro (as himself) dressed the simplest; Kanjuro uses his painting to save himself to further mess with the Nine while Denjiro uses his illusion to save Komurasaki as an act of mercy. It's very fitting that they revealed themselves at the same time to further show the contrast.
  • Hidden Depths: In his first appearance he mocks Orochi for being paranoid about the Kozuki clan's revenge. Yet a later chapter shows that he's perfectly aware of the Kozuki's rebellion and their symbols and moved to cover up his and Komurasaki's involvement. The man may be subservient to Orochi and a member of the Yakuza, but he holds a great deal of respect for women which is unusual in Wano, telling an underling to not speak of women as pets or slaves.
  • Hookers and Blow: When he first appears, he's drinking sake in the Red Light District, where he seems to spend a lot of time. Unlike most examples of this trope, he respects women and doesn't like when they're treated like pets.
  • Large and in Charge: He's more than three meters and is the leader of the Kyoshiro Family, a yakuza group.
  • Master Swordsman: He downright blocks Zoro's Sword Beam with ease and proceeds to duel him to cover Orochi's escape.
  • Meaningful Name:
    • The first two syllables are kanji that, when put together, mean "death by madness". Fitting, as Denjiro "died" after being consumed by anger.
    • His moniker of 'Napping'/'Dozing' Kyoshiro since he always appears sleepy. Because he often stays up late stealing from the rich as the Witching Hour Boy.
  • Mercy Kill: This is how he justifies what he does to Komurasaki, claiming she has to be killed for standing to the Shogun and this way her death is quick and painless. It's also because he plans to not actually kill her and have her escape.
  • Mr. Exposition: In his debut appearance, he talks to a man about Toki's prophecy while Robin is performing next to him so she could hear it.
  • Noble Demon: He's a ruthless yakuza leader, but he has ethics, unlike most of his subordinates, and scolds them when they treat Komurasaki like an object. The fact he's actually Denjiro and Komurasaki is actually Hiyori helps.
  • Non-Standard Character Design: Much like O-Tsuru, he resembles an Ukiyo-e painting.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Being the leader of a Yakuza group has its advantages, especially when you're allied with an Emperor who can send off his strongest crewmembers just to avenge someone.
  • Shout-Out Theme Naming: His name is a reference to the old Japanese story "Sleeping Kyoshirou".
  • Villainous Rescue: He saves Orochi's sorry ass from getting killed by Zoro's attack. Justified. As if Orochi dies all the allied forces gathered would have died and Yasuie's death would have been in vain.
  • Walking Spoiler: His identity as the Scabbard member Denjiro is a big one for the battle on Onigashima. As his actions help free the allied forces and save the others from getting killed by the Beast Pirates.
  • Yakuza: He's the leader of the Kyoshiro Family, a group of thugs that extort money from people in the Flower Capital.

    "Hitokiri" Kamazo 

"Hitokiri" Kamazo

Voiced by: Kenji Hamada (JP), Leo Fabian (EN)

Debut: Chapter 937 (Manga), Episode 933 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kamazo_anime_concept_art.png

A scythe-wielding Ronin who prowls the Land of Wano, murdering people with impunity. He's actually revealed to work as a hitman for Orochi. His past has personal ties to the Kid Pirates.


  • Ax-Crazy: It is clear that he really enjoys murdering people, given his perpetual Slasher Smile. The truth is a little different.
  • Bandaged Face: Most of his face is covered in bandages which leave only the eyes and mouth free. Possibly to hide the fact that he's a wanted criminal whose face appears on many warnings.
  • Barbarian Longhair: He's a vile criminal and has a single, long and unkempt tail of fluffy hair coming from an opening in his bandages, differing much from the other samurai of Wano.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: He's mentioned by a person reading his killing on a newspaper before making a personal appearance eleven chapters later, revealing that he's on the pay-book of Orochi himself.
  • Curb-Stomp Cushion: On the one hand, he goes down at the very end of his own introductory chapter as soon as Zoro can rummage up a third weapon (one of his scythes) for his Three Sword Style. On the other hand, he's the first one since the time-skip who managed to inflict a serious wound on Zoro, albeit while the latter was distracted.
  • Dual Wielding: He wields two massive scythes, and attacks with lots of rotatory attacks, both horizontal and vertical.
  • Foreshadowing: His maniacal laugh upon being struck down foreshadows the side effects of SMILE and is an early clue that he was affected by it. Also, his long hair, weapon of choice, fighting style and profession name are clue to his real identity as Killer.
  • Guyliner: He wears dark lipstick on his person.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Sticks one of his scythes into Zoro, only for the swordsman to take that very scythe for himself and use it as an impromptu third sword for his Rengoku Onigiri, which takes Kamazo down in one attack.
  • Meaningful Name: The "Kama" from Kamazo stands for Scythe, and he wields two of them. He even has a scythe-blade pattern on his kimono! In hidsight, his title Hitokiri is this, as it means "Killer" after all...
  • Psycho for Hire: He's a famous wandering Serial Killer, but does actually accept commissions from the Kurozumi Clan.
  • Red Herring: His hairdo is strangely similar to Denjiro's distinct ponytailnote , who is absent for most of the arc. When he's taken to the prison mines, it's revealed that Kamazo is actually Killer.
  • Rōnin: Kamazo is a wandering criminal samurai but, rather than a katana, he wields a pair of massive scythes instead.
  • Shout-Out: His lipstick and weapon of choice are a nod to Honjo Kamatari from Rurouni Kenshin, a scythe-wielding crossdresser (Ogama ni Okama in Japanese) whose whole shtick was suggested by Oda himself when he worked as an assistant for Watsuki. His face covered with bandages is a nod to Shishio Makoto, a famous villain still from Rurouni Kenshin.
  • Shout-Out Theme Naming: He's named after a character from Adventures of Zatoichi.
  • Signature Laugh: "Fa fa fa fa!"
  • Sinister Scythe: He has two of them, oddly enough with a maki wrapping akin to those of a katana near the blade. In the hands of a serial killer, they are very sinister.
  • Slasher Smile: A perpetual one, which doesn't fade even when he's cut down and lose consciousness. However...
  • Stepford Smiler: His perpetual grin is from being fed a SMILE Fruit that failed, leaving him with a permanent grin and inability to express sadness at his situation.
  • Tragic Villain: He's a cruel assassin who was forced to eat a SMILE and became a Pleasure who can't stop laughing despite despising its own laugh. He's also Kid's first mate and Childhood Friend, Killer.
  • Would Hit a Girl/Would Hurt a Child: When we first meet him in person, he's chasing two targets, which are a defenseless woman and Toko, a little girl. He doesn't care if they're defenseless.

    Mimawarigumi 

Debut: Chapter 951 (Manga)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mimawarigumi_infobox_0.png

A special squad of samurai tasked with patrolling the Flower Capital after the city is placed on high alert. They later take part in the shogun's procession to Onigashima.


  • City Guards: They are the guards of Flower Capital, and are called in action only when the situation calls for it.
  • Dual Wielding: The most prominent member is carrying two katanas.
  • Gonk: The largest member of the group resembles a walking Jizo statue with a samurai attire. Another one has beastly ears, mouth and nose.
  • I Fight for the Strongest Side!: After killing Orochi, Kaido threatens them to join his side or be killed. Hotei instantly accepts his offer.
  • The Leader: Hotei, the sunglasses-wearing member, is confirmed to be the leader of the Mimawarigumi.
  • No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Inspired by the Kyoto Mimawarigumi, a special police force in the employ of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the late Bakumatsu period.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: Hotei is be named after one of the Seven Lucky Gods, similarly to the trend of the Oniwabanshu.
  • Samurai: In contrast to the Oniwabanshu, who are ninjas, they're an elite squad of samurai, dressed like typical ronins.
  • The Smurfette Principle: Among the shown memers, only one of them is a woman, her face covered by a black mask.
  • The Worf Effect: When Hyogoro gets infected with the Ice Demon virus, it restores his strength. Hotei however thinks they can still take him just because of his advanced age, only to immediately get knocked out in one hit when Hyogoro goes on the attack, showing him and the Mimawarigumi exactly why he was a feared yakuza boss during his prime.

Orochi Oniwabanshu

    In General 

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orochi_oniwabanshu_infobox.png
From the left: Fuujin, Chome, Sarutobi, Bishamon, Hanzo, Fukurokuju, Kazekage, Jigoku Benten, Daikoku, Yazaemon, Raijin

Shogun Orochi's loyal elite ninja squad.


  • All There in the Manual: Oda confirms their names in an SBS and also lists their specialties, though many of them aren't shown in the manga.
  • Combat Pragmatist: For the most part they act the way a true ninja should: unfair. They have no problem using surprise attacks or taking advantage of their superior numbers to attack from multiple angles and are more than happy to go for defenseless targets.
  • Evil Counterpart: They're the elite squad of Orochi, Wano's corrupted Shogun, made of ninjas in contrast to previous Shogun Oden's retainers, who are mostly samurais.
  • Face–Heel Turn: They used to work for the previous shogun family, the Kozuki, but after Orochi took over, they joined him. Implied by Shinobu that they were also disappointed by Oden seemingly giving up his attack on Orochi, which cemented their alliance with the Kurozumi.
  • I Fight for the Strongest Side!: They used to be the royal guards of the Kozuki clan but defected to Orochi when the latter usurped the throne. In the Wano arc, when Kaido decapitates Orochi and offer them to either be loyal to him or die, Fukurokuju instantly swears their allegiance to Kaido without a second thought. The rest of his team lament Orochi's death... for a few seconds and quickly shrug him off, showing how little they thought of their former shogun. Hyogoro, seeing this, curses and despises both the Mimawarigumi and their lack of loyalty and honor.
  • Mooks: While barely seen, there are generic Technicolor Ninjas among their ranks as well who are deployed to hunt down targets alongside the more prominent members. Not as dangerous as the named, distinct members but they are competent enough at tracking and even disguising themselves to pose a threat, in addition to standard shuriken and sword attacks.
  • Ninja: They're an entire team of trained ninjas, and are stealthy enough to sneak behind Nico Robin without being noticed. Interestingly, garish colors and outfits aside, they are actually pretty close to true ninja's in terms of function. They are most effective when using stealth and employing unfair tactics, but tend to do poorly when forced into head to head combat or don't have an unfair advantage on their side.
  • No Historical Figures Were Harmed: They take inspiration from the Oniwaban, a group of security guards and spies in the service of the Shogun during the feudal era. Fittingly, they're Orochi's (Wano's Shogun) team of personal guards.
  • Oh, Crap!: The moment Kaido kills Orochi and demands everyone present to either join him or die, they're at a loss for words.
  • Praetorian Guard: They're Lord Orochi's retainers and bodyguard.
  • Stealth Expert: As befitting a Ninja. Nine of them tail Robin, who specializes in infiltration without being followed, as she investigates the Orochi manor without her ever finding out on her own.
  • Technicolor Ninjas: To follow Wano's colorful scheme, every one of them is dressed with bright and colorful outfits despite being ninjas. That said, the fact that they dress so colorfully and are stealthy can be seen as a testament to their skills.
  • Two Girls to a Team: Of the eleven members, not counting those whose gender can't be identified, only two are female.

    Fukurokuju 

Fukurokuju

Voiced by: Masahiro Ogata (JP), Nazeeh Tarsha (EN)

Age: 61

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fukurokuju_anime_concept_art.png

"The truth will only cause confusion"
Chapter 972

The captain of the Oniwabanshu. A stoic man loyal to shogun Orochi and sometimes assists him with the handling of the enemies or the delivery of informations.

Fukurokuju is extremely loyal to Orochi and claims that the Oniwabanshu should always follow the current Shogun, regardless of who he is or how he gained the title.


  • Affably Evil: Downplayed, but he promises Nico Robin that if she answers sincerely, they'll give her a quick death instead of painful torture.
  • Bad Habits: Fukurokuju's robes resemble those of a buddhist monk, and yet he's a ruthless ninja.
  • Bald of Evil: Fukurokuju is a wicked ninja with a long and bald head. Twenty years before, it was shorter but still hairless.
  • Combat Tentacles: During his fight with Raizo, Fukurokuju attacks him using his own earlobes thanks to a ninja technique.
  • The Dragon: Besides Kyoshiro, Fukurokuju is Orochi's closest man, as the head of his personal ninja bodyguards and as his close advisor, often being the one to calm down his master when he becomes enraged or paranoid. During the Golden Festival, Fukurokujo is also considered an equal in authority to Kaido's Three Disasters, showing his position as Orochi's highest subordinate. This is more evident after Kyoshiro is revealed to be Denjiro, and has always been loyal to the Kozuki Clan.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: While he is a cold-hearted ninja who serves the tyrannical Orochi until the very end, an SBS revealed that Fukurokuju deeply loved his sister and resents Raizo for having (seemingly) killed her.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Fukurokuju finds Raizo's commitment to carrying out the will of Kozuki Oden to be an example of his emotional weakness to understand the powerful bond and friendship between the late daimyo and his retainers.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Because of his blind obedience to Orochi, he goes along with his plan to burn down Kaido's castle to kill everyone. This backfires when he's pitted against his former comrade Raizo while he's separated from Orochi, ending with both using a paralysis jutsu that keeps the other from moving while the fire burns around them. Because of his past experience, Raizo is able to withstand the heat and endure when he's covered in flame while Fukurokuju starts to panic as he's being burned and is ultimately defeated by the fire he helped start.
  • Instant Flight: Just Add Spinning!: In addition to being used as Combat Tentacles he can use his extended earlobes to fly by spinning them like a helicopter. As silly as it is, it works while also leaving his hands free to use shurikens.
  • My Master, Right or Wrong: When questioned by Raizo why he so steadfastly serves such a despicable and dishonorable master as Orochi, Fukurokuju simply states that as the leader of the Oniwabanshu, it is his duty in life to serve Wano's shogun regardless of his personal character.
  • Purple Is Powerful: A skilled ninja who happens to be the captain of the Oniwabanshu, and just so happens to wear a kimono that is mostly purple, indicating that he's powerful and evil.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: He's named after one of the Seven Gods of Luck of Japanese mythology, and has the same elongated head.
  • The Rival: According to the prisoners of Udon's Prison Mine, Fukurokuju has personal enmity with Raizo, who was a former member of Oniwabanshu. When some of the Akazuya Nine run into Orochi and him during the Onigashmai war, Raizo stops to personally engage him. An SBS reveals that Fukurokuju holds a personal grudge against Raizo for having seemingly killed his sister, while she actually loved him.
  • Sinister Shades: He wears a pair of shades and is the leader of the corrupted Orochi's bodyguards.
  • Tattooed Crook: While hard to spot due to being covered by his sleeves, Fukurokuju has thick zigzagging stripes and five ninja stars tattooed on his left arm. He is also the loyal servant of a paranoid, murderous tyrant.
  • Tempting Fate: During his battle with Raizo, he mocks him for serving a child and state Wano will never follow one as a ruler. Unaware to him, Shinobu ages Momonosuke to an adult as he's still engaged in battle.
  • This Is Unforgivable!: On her deathbed, his sister, Fukumi, called Raizo's names multiple times out of love. Fukurokuju, however, believed it was out of anger and, believing Raizo was the cause of her death, vowed to never forgive him.
  • Undying Loyalty: Despite openly swearing allegiance to Kaido the moment Orochi is seemingly killed, he retains his loyalty to Orochi, being privy to his survival and plot for revenge against Kaido. He resumes his role as his bodyguard and kills anyone that notices him.
  • Unusual Ears: His most notable feature, along with his head, is his long, dangling earlobes. He can perform a secret technique with them, the "Earlobe Crackers", allowing him to extend his earlobes to incredible lengths to lash at his foes.

    Hanzo 

Hanzo

Voiced by: Kohei Fukuhara (JP), Jason Lord (EN)

Age: 42

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hanzo_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu. He's able to crawl on the ceiling and uses rope to catch the intruders.


    Daikoku 

Daikoku

Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama (JP), Monty Thompson (EN)

Age: 42

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/daikoku_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu. He's a large man wearing samurai armor and a katana.


  • BFS: The katana he carries is much bigger than a normal one, even when compared to someone as big as him.
  • Made of Iron: Daikoku is very tough and can recover from being hit with a giant hand.
  • Mook Lieutenant: Daikoku takes charge of the group and gives out orders when Fukurokuju isn't around.
  • Only Sane Man: Initially runs away from the "Hungry Skeleton Ghost"... but is also the first to stop and realizes that the wraith isn't actually attacking them.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: He's named after Daikokuten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods.
  • Samurai: Unlike the others, he's wearing a traditional kabuto and shoulderguards over his sleveless ninja shozoku, along with a katana across his back.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting: Oda lists his specialty as "Transformation".

    Chome 

Chome

Voiced by: Ayaka Saito (JP), Shelby Chambers (EN)

Age: 14

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chome_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu. She's a short girl with long hair and a sword across her back.


  • The Baby of the Bunch: Chome is still a kid and is by far the youngest member of the Oniwabanshu, who are all grown-up adults.
  • Blade Across The Shoulder: Not that her katana is a BFS like Daikoku's it's just that she's rather short, and thus carrier her normal-sized sword on her back.
  • Dark Action Girl: She's a cheerful little girl who's also one of Orochi's enforcers and one of the only two women among the Oniwabanshu.
  • Flechette Storm: When she prepares to fight Robin, she reveals a set of shurikens on her palm, ready to be thrown rapid-fire style.
  • Flowers of Femininity: To go with her child-like, feminine looks, she has flowers in her hair.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: Her name comes from the historical Kunoichi Chiyome Mochizuki, with a little linguistic pun in (Chi+yo is used to mean "cho").
  • The Paralyzer: An SBS lists "Paralysis" as her special technique.
  • Wild Take: Becomes grotequely scared of Brook's "Ghost" form.

    Jigoku Benten 

Jigoku Benten

Voiced by: Akiko Utsumi (JP), Kasi Hollowell (EN)

Age: 21

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jigoku_benten_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu. She's a tall, well-groomed woman carrying a lute which conceals a gun.


  • Dark Action Girl: The other Kunoichi of the Oniwabanshu, though she looks less action-prone than Chome.
  • Doing In the Wizard: Benten has "Ninja Art" which allows her to attack with her lute but, as pointed out by Zoro, is just a hidden gun.
  • Instrument of Murder: Benten's lute conceals a firearm she uses to shoot bullets with her Ninja Art "Hell's Lute".
  • Odd Name Out: The only Oniwabanshu named after one of the Seven Lucky Gods who also has a surname in "Jigoku" (Hell), possibly a Red Baron.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: Following the theme of the squad, she's named after one of the Seven Lucky Gods, Benten.
  • Skeletons in the Coat Closet: Downplayed, she wears small skull-shaped trinkets as hair hornament to indicate her status as an evil ninja.

    Raijin and Fuujin 

Raijin and Fuujin

Raijin voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (JP), Landon McDonald (EN)
Fuujin voiced by: Yusuke Handa (JP), Zac Loera (EN)

Age: 45

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/raijin_anime_concept_art.png
Raijin
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fujin_anime_concept_art.png
Fuujin

Two of Orochi's Oniwabanshu. They seemingly work in tandem and ride large, earthbound catfish. Fuujin wears a helmet and carries a billowing bag over his shoulders, Raijin wears a metal mask and a ring with some fiery balls embedded in it.


  • Adaptation Expansion: In the manga Fuuijin's fight with Zoro is only shown at the end, with him being cut down and his squad already defeated, implying Zoro wins easily. The anime has the fight more balanced with Fuujin actually matching Zoro in a sword fight for a period, counter Zoro's Razor Wind with his own, demonstrates Armament Haki during the battle and even manages to push Zoro back with a kick before getting defeated.
  • Blow You Away: In the anime, Fuujin can summon and cast blasts of compressed air from his hands.
  • Dual Wielding: Fuujin is seen wielding two katana/ninjato swords in combat. as he's cut down by Zoro.
  • Expy: They carry on their backs the iconic items of the their namesakes (a large billowing bag and a ring of drums, only with fiery orbs in lieu of actual drums) and ride on large catfish, a nod to the Japanese thunder god Takemikazuchi.
  • Horse of a Different Color: They sit on the heads of large, land-moving catfish who carry them around. They still manage to be stealthy while moving around on them. Pink catfish, no less.
  • Incendiary Exponent: Downplayed example, Raijin wears a back ring with lit fiery torches on his person.
  • Mask Power: Raijin has his face entirely covered by a metal mask adorned with googles and a catsmile-shaped mouth slit.
  • Non-Indicative Name: Raijin doesn't have a ring of tomoe-adorned drums on his back, but some sort of torches that resembles them.
  • Not So Above It All: Despite being fearsome and professional ninjas, they're scared shitless of the "Hungry Skeleton Ghost" (Brook using his powers).
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: They're named note  and themed after the gods of thunder and wind.
  • Those Two Guys: They're implied to work and act together in combat and the similar elements in their appearance make the two easy to connect.
  • The Worf Effect: Despite being among Orochi's best guards, Zoro quickly proves to be too much for Fuujin to handle.

    Bishamon 

Bishamon

Voiced by: Ikuto Kanemasa (JP), Stephen Miller (EN)

Age: 28

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bishamon_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu, a small and plump ninja wearing a round helmet, an odd smile and costantly swollen cheeks.


  • Acrofatic: Despite his fat and short build, he can move pretty fast and even walk on vertical surfaces with no discomfort.
  • Cool Helmet: Wears an ornated white helm which looks like an onion.
  • Fat Bastard: Bishamon is a short and portly supporter of the tyrannical Orochi.
  • Gonk: Bishamon is rather ugly and funny-looking with costantly swollen cheeks, similar to a daruma doll.
  • Making a Splash: According to an sss, his specialty are water-style techniques.
  • Perpetual Smiler: Has a very odd smile on his face all the time, even when he's scared away by Brook's ghostly form.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: Named after Bishamonten, god of War and one of the Seven Lucky Gods.

    Kazekage 

Kazekage

Voiced by: Shogo Sakata (JP)

Age: 43

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kazekage_anime_concept_art.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu, a frowning man with long wild hair and typical ninja garments.


    Yazaemon 

Yazaemon

Voiced by: Takahiro Fujimoto (JP), Howard Wang (EN)

Age: 24

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yazaemon_anime_infobox.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu, a short man with a coif-covered face hidden under a massive straw mat.


  • In the Hood: He wears some sort of straw mat on his head so big he's essentially got a portable roof on him.
  • Meaningful Name: The "Ya" from Yazaemon is written as "Arrow". His main weapons are darts shoot from his hat.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: Yazaemon is the name of a ninja from the Azuchi-Momoyama period who tried to assassinate Oda Nobunaga.
  • Nothing Up My Sleeve: In the anime, he tries to attack Robin by shooting white ribbons from his sleeves.
  • Weaponized Headgear: The "pipe" on the top of his hat allows him to shoot arrows. The SBS confirms that it's his specialty.

    Sarutobi 

Sarutobi

Voiced by: Keiji Hirai (JP)

Age: 45

Debut: Chapter 931 (Manga), Episode 925 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sarutobi_anime_infobox.png

One of Orochi's Oniwabanshu, a huge man with a mane of wild hair and a purple scowling mask resembling an ape.


  • The Brute: He's the most physically imposing member of the group alongside Daikoku, but doesn't seem to rely on a weapon. According to Oda, his strong suit actually are illusions.
  • Cool Mask: His face is covered by a scowling mask resembling a horned ape.
  • Killer Gorilla: His size, name and mask give him an ape motif and he's a deadly ninja.
  • Meaningful Name: "Sarutobi" translates to "Monkey/ape Jump", reflecting his apeish look.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: His name comes after the famous romanticized shinobi Sarutobi Sasuke.
  • Wild Hair: Has a mass of white spiky hair which enforces his simian looks.

Wano Inhabitants

Yakuza

    Hyogoro "the Flower" 

Hyogoro "the Flower"

Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura (JP), Doug Jackson (EN)

Age: 70

Debut: Chapter 926 (Manga), Episode 919 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hyogoro_anime_concept_art_9.png
Click here to see him forty years ago

"Ha ha... Let me tell you, Oden, there are times I think about what would have happened if I'd challenged Kaido with you, back at the peak of my strength! But just look at what your followers have done. They've pulled off this raid in your name!! And I too have gained a most fascinating apprentice!! I have no doubt that dawn will come to Wano!!!"
Chapter 1006

The yakuza boss of the Flower Capital and the most powerful one in Wano, as well as an ally to the Kozuki Clan. After Orochi takes over and Oden is killed, Hyogoro gets imprisoned. Twenty years later, Hyogoro is a frail old man who receives help from Luffy and, in exchange, trains him how to master Ryuo. Once freed, Hyogoro regains his title as Yakuza boss and commands the samurai during the assault at Onigashima.

Hyogoro is a wise and old men who, after twenty years, is still beloved by the population. He's also a master of Armament Haki and, even if his body has gotten weaker, is still able to fight.


  • Anti-Hero: He's a good man who was beloved by everyone when he was in charge, but is still a Yakuza boss. Therefore, his methods can be extreme sometimes, like ordering a simple thug to be flayed alive.
  • Badass Cape: When he was the Yakuza boss, Hyo used to wear a large cape, showing off his position. He wears another one during the assault at Onigashima, indicating his authority as leader of the samurai force.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: He's first shown to be a small, timid old man in the Udon prison that Luffy gives some metal tickets to. He's later revealed to have been a powerful yakuza boss who was so popular that, even twenty years later, he could gather enough samurai for the Kozuki Clan to stand a chance against Orochi's forces.
  • Dented Iron: He's in a lot of distress and just a shadow of his former self, but not only is he able to perform Haki strikes, it's the same kind of strike Rayleigh uses, which can strike the enemy without touching them. Once he temporarily regains his old strength, he easily beats the entire Mimawarigumi.
  • Despair Event Horizon: He admits that he has gotten pretty close to hitting it before seeing that Raizo is still alive — and hears that so are Momonosuke and the rest of the Akazaya Nine.
  • Face Death with Dignity: Like a true Yakuza boss, Hyogoro firmly orders his men to execute him before the Ice Oni virus makes him attack his own allies, and he sits up, patiently waiting to get beheaded like an actual Yakuza execution. In the end, however, Hyogoro lives on thanks to Chopper who finds the cure just in time.
  • Flaming Hair: While not exactly on fire, when he was young, his hair and his beard were flame-shaped. Nowadays, he has just a tiny bit of hair that resembles a small ember. Humorously, his hair flame grows significantly after he's full.
  • Formerly Fit: Hyogoro used to have a powerful, if somewhat portly, body in his youth, while now he's a short old man. Despite this, he still keeps some of his strength and, with Luffy's help, beats a couple of wardens. After getting infected with the Ice Oni virus, Hyogoro regains his former body, explaining that the virus made his old strength resurface as it approaches death.
  • How the Mighty Have Fallen: Once the most powerful and beloved Yakuza boss in Wano, he's now a malnourished, small elder imprisoned in Udon. Queen lampshades how pathetic the legendary Yakuza boss has become.
  • I Owe You My Life: After Luffy shows him kindness, Hyogoro is reminded of the good old days of Wano and refuses to sell Luffy out even when he is threatened. Later he even begs Queen to spare Luffy in exchange of his life.
  • I Regret Nothing: After Hyogoro gets infected by Queen's Ice Oni virus, he slowly loses control of his body and orders his own men to kill him before he attacks his own ally. As the four Yakuza bosses prepare to behead him, Hyogoro thinks he has no regrets, confident that the Kozuki revolution will win and that Luffy, his pupil, has mastered Ryuo. Thankfully for him, Chopper finds the cure just in time.
  • Ki Manipulation: Even in his old age, he's still a master of Armament Haki, and can use it to hurt his enemies without even touching them.
  • Lost in Translation: His epithet Hana no Hyōgorō is an The X of Y best translated as Hyogoro "of the Flower Capital". The Viz translation misses this and calls him Hyogoro the Flower.
  • Mentor Archetype: He's an old and wise Yakuza boss and a master of Armament Haki. While they are prisoners in Udon and for the entire week before the raid to Onigashima, he trains Luffy to master it, often using extreme methods.
  • Miniature Senior Citizens: He's an old man who's quite shorter than Luffy, to the point he can ride Luffy's back like a backpack.
  • Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: He's a notorious yakuza in the past, yet loved by all and still holds enough influence that they could easily amass the manpower needed for the rebellion.
  • Noble Demon: Hyogoro is a former yakuza but 20 years ago but he's kind to commoners, making him very popular with the populace and even admired by Oden. When the Oniwabanshu and the Mimawarigumi joins Kaido without a second thought after Orochi is killed, Hyogoro is furious by their lack of honor.
  • Old Master: He's an old ex-Yakuza boss and, after Luffy saves Hyogoro, the latter becomes interested in the former until, when forced to fight together the wardens of the Prison Mines, Hyogoro offers Luffy to teach him how to use advanced Armament Haki.
  • Pint-Sized Powerhouse: He may have gotten short over the last 20 years, but Hyogoro is still a force to be reckon with and sends a Gifter flying with a single advanced Haki attack.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Zigzagged. Hyogoro used to be a Yakuza boss, so he was willing to mutilate whoever defied him, but also had a strong sense of honor and was reasonable enough to be beloved by the population.
  • Shout-Out: His appearance when he was younger is a reference to the Nios, the guardians at the entrance of Buddhist temples.
  • Sink or Swim Mentor: Though more benevolent than the typical examples. He believes true power blooms only in life or death situations, so he forces Luffy to face an enraged Big Mom to develop his Haki techniques.
  • Take Me Instead: When both Hyogoro and Luffy are taken to Queen to be executed, Hyogoro pleads for the pirate to spare Luffy's life and just kill him.
  • Tastes Like Friendship: Luffy gains Hyogoro's interest and respect by giving him some of his coupons for the kibidangos.
  • Tattooed Crook: Being a former Yakuza boss, he has a large tattoo with flower patterns on his shoulder. Unlike most examples, he is actually an honorable person beloved by everyone.
  • Universally Beloved Leader: Shinobu says Hyogoro was so popular when he was a Yakuza boss that, even after twenty years have passed, they would be able to gather the necessary 5000 people just for having him on their side.
  • The Virus: As the war of Onigashima goes on Marco can't keep up and his flames slowly fade, making the symptoms of Queen Ice Oni virus resurface. Hyogoro gets infected and regains his old strength, but he's aware that he'll soon lose control and thus orders his former subordinates to behead him. Hyogoro is saved by Chopper, who stops the blade and announce that he's found the cure.
  • Yakuza: He was once the most powerful yakuza boss in Wano and ruled its underworld until Orochi usurped the shogunate. Hyogoro's an example of the "romantic" and positive side of the Yakuza, since he was beloved by everyone when he was a boss.

    The Yakuza Bosses 

Yakuza Bosses (Tsunagoro, Cho, Yatappe, Omasa)

Debut: Chapter 952 (Manga), Episode 946 (Anime)

The other four leaders of the Yakuza in the Land of Wano along with Hyogoro, each of them is in charge of a specific region (Ringo, Kibi, Udon and Hakumai). They command a vast number of underlings and are fiercely loyal to Hyogoro. They are "Blood Letter" Oomasa, "Broken Hat" Tsunagoro, "Moon-flower" O-Chou and "Snake Eyes" Yatappe.


In general


  • Badass Cape: Each of them wears a cape as part of the attire to indicate their status as bosses.
  • Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Each of the bosses wears a kimono and a cape of a different color, making them easier to recognize each other. Tsunagoro's is yellow, O-Chou's is mostly red with purple elements, Yatappe's is green and Omasa's is blue.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: When Luffy doesn't show proper verbal respect for Hyo, they hold him down and prepare to chop his fingers, pluck out his eyes or tear his fingernails out at Hyo's request.
  • Elite Four: They're the four strongest and most influential bosses who faithfully serve Hyogoro, even after all these years. During the raid at Onigashima, they lead the samurai squads.
  • The Farmer and the Viper: Even if benevolent, they're still Yakuza bosses and, despite having just freed them, all four of the bosses don't hesitate to punish Luffy for seemingly disrespecting Hyogoro. To stop them, the latter needs to remind them that Luffy is their savior. Justified because they're more loyal to Hyogoro than Luffy.
  • Gonk: Oomasa and Yatappe are massive and have outlandish faces with odd traits. Tsunagoro has a lean angular face with a creepy black mouth.
  • Good Is Not Nice: They might be benevolent, but they're still Yakuza bosses. They're as much willing to lend a hand to fight the oppressive dictatorship of Orochi just as they are willing to mutilate anyone who doesn't show them or Hyo proper respect.
  • Rank Scales with Asskicking: They are the four Yakuza bosses and, alongside Hyogoro, although he has gotten weaker with age, they're the four strongest and (somewhat) heroic warriors of Wano beside the Akazaya Nine.
  • Red Baron: Each of them has a moniker:
    • Tsunagoro, whose hair resembles a tattered gasa, is called "Broken Hat".
    • Yatappe is known as "Snake Eyes" for his tiny and devious eyes.
    • O-Chou is referred to as "Moon-flower".
    • Omasa is also known as "Blood Letter".
  • Undying Loyalty: Even after years of prison and forced labour, they're still ready to serve Hyogoro with all they've got. To the point that they even try to torture Luffy, their benefactor, for talking to Hyo in a disrespectful way.
  • Yakuza: Each of them is the leader of a Yakuza gang of a different region of Wano, they're tied to Hyo by honor and respect and try to mutilate Luffy when he talked too casually to Hyo.


Exclusive to Tsunagoro

Voiced by: Masaya Takastuka

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tsunagoro_anime_concept_art.png

  • Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Tsunagoro's hair resembles a broken gasa, even falling down to cover one of his eyes, which is the source of his moniker "Broken Hat".
  • Devious Daggers: Like a true Yakuza, he threatens to cut off one of Luffy's finger with a knife.
  • Early-Bird Cameo: Tsunagoro's silhouette first appears as one of the prisoners seen noticing Big Mom's rampage and not long after he's revealed to be one of the Yakuza bosses referenced by Hyogoro.
  • Guns Akimbo: Tsunagoro fights in the Onigashima Raid using two guns.
  • Hiding Behind Your Bangs: Tsunagoro's hair covers one of his eyes, making him look more distant and mysterious, fitting for a Yakuza boss.
  • Mercy Kill: At Omasa's request, Tsunagoro is about to kill him when as Omasa is succumbing to the Ice Oni virus. Fortunately, Chopper finds the cure just in time.
  • Oral Fixation: Tsunagoro is always seen with a straw in his smiling mouth, even when talking.
  • Perpetual Smiler: Tsunagoro is also always seen with an angular smile coupled with a creepy black mouth.
  • Slasher Smile: Tsunagoro's smile is a wide and completely black mouth, making him look very creepy.

Exclusive to O-Chou

Voiced by: Fumie Mizusawa

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cho_anime_concept_art.png

  • Animal Motif: Butterflies. Chou is written with the kanji for "butterfly" and her hair resembles the shape of a butterfly.
  • Dark Action Girl: O-Chou is a vicious Yakuza boss and one of the strongest female Wano warriors.
  • Fashionable Asymmetry: Chou doesn't wear the right sleeve of the kimono, leaving it hanging while her right arm and part of her chest is exposed.
  • Katanas Are Better: O-Chou participates in the Onigashima Raid wielding a katana.
  • Meaningful Name: Chou is written with the kanji for "Butterfly", and her hairstyle is in the shape of butterfly wings. Given that she looks like a dice dealer, it may be a double pun on "Cho-Han", the traditional betting game with dices.
  • Sarashi: O-Chou's kimono leaves half of her chest bare, showing that she uses sarashi bandages as a bra.
  • The Smurfette Principle: O-Chou is the only female Yakuza boss.
  • Tattooed Crook: As typical per a Yakuza, O-Chou has a glaring one on her shoulder which, along with her attire, makes her look like a Cho-Han dealer.

Exclusive to Yatappe

Voiced by: Yasunori Masutani

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yatappe_anime_concept_art.png

  • Animal Motif: While not clear at first glance, his motif is the snake. His main color is green and his moniker is "snake eyes", reflecting his sneaky gaze.
  • Carpet of Virility: His kimono is left open to reveal his hairy chest.
  • Good Scars, Evil Scars: He has a visible rugged scar that crosses his face, which hints that he's a Yakuza who has experienced many fights.
  • Katanas Are Better: Like most warriors from Wano, Yatappe uses a katana in combat.

Exclusive to Omasa

Voiced by: Koji Haramaki

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/omasa_anime_concept_art.png

  • And I Must Scream: Omasa is one of the first victims of the Ice Oni virus but, due to his larger size, his transformation is slower and is still conscious while half-transformed body forces him to attack his own allies. He's glad that Marco manages to slow down the virus's effects with his flames.
  • Animal Motif: Omasa's perpetual grin and his whiskers make him similar to a cat.
  • The Brute: Omasa is visibly the biggest of the Yakuza bosses and, when Luffy unintentionally disrespects Hyogoro, Omasa is the one who blocks Luffy with a grab while the others prepare to mutilate him.
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate: When he's succumbing to the Ice Oni virus and losing control of his body, Omasa asks Tsunagoro to kill him so that he won't attack his allies.
  • Perpetual Smiler: Omasa has a perpetual cat-like grin on his face, he only loses it when he gets infected by Queen's Ice Oni virus.
  • The Virus: Omasa falls victim to the Ice Oni virus and slowly loses control of his body as he turns into an ice demon. Thanks to Marco's flames, Omasa is able to retain consciousness.

Flower Capital

The capital and most flourishing region of Wano, and the only one not to be in misery since Orochi became shogun. This only extends to the capital itself, since the neighboring towns are in misery just like the other regions.

    Yamato 

Yamato

Voiced by: Saori Hayami (JP), Michelle Rojas (EN)

Age: 28

Debut: Chapter 971 (Manga), Episode 972 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yamato_anime_concept_artpng.png
Click here to see his hybrid form
Click here to see his Okuchi-no-Makami form

"One day I told my father "I want to be Kozuki Oden" and he clobbered me for it."
-Chapter 984

Kaido's son, introduced for the first time at the party on Onigashima, where he's been missing and Kaido thus orders the Tobi Roppo to find him. Moments later, Yamato rescues Luffy from Ulti's attack.

Yamato is a huge fan of Oden, having read his diary and wishing to adopt the same lifestyle. This not only includes wearing similar clothes and adapting the same fighting style, but also becoming a man (despite being assigned female at birth). Yamato also doesn't share his father's same ruthless and cold lifestyle, as his meeting with Luffy becomes a critical step on his journey to open Wano's borders and join forces with the Straw Hat Pirates.

Yamato has eaten the Dog-Dog Fruit (Inu Inu no Mi), Model: Okuchi-no-Makami, a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into a divine version of the extinct Japanese wolf who is also a guardian deity of Wano.


  • Adaptational Curves: Played with. The manga shows that his breasts are large enough to hide a small child between them, but they don't take up a massive portion of his frame (in part because of his incredible height). Because the anime can pan the "camera" wherever it wants, it features many close-ups of Yamato's breasts (especially from the side), emphasizing how large they are much more than in the manga. The size was also shown to be much different between his debut appearance and many shots of Episode 995, though in this case it was more of him being much more lean and slender in his very first frame rather than being much more curvy afterwards. However, his canonical proportions are accurate to the manga during his anime "infobox".
  • Adaptational Early Appearance: Yamato debuts fairly earlier in the anime in episode 982, before meeting Luffy. He's still masked at the time and outside Onigashima, smashing some rocks in frustration.
  • Amazonian Beauty: Yamato's Portrait of Pirates MAXIMUM Figurine reveals that under his haori he has well-sculpted abs, which isn't surprising considering who his father is and his apparent race. Yamato still has a pretty face, vibrant hair and large breasts that are emphasized in most media to show off his beauty as well. Yamato is also shown to have toned arms when moving to protect Momonosuke in the anime adaptation of Chapter 1000 (Episode 1015).
  • Ambiguous Gender Identity: (For the sake of simplicity and uniformity when talking about the character, This Very Wiki will refer to Yamato exclusively with he/him pronouns until evidence otherwise is provided in-canon.) Yamato refers to himself as a man, introduces himself as Kaido's son, and the Beasts Pirates address him in male terms. Luffy calls him Yama-o (ヤマ男), similar to how he calls Law Tora-o (トラ男), which is a portmanteau of their name and the kanji for male (男). The only time characters have been shown referring to Yamato as a female is when first meeting him. In chapter 1052, Yamato declines to join Nami and the other girls in the bath since the castle does not have mixed baths. He's later shown bathing with the guys, while the definitively transgender Kiku is shown bathing with the women. Some viewers believe that Yamato identifies as male solely due to his staunch devotion to becoming Kozuki Oden, however he does acknowledge that he and Oden are different people. On the other hand, both Yamato's official Vivre Card as well as the "infobox" on introduction refer to him as female, while explicitly transgender characters such as Kikunojo have "[X] in body but [Y] in heart." Yamato was also addressed as Onihime (Oni Princess), however this was prior to his adoption of Oden's identity. Oda also included Yamato in an only-girls cover, making this situation more confusing.
  • Ambiguously Human: Much like his father Kaido, it is unknown whether Yamato is truly human, from the horns, the multicolored hair, the above-average size (even as a child), the addressing of him as Onihime (Oni Princess) by the Beast Pirates, and the fact Kaido berates him for consorting with humans when oni like them rule over humanity as a rule.
  • An Ice Person: Yamato's devil fruit abilities include the ability to blast icy air from his mouth, encasing himself in ice as armour, and imbuing his weapons with cold aura.
  • Antagonistic Offspring: Although he's Kaido's son, he's been inspired by Oden and has taken up his desire to open up Wano's borders, hence he's opposed to Kaido. The first thing Yamato does in his debut is to rescue Luffy from Ulti. Yamato is already against Kaido's intentions to have him take Orochi's place as shogun of Wano, and eventually disowns Kaido upon after learning of the latter's willingness to kill him.
  • Ascended Meme: Yamato is popular for his design, with some gravitating towards the only fanservicey part of it - his breasts being so large they stick out of either side of his haori. This ended up coming full circle when Oda himself responded to a request he received via SBS asking him to draw a personification of Yamato's sideboob, to which he obliged - indicating he is aware and approving of the memetic status of Yamato's chest. He does, however, say in the same SBS that the amount of mail he receives asking him to draw Yamato's sideboob or even topless with his breasts out is almost disturbing.
  • Awesomeness Is a Force: Yamato is a user of Conqueror's Haki and can imbue it into his attacks, visualised as purple lightning. He first used it unknowingly when he was only eight years old.
  • Beam-O-War: While fighting Kaido, Yamato uses Namuji Glacier Fang against his Blast Breath, resulting into a large explosion on top of Onigashima. He manages to emerge from the exchange to keep fighting.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: Kaido responded to Yamato's desire to be Oden by treating him like he would've had with Oden: like an enemy to be beaten, imprisoned, and potentially killed if they won't submit to Kaido's will. For example, throwing Yamato into a cave with several rebellious samurai. Yamato is frightened that the samurai will immediately jump at the chance to kill a child of Kaido, Kaido's callous response is Yamato is "Oden". However, Yamato is steadfast in blaming the abusive treatment on Kaido rather than on being Oden.
  • Berserker Tears: After he learns of Kaido's intentions to blow him up if he tries to escape, Yamato cries out of sadness and anger as he falls toward him.
  • Breakout Character: He ranked as the 11th most popular character in the entire series as of the One Piece World Top 100 poll that collected votes globally, and this was before he had even fought with Kaido to any significant degree. Toei Animation took note of this and made a special announcement when revealing his voice actress, and has drawn out his scenes in the anime to draw his expressions more extensively and with greater focus. It was even suggested at a point he would end up offered to join the Straw Hats, which came true.
  • Breath Weapon: In his hybrid form, Yamato is able to release the Namuji Glacier Fang from his mouth, similar to Kaido's own Boro Breath.
  • Canis Major: Yamato's full wolf form is relatively big, just like Yamato himself.
  • Carry a Big Stick: Just like Kaido, he wields a kanabo named Takeru and uses it to save Luffy from Ulti. Tellingly enough, Takeru doesn't have spikes like Kaido's Hassaikai, but rather blunt studs, emphasizing his good nature.
  • Chained by Fashion: In his debut, Yamato has shackles with short lengths of chain on his wrists, which Kaido rigged to explode should he escape from Onigashima. Fortunately for Yamato, he gets rid of them with Luffy's help.
  • Combat Clairvoyance: He is a skilled Haki user, and deduces that Shanks saved Wano from Ryokugyu through Observation Haki.
  • Comically Missing the Point: Yamato proclaims himself as Oden when around Momonosuke (Oden's son), causing the boy to be understandably confused.
  • Cosplay Otaku Girl: After being impressed by Oden's last stand, Yamato became a huge fan of Oden. In the 20 years since Oden's death, Yamato imitates Oden to the point of dressing up as Oden and introducing himself as him.
  • Cool Mask: When he saves Luffy, Yamato wears a Hannya mask that hides his face.
  • Declaration of Protection: While protecting Momonosuke from Sasaki's Armored Division, Yamato tanks a cannon shot aimed at the boy. Then, he declares his name and his will to die for the Kozuki clan.
  • Defector from Decadence: He leaves the Animal Kingdom Pirates, not wanting anything to do with Kaido or his plans to become Wano's next shogun, especially after realizing Kaido would have killed him had he tried to escape.
  • Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Yamato rejecting Kaido's plans to become Shogun of New Onigashima is practically daring Kaido to try and stop him. This insolence does not sit well for Kaido, who calls Yamato an "impertinent child" and attacks his son. This gets even more intense when Yamato tells Kaido he's going out to sea with Luffy. Considering that Kaido rigged his shackles to explode (which became his undoing), Yamato felt that flipping off his father was a long time coming.
  • Dramatic Unmask: Yamato initially appears with a Hannya mask, which he takes off when he decides to reveal his true identity and intentions to Luffy.
  • Elemental Armor: Yamato's devil fruit allows him to cover his skin with a layer of ice for added defense. In the battle against Kaido, it breaks after getting struck by one of his attacks but Yamato remains unscathed underneath it.
  • Elemental Eye Colors: Yamato's hybrid and full wolf form both have light blue eyes (compared to his normal orange eyes), which are reflective of his ice powers.
  • Explosive Leash: After Yamato revealed his wishes to become Oden, Kaido rigged shackles around his wrists to explode should he leave Onigashima. Though Yamato's initially uncertain if the shackles are explosive, this doubt vanishes once Luffy removes them and they indeed blow up.
  • Eye Colour Change: Yamato's eyes transition from dark orange to light blue when he is in his hybrid or full wolf form.
  • Foil: Yamato poses as a contrast to Momonosuke
    • Momo is the son of Oden while Yamato is the son of Kaido, and as such they have decidedly opposite personalities and character arcs. Momo is rather mature despite being an 8 year old child while Yamato is rather childish despite being a 28 year old adult. That said, Yamato has much of the courage that Momo lacks, as shown in chapter 1043 when Yamato inspires Momo to keep fighting. Momo's arc revolves around accepting his role as shogun while Yamato's arc revolves around rejecting that same role. Momo wants to be seen as something other than just Oden's heir while Yamato wants to be Oden in the most literal sense.
    • Momo and Yamato both inherited Oden's will, albeit in completely different ways. Momo takes after Oden at the end of this life, wanting to lead Wano as its shogun. Yamato, on the other hand, takes after Oden at the start of his life, wanting to set out to sea and go on adventures. Yamato and Momo having two different ideas on the kind of man Oden was can largely be attributed to how they knew him. Momo knew Oden as the wise, patient man who was his father while Yamato knew Oden as a bold adventurer from his writings. Yamato and Momo both gave up 20 years of their lives for Oden's ideals, but once again in completely different ways. The fact that they gave up the exact same span of their lives and are now both the same age drives this home even further.
    • This is even reflected in their Devil Fruits. Yamato has the fruit of Wano's guardian deity while Momo has the fruit of Wano's oppressor.
  • Foreshadowing: The Hannya mask represents a jealous female demon. Sure enough, Yamato is revealed to have been assigned female at birth.
  • Gender-Blender Name: Downplayed. While Yamato is a woman's name as well, it's more commonly associated with men. It's used to add to the ambiguity around his Ambiguous Gender Identity.
  • The Ghost: When Yamato is first mentioned, he's already gone and hidden from the viewer, and doesn't appear for another few chapters.
  • Going Commando: A scene where Yamato rips his haori open from the front to tell Momo to hide in it shows that Yamato goes braless despite how big his boobs are. This is also in spite of how mobile and physically strenuous his fighting style is (unlike Nami and Robin), which would make fighting with such a large chest and no support very painful in real life.
  • Good Counterpart: Yamato is a contrast to his evil father, Kaido. Yamato uses studs on his kanabo Takeru, emulates and admires Oden, and wants to open up Wano's borders for good, while Kaido has a spiked kanabo named Hassaikai, fought and despises Oden, and wants to turn Wano into his own pirate paradise. This is further emphasized when Yamato, after tanking an explosion meant for Momonosuke, sets Takeru down end-first like a samurai in humility in contrast to Kaido holding Hassaikai over his shoulder in arrogance.
  • Hates Their Parent: He despises his father Kaido for abusing him as a child and using him as an Unwitting Pawn.
  • Heel–Face Turn: After moments of increasing conflict with Kaido over his evil plans, Yamato finally snaps and renounces his relationship with Kaido when he realizes his father was genuinely going to blow him up for escaping.
  • Hero-Worshipper: Exaggerated. Yamato admires Oden so much he decides to literally become Oden, by emulating him in every way, which includes wearing similar clothes and "becoming a man". This means that Yamato is referred to with male pronouns by everyone (even his enemies), and is declared to be Kaido's son.
  • Hidden Buxom: Yamato debuts wearing a haori large enough to completely conceal his curvaceous figure, which increases the surprise factor during his unmasking. It's revealed after tearing off the sleeves that Yamato has breasts so large they can be seen from either side. A later scene has Yamato open their haori and tell Momo to hide in there, revealing his boobs are even bigger than his head. In the anime, this scene also shows Yamato engulfing Momo with them, showing Yamato's boobs to be so big they actually fit an entire child between them (which makes sense, given Yamato's stature).
  • Hold the Line: After Kaido announces to have knocked Luffy off Onigashima, Yamato runs to the roof and takes his place to fight his father, rightfully believing that Luffy did indeed survive his drop into the ocean and will return to continue the battle against Kaido. This is likewise to prevent Kaido from going back indoors to deal with the intruders and continuing his chase after Momonosuke.
  • Honorary True Companion: By the end of the Wano arc, Yamato is considered an honorary Straw Hat alongside Momonosuke and Kinemon by Luffy, who says he'll pick them up when they're ready to sail the seas.
  • Horned Humanoid: The only physical feature he has taken from Kaido, besides his large size, is a pair of horns, making him resemble an oni.
  • I Am Not My Father: This is the crux of Yamato's conflict with his father, since the former intends to open Wano's borders and doesn't share Kaido's ruthless personality.
  • An Ice Person: Yamato is able to generate ice and cold in the form of a Breath Weapon, as well as form protective ice armor and coat his kanabo in cold to increase the power of the strikes. Likely as another contrast between him and his father Kaido, whose powers are fire-based.
  • I Choose to Stay: Yamato decides to remain and protect Wano, until the time comes for him to properly leave Wano and go on his own journey, while Luffy does leave Yamato with an open invitation to join the crew alongside Momo and Kinemon.
  • I Just Want to Be Free: Just like Oden, Yamato wants to see the rest of the world. Unlike Oden, however, Yamato spent most of his life trapped in Onigashima with handcuffs rigged to explode should he leave the island. Luffy offers to break them and make his dream come true, but Yamato is initially hesitant to test the shackles' explosive power. However, Luffy throws the shackles far away and they indeed explode seconds later, leading Yamato to undergo a Heel–Face Turn and turn on Kaido for good.
  • Inelegant Blubbering: After realizing Kaido was willing to blow him up if he left Onigashima, Yamato cries out of fear and anger in a very cartoonish way. Once said blubbering is over, Yamato angrily disowns Kaido and flips him off.
  • Intergenerational Friendship: While held captive in the cave along with three imprisoned samurai, Yamato becomes friends with them, bonding over their love for Oden and reading Oden's journal together when Yamato says he has trouble with the difficult kanji. The friendship culminates in the three samurai sacrificing themselves so that Yamato could escape and live to fight in the Final Battle two decades later.
  • Irony: Multiple instances:
    • Despite Oden being Kaido's sore spot, Yamato dresses similar to Oden, easily noticed with the nio-dasuki belt, shackles, and kimono. It is later revealed that Yamato chose to emulate Oden and uphold his will of opening up Wano.
    • Yamato saves Luffy using the exact same attack Kaido used to defeat him: Thunder Bagua.
    • Kaido has been constantly searching for Oden's descendants to question them about Oden's adventures with Roger and Laugh Tale — all of which Oden recorded in his journal, which is in Yamato's hands. Due to their estrangement, Kaido never finds out that what he wants is right under his nose until it's too late.
  • It's Personal: Yamato's motivation for helping Luffy take down Kaido once and for all become very personal after he realizes the shackles on his wrists are rigged to explode after all, and his father is the cause of his miserable existence. He even flips off Kaido and declares his intentions to sail the seas with Luffy, and he'll stop Kaido if he tries tying his son down ever again.
  • Last Episode, New Character: Yamato's proper introduction doesn't happen until just before the climactic battle of the Wano arc but is a key player for the arc, having access to Oden's diary which contains a lot of trivial pieces of information for the main story.
  • Light Is Good: Yamato wears a white sleeveless kimono, has (mostly) white hair, and his hybrid and full wolf form has white fur (though with the teal tips from his hair).
  • Lightning Bruiser: Yamato is very strong and fast, able to speedblitz the extraordinarily tough Ulti unconscious in a single blow, and direct hits from Sasaki's tank squad leave only a few scratches on him.
  • Like Parent, Like Child: Yamato's fighting style is clearly inspired by Kaido's, using Kaido's Signature Move Thunder Bagua. However, he requires both hands to use it whereas Kaido only needs one.
  • Lineage Comes from the Father: He gains his fighting style from his father Kaido. However, there are a few subtle differences; for one, Kaido's club has spikes, while Yamato's has round stubs.
  • Luke, I Am Your Father: This is Played for Laughs. Due to Yamato's habit of presenting himself as Oden, when he meets Momonosuke, he claims to be the boy's father. This scares Momonosuke and Shinobu, who run from Yamato while he chases them.
  • Made of Iron: Despite his slime frame, Yamato is very tough and resists attacks from Sasaki's tank squad and direct hits from Kaido's club. Yamato also notices that Kaido's attack are sent with the intent to kill.
  • Manchild: Downplayed. Due to being raised by Kaido among an army of pirates on an isolated island, Yamato's maturity level doesn't match up with his age. He often acts like a young teenager, complete with an explosive temper and general social awkwardness, despite being 28 years old. Yamato's relationship with his hero Kozuki Oden is like a grown man playing pretend, only occasionally sobering up and returning to reality in moments of great import.
  • Meaningful Name: Yamato (大和, meaning "Great Harmony'') is the ancient name for Japan, originating from the name of the Japanese region where the Makami, an extinct species of wolf once worshipped as a deity, lived. His name also hints to his Devil Fruit ability to become a divine wolf, who is also the ancient guardian deity of Wano Country. Wano Country is inspired by feudal Japan, thus Yamato's name relates back to both the physical form and the divine role of his Devil Fruit ability.
  • Missing Child: He disappears early on the day of the Fire Festival and Kaido sends the Tobi Roppo to find him, offering the chance to challenge an All Star to the first who finds him.
  • Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: By the time he meets Luffy, Yamato is fed up with Kaido thanks to years of being insulted, starved, detained on Onigashima and repeatedly clubbed by Kaido's kanabo. Realizing that Kaido's going to kill him for escaping is what finally causes Yamato to undergo a Heel–Face Turn and help Luffy take his father down for good.
  • Mystical White Hair: Yamato has white hair that fades into fades into aqua green and then blue at the ends, complementing his oni-like appearance.
  • Named Weapons: His kanabo is named Takeru according to the Volume 101 SBS.
  • Noble Wolf: His devil fruit abilities include turning into a giant white wolf, which is said to be Wano's protective deity, and he is firmly on the protaganists' side throughout the entirety of the Wano arc.
  • Older Than They Look: Aside from being over 8 feet tall, Yamato looks and acts like a teenager despite being 28.
  • Our Werewolves Are Different: Having eaten one of the Dog-Dog Fruit means his hybrid form looks like a werewolf. The devil fruit in question being a mythical zoan model Okuchi-no-Makami makes it even more unusual.
  • Red Is Heroic: Downplayed. Yamato wears a red hakama but his main color scheme is purple and white. His outfit references the uniform of Shinto shrine maidens.
  • Samus Is a Girl: Played with; After being referred by multiple characters as Kaido's son (Including by Kaido himself), and debuting with a mask and clothes that hide his figure, Yamato is revealed to have been born female and is drawn how Oda draws a vast majority of their female characters. However, due to how they emulate Oden, their use of male pronouns, and there being much confusion over his true Gender identity, it is unclear if Yamato is a tomboy or FtM, vs Kiku who is unmistakably trans.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After being offered to succeed Orochi as the next Shogun of New Onigashima, Yamato instead leaves the Animal Kingdom Pirates for good, being fed up by Kaido's monstrosities.
  • Screw Your Ultimatum!: After Kaido tempts him to become Shogun one last time, Yamato tells him to shove it and fights him.
  • Shared Signature Move: While capable of using his father's Raimei Hakke/Eight Trigrams/Thunder Bagua technique, Yamato's is weaker, requiring both hands (as opposed to Kaido who can use it with one) and is dubbed Raime Yonke / Four Trigrams/ Thunder Badua by Ulti as a result.
  • Shock and Awe: Yamato has some control over lightning, channeling it into his weapon during attacks. This appears to unrelated to his Devil Fruit.
  • Side Boob: His sleeveless kimono doesn't fully cover his chest, and the sides of his breasts are exposed. In Volume 99's SBS on fan request, Oda drew a personification of Yamato's side boob (a fat man sitting cross-legged partially draped in a sheet bearing the Oden crest.
  • Significant Name Shift: After renouncing his family ties, Yamato no longer refers to Kaido as father, but by his name.
  • Statuesque Stunner: Yamato is bigger than an average human standing at 263 cm or 8'8". Luffy only reaches about his waist when standing up. He's also beautiful and busty.
  • Super-Strength: Yamato's physical attacks are extremely strong due to his (implied) Oni physiology. He's able to KO Ulti in one shot and go blow for blow with his father in battle.
  • Taking Up the Mantle: Yamato was so inspired by Oden's last stand that, after reading his diary, he inherited his will to open Wano to the world, opposing Kaido.
  • Token Good Teammate: He's a member of the Animal Kingdom Pirates, but his goals to open Wano's borders and be free like Oden conflict with his father's ideals.
  • Tomboyish Voice: Going along with Yamato's male identity, Saori Hayami uses a tone fitting for young boys.
  • Tyke Bomb: In the Wano arc, Kaido eventually selects Yamato to take Orochi's place as the shogun of New Onigashima.
  • Unseen No More: Since Chapter 971, Kaido and the Animal Kingdom Pirates have frequently mentioned Yamato and his whereabouts. He finally makes his full appearance in Chapter 983 when he rescues Luffy from Ulti's attack.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Kaido plans to use Yamato as a shogun in his plan to turn Wano into New Onigashima. It ends up backfiring on Kaido, as Yamato turns on him after finding out he Would Hurt a Child with his explosive handcuffs.
  • Victoria's Secret Compartment: In an attempt to hide Momonosuke while fighting some goons of the Animal Kingdom Pirates, Yamato tells the boy to hide between his breasts. Yamato's chest is large enough to fully hide Momonosuke, until the latter accidentally transforms into a dragon.
  • Walking Spoiler: Despite Kaido being the main villain of the Wano arc, the fact he has a child isn't revealed until act 3, and Yamato makes an appearance only some chapters after he's mentioned. Even more of a spoiler is the fact Yamato is first mentioned as Kaido's son before revealing his face, the fact he was assigned female at birth and that he's a huge Oden fan.
  • Walking the Earth: When the Straw Hats are about to leave Wano, in chapter 1057, Yamato decides to not to join Luffy immediately but first walk around Wano and explore the lands, then he will move to the open seas exactly like Oden did.
  • White Wolves Are Special: Yamato's devil fruit takes the form of a white divine wolf that is said to be the mythical guardian deity of Wano itself.
  • Wild Take: After having the shackles removed, the resulting explosion sends Luffy and Yamato flying towards Kaido. Yamato arrives with an extremely cartoonish crying and angry face.
  • You're Not My Father: Yamato already resents his continual abuse by Kaido, but he finally disowns the King of the Beasts as his father after learning of his willingness to kill him with his explosive handcuffs.

Ebisu Town

    Yasu "the Hedgehog" 

Shimotsuki Yasuie/Yasu "the Hedgehog"

Voiced by: Bin Shimada (JP), Kenny Green (EN)

Age: 71

Debut: Chapter 929 (Manga), Episode 916 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yasuie_anime_concept_art.png
Click here to see him 40 years ago

"After all, of the many living things in the world, only a human being has the ability to smile!! Iyo!! So why not waste a good thing? Let those smile ring! Aha ha ha!"

A taikomochi from Ebisu Town outside the Flower Capital beloved by all of its inhabitans because of his niceness. But later turns out that not only is he an ally of the Kozuki clan's rebellion, but he has personal ties to the Kozuki clan. He constantly helps the people of Ebisu Town.


  • Chekhov's Gunman: Yasu is introduced as a taikomochi that follows Zoro after being saved by him and, not long after, is revealed to be a beloved inhabitant of Ebisu Town because he tries to make everyone (truly) happy. After Yasu gives himself in, the Akazaya Nine recognise him as Yasuie, a former Daimyo and the one who inspired them to become actual samurai when they were young.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite looking like an absolute goofball and acting as expected from his appearance, to the point he annoys Zoro, Yasu is actually very perceptive and cunning. At his execution, when Yasu's true identity is revealed, he stops playing the fool and orchestrates a plan to make him the one who made the Kozuki's symbol as a "prank" to not only save the rebellion, but showcase how much of a coward Orochi truly is. His actions as a whole by doing so save the rebel forces with his sacrifice. When Orochi blames Oden for stealing money, Yasu correctly deduces Oden is not the type to do that so quietly and would have just done it out of the bloom.
  • Dare to Be Badass:
    • He gives a motivational speech to freshly exiled Kozuki Oden who clearly took it to heart, as Oden thereafter gathered the Akazaya Nine, tamed the region known as Kuri, and became respected enough to be named a daimyo himself.
    • He motivates the Akazaya Nine with a speech when they were still snot-nosed delinquents and tried to steal his money, urging them to become the strongest samurai in the country to serve as the future guardians of Wano.
  • Defiant to the End: His last action is to insult Orochi, calling him a coward and claiming that the whole rebellion mark is just a prank by him. The humiliation is twofold: Orochi is painted as overreacting for such a simple prank, and it sows doubt among Orochi's own men for following such a cowardly lord.
  • Dying Moment of Awesome: With his death he single-handedly saves the Kozuki's budding rebellion and exposes Orochi as the cowardly fraud he really is.
  • Face Death with Dignity: As expected from someone who constantly smiles, even when ready to be executed, he says he's going to leave a final speech before dying with a smile. True enough, he dies with a smile on his face.
  • Fling a Light into the Future: With the secret of the Kozuki rebellion exposed, Yasu is "caught" stealing and revealed to have previously been a rebel leader who fought against Orochi. Before his public execution, he tells the gathered crowd that the crescent moon puzzle was all his doing, just a prank that Orochi overreacted to. In doing so, Yasu clears the names of the captured rebels, Orochi's soldiers become convinced that Orochi's Properly Paranoid suspicions are just his obsession with the 20-year-old prophecy, and Yasu was also able to give a revised meeting time and place to his allies who were captured.
  • Formerly Fit: Like Hyogoro, the twenty years following the overthrowing of the Kozuki Clan have not been kind to him. As a daimyo, he was much taller and possessed a rather solid build, compared to his current short and unimposing figure.
  • Funny Afro: It's hidden by his bandanna, but he does have a spiky, hedgehog-like afro, which is alluded to in his epithet.
  • Gonk: Sure, he's so poor he probably doesn't take much care of his appearance, but even so, he's very goofy-looking, with a large and round head. Somewhat subverted in his youth, as he was a lot less hard on the eyes and was much more stocky and healthy looking as compared to now.
  • Good Parents: While we've yet to see them interact, it's clear that Toko adores him. She sends him most of her pay from working for Komurasaki, and when she hears that he's going to be executed, she runs out of the house she was in towards the Flower Capital, screaming for him. His last thoughts before his execution are to apologize to her for dying and leaving her behind.
  • Good Samaritan: He cares for and does his best to help everyone in Ebisu Town, even if he can only do little. The inhabitants love him back and even call him a "saint".
  • Guile Hero: Although Yasuie is implied to be a strong samurai, his greatest influence in the story is when he sacrifices himself to save the Kozuki conspiration's plan and diss off Orochi with his last words.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Knowing the rebellion would not stand a chance with the allies captured by Orochi, Yasu willingly gives himself in while taking the fall for the coded message to save the allied forces, leaves a hint for a new location to meet up and before dying puts a dent in Orochi's reputation, revealing how much of a coward he is.
  • In-Series Nickname: He's called "Yasu" by other characters. Amusingly, this gets some Accidental Misnaming from Zoro, who calls him "Kasu" (meaning "scum/trash") in Japanese and "Assu" in English. This was apparently the case even back when he was known under his real identity of Yasuie, as Oden is also shown to have called him "Yasu".
  • Insult to Rocks: When Oden was called a "fool of a lord," Yasu objected, saying calling him a lord was being far too generous.
  • Just Like Robin Hood: Subverted. When caught, he confesses of being the Witching-Hour Boy, who delivers money to the poor inhabitants of Ebisu Town during the nights but, before being executed, reveals he has actually lied to draw attention away from the real Witching-Hour Boy.
  • Messianic Archetype: He's an All-Loving Hero who helps everyone in Ebisu Town, to the point that they call him a saint. To make this trope even more evident, during his execution he's tied up for a Crucified Hero Shot and upon his death, everyone in Ebisu Town mourns him.
  • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: He took in a young Orochi who was living on the streets out of sympathy and gave him a job as a servant in his palace. In return Orochi steals money from him and blames Oden; takes the title of Shogun upon Oden's father's death and turns Wano into a wasteland upon his ascension to the throne. After being caught by Orochi, Yasu is publicly gunned down, which is considered a huge dishonor in Wano.
  • Pauper Patches: He is from Ebisu, a very poor town where inhabitants cannot afford the necessary food to sustain themselves, so it seems natural that he cannot buy a new kimono to replace his patched one.
  • Perpetual Smiler: Yasu's philosophy is that people should always smile because it's the only thing men can do and animals cannot, therefore he constantly has a large, teeth-bearing grin on his face. This is partly why the Akazaya Nine do not initially recognize Tonoyasu as Yasuie, because when they knew him in the past he was a stern man never seen with a smile on his face. He intentionally ate a defective SMILE after Toko ate one, to share her fate.
  • The Pollyanna: He's from Ebisu Town, where the entire population have conditioned themselves to always smile and be happy despite their living conditions, justifying it because humans are the only creatures that can laugh so they make the most of it by smiling constantly. Tonoyasu himself invokes this for the entire town, helping and cheering on every inhabitant.
  • Really Royalty Reveal: His real name is Shimotsuki Yasuie, the daimyo and vassal of the Kozuki Shogunate, the man who inspired Kozuki Oden and motivated the Akazaya Nine into becoming strong warriors to protect Oden.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: While held up to a stake to be executed, Yasu mocks Orochi and his rule, claiming that in spite all of his political power, he's still insignificant.
    Yasu: Are you listening, Orochi!? The vast expanse of trees, bushes, rivers, and villages! You tainted it all with your insatiable greed, you are nothing more than a pest!!!
  • Riches to Rags: He once was a daimyo of the Kozuki family, so he was presumably quite wealthy and prosperous, but now lives in the extremely poor Ebisu Town.
  • Rousing Speech: After catching Oden's followers, who tried to steal money from him, Yasuie tells them that, if they want to become useful to Oden, they must train hard and become real samurai. He also gives them the money they wanted to steal to help them. This motivates them to train until they become the legendary Akazaya Nine they are in the present.
  • Sorry That I'm Dying: He's outwardly smiling and defiant in front of his upcoming execution, but his last thoughts are him begging his daughter's forgiveness for leaving her fatherless.
  • Stepford Smiler: Those from Ebisu Town believe in smiling and laughing despite what misfortunes or pains they may suffer. It would be very hard to believe that they aren't hiding a great deal of sorrow and depression behind those grins.
  • Thanatos Gambit: He pulls off a magnificent one that ends up killing three birds with one stone. By pretending to be Witching-Hour Boy and getting caught, he saves the real Boy from further persecution. By taking advantage of his high profile and pretending that the Kozuki's symbol is his "prank", he saves the rebellion, whose plan has been discovered, and taints Orochi's reputation by exposing him as a paranoid coward.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: According to Shinobu, he used to be strict and stern. But he has always been on the side of the good guys, and he has enough people who admire him that even after he's been captured and tied up to be crucified, there are numerous citizens of the Flower Capital at his execution just to beg for his release.
  • Undignified Death: Invoked by Orochi. In feudal Japan, a death by gunshot was dishonorable. Orochi has Yasuie captured and tied on top of a pole in the middle of a square, and then personally shoots him multiple times. This gets played with, since Yasuie gets to flip off Orochi before getting executed and causes many of Orochi's followers to doubt him.
  • You Are Not Alone: Yasu intentionally ate a SMILE so he would be constantly laughing alongside his daughter, who accidentally ate one before him.

    Toko 

Toko

Voiced by: Kokoro Kikuchi (JP), Kara Edwards (EN)

Age: 6

Debut: Chapter 927 (Manga), Episode 920 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/otoko_9.png

Toko: It's Toko. But say it with the honorific "O" in front!
Robin: Otoko.
Toko: Hey, I'm not a man!! Aha ha ha ha!! Otoko's just my name!
Chapter 927

Toko is a little girl who lives in the Flower Capital. She is Tonoyasu's adopted daughter. She was sold to the Flower Capital as a kamuro for Komurasaki, and is one of the few who knows Komurasaki's true identity.


  • Cheerful Child: Exaggerated. She's a child who never drops her smile and loves making jokes, especially regarding her Punny Name. Unfortunately, it causes her trouble when she laughs uncontrollably during Orochi's speech.
  • Creepy Child: Subverted. Due to Toko's constant smiling, Sanji thinks she's weird, but then is quickly smitten by her quirky and cheerful behaviour. This is later revealed to be a side affect of a SMILE Fruit, making her unable to do anything other than smile.
  • Cry Laughing: When a member of the Kyoshiro Family knocks over her bowl of soba, she begins crying at the loss of food while loudly laughing at the same time. Franky and Sanji note and comment on it. This gets turned up to eleven when she cries after her father is killed with the same smile on her face.
  • Daddy's Girl: She loves her father so much that she immediately drops everything to join him when she hears he's gonna be executed.
  • Delicious Distraction: Despite her overall goofy and cheerful personality, Toko takes her job very seriously. However, Sanji's soba is so delicious that Toko arrives late at her job because she wanted to taste it.
  • Dramatic Irony: This is played straight because of one of the Heroes. Usopp cons people by selling them Toad Oil while undercover in Wano, Toko buys some. Her father, a hero to everyone who knew him, is executed in front of her, she then goes up to his body — crying her eyes out — trying to use Usopp's scam product to revive him and is almost shot by Orochi, only to be saved by Sanji and Zoro.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul: Because she displays the same, Cry Laughing reaction to her father's death, like the citizen of Ebisu Town, it's implied she's eaten one of the failed SMILES Fruits like them. Which puts her usual demeanor and behavior in a whole new light.
  • Happily Adopted: All There in the Manual reveals that she is not Yasuie's biological daughter, but rather an orphaned child he took in after her biological parents died. Still, she deeply loves her father and, following Yasuie's death, she dedicates her lantern to him.
  • Harmful to Minors: Poor girl watches her father riddled with bullets right before her eyes, and can't even convey her emotion properly due to being under the effect of a failed SMILE that constantly causes her to smile and laugh.
  • Ironic Name: Played with. Toko itself is not punny, but it's common to add the female prefix O- to a female's name. It then becomes O-Toko, which sounds similar to the Japanese word Otoko, which means man/male, while she notes that she's actually a girl. Of course, the pun is lost if you don't know Japanese.
  • Morality Pet: To Komurasaki, who is known as a cruel, deceitful woman, but is only ever kind to Toko and clearly cares about her a lot, even slapping the shogun and invoking his wrath to protect her. Subverted once it's revealed that Komurasaki is really Hiyori, and that her previous deceitful acts were just a facade. Toko is also one of the few people who knows Hiyori's true identity.
  • Ms. Exposition: Her main role in her first appearance is to explain who the courtesan Komurasaki is.
  • Nice Girl: Toko is a total sweet-heart to everyone around her, which makes her condition even more tragic.
  • Perpetual Smiler: There isn't a panel where Toko is not sporting a 32-teeth smile. Even when she's crying or panicking because she's late, she's still smiling. This is because Toko, and all of Ebisu town's inhabitants, actually cannot drop their smile, even if they are sad.
  • Rose-Haired Sweetie: Toko has pink hair and is a cheerful, friendly little girl.
  • Secret-Keeper: She's one of the few people who knows Komurasaki's true identity of Kozuki Hiyori.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: She shares her father's round head and eyes along with his perpetual toothy smile, although the perpetual smile comes from having eaten a defective SMILE.
  • Through His Stomach: Toko becomes friends with the Straw Hats because Sanji offers her some extra soba after a Yakuza thug dropped her bowl.

Kuri Region

A region located in the western part of Wano. It used to be an abandoned and lawless region populated by the worst criminals of the country, until Oden turned it into a paradise and became the damiyo of the region. After Oden's death, it became a wasteland because of Kaido's factories, which polluted the land and poisoned the rivers.

Amigasa Village

    Tama 

Tama

Voiced by: Megumi Han (JP), Sarah Wiedenheft (EN)

Age: 8

Debut: Chapter 911 (Manga), Episode 893 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Millet-Millet Fruit

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/o_tama_anime.png

"I've known pirates I like, and pirates I don't like! So it's no big deal! And I like you, cuz you're strong and nice!"
Chapter 911

Tama is a girl from the Kuri region in the Land of Wano. She is a kasa weaver (traditional Japanese straw hat), as well as a kunoichi in training who follows the Kozuki Family. Three years before the events of the Wano Arc, she met Ace and his crew when they stayed at her village, and harbors a deep admiration for him. She has eaten the Millet-Millet Fruit (Kibi Kibi no Mi) that allows her to create Dango from her body that she can feed to animals to tame them.


  • Affectionate Nickname: Tama calls Luffy "big brother" because of how close they are and how Luffy is protective toward her.
  • The Apprentice: At the end of the Wano Arc, Shinobu takes Tama under her wing to train her into a proper kunoichi.
  • The Beastmaster: Tama doesn't have any fighting ability but the animals she tames are perfectly willing to fight on her behalf. The effects last only one month as well, but if the animal or artificial-Zoan user likes how it felt, it can remain friends with Tama.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: Tama gets very close to Luffy, to the point of almost considering him a big brother, because the first time they meet he saves her from two Animal Kingdom pirates.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Tama suddenly shows up at Onigashima with her pet, Komachiyo, to save Nami from Ulti during the battle on Onigashima much to Nami and Usopp's shock. She likewise helps turn the tide of the battle by giving the pair her specialized dumplings made from her power, causing any of the SMILE users who eat them to switch sides. This ends up saving Franky during his fight with Sasaki. Later on, she ends up saving Jimbei, Franky (again) and Inurashi when Usopp and Nami finally get her to the main podium for her to announce her orders to take down Kaido. Causing all the SMILE users who were fed dumplings to change sides and start attacking the others of Kaido's forces who didn't, allowing the heroes some breathing room to finally focus on their individual fights against the Animal Kingdom officers.
  • Blush Sticker: Tama's childish and innocent look is enhanced by the two pink marks on her cheeks.
  • Call-Back: Her role as a hat weaver, coupled with the fact that her village's name translates to "Straw Hat" and her connection to Ace all imply that she's the one who taught him how to weave the hat for Oars Jr.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: Tama debuts as a poor girl who gets saved by Luffy and shows the ability to tame animals and SMILE users. During the war at Onigashima, Tama secretly arrives and with her power she turns the tides of the war, which initially is in Kaido's favour thanks to his numerical advantage.
  • Damsel in Distress: When Luffy meets her, she's captured by some of Kaido's goons. She's kidnapped again by other Animal Kingdom Pirates in the Leftovers Town and is rescued again.
  • Expy: Tama and her role in the Wano arc is based off the legend of Momotaro. She has the ability to tame animals with dangos, just like Momotaro does, and two of the tamed animals are a white monkey and a komainu (a kind of dog), just like two of Momotaro's three companions. The inspirations grows stronger when Tama uses her devil fruit powers to control an army of SMILE users.
  • Fluffy Tamer: Her Dango can pacify and tame any beast, no matter how nasty. She tames a giant baboon, and also has a Komachiyo as a pet. It even works on SMILE users. However, the effect only lasts one month, then it falls to how the person or creature felt during this time and they can choose to remain on good terms or not with her afterwards.
  • Heart Is an Awesome Power: Tama's Devil Fruit ability of taming beasts appears to be situational at best, until she learns it works on SMILE users as well, allowing her to turn a good many members of the Animal Kingdom Pirates, and later become the most important player during the war at Onigashima when she single-handedly turns the tables in favour of the samurai/pirates alliance.
  • Heroic BSoD: Tama goes into a major depression once she learns about Ace's death in the worst way possible. She snaps out of it later on.
  • Irony: Though Tama has waited for Ace to come back, she suffers a Heroic BSoD after she learns the truth. Luffy doesn't tell her that he's Ace's brother who has sworn to carry on for Ace and is helping her partially due to Ace's memory and the promise he made to her.
  • I Will Wait for You: Tama has spent the past four years waiting for Ace to return to Wano, hoping to join his crew once she grew up. Unfortunately, due to Wano being an isolated country, she doesn't find out about Ace's death until it's too late.
  • Locked Out of the Loop: In the Wano arc, she's kept in the dark about the Paramount War because of the Land of Wano's isolationism. Then, Luffy informs her of Ace's untimely demise.
  • Ms. Exposition: Since she's native to Wano, she fills Luffy in on some of the details of her country.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: After learning of Luffy's relationship with Ace, a tearful Tama becomes dumbstruck about what she has said to the former.
  • Necessary Drawback:
    • The way Tama plucks out her dumplings is by pulling them from her cheek and only she can do it; if someone else tries, they'll just be pinching her cheek. However, doing so repeatedly saps at her stamina bit by bit. When she's shown stowing away to go to Onigashima, she creates a ton of dumplings during the journey and is visibly struggling to keep going, much to Speed's worry. This drawback prevents her Devil Fruit from being too overpowered against an army of SMILE users and turning nearly the entirety of Kaido's forces into her allies. In chapter 1011, while fighting Page One, Usopp comments that her Devil Fruit cannot work on natural Zoan users.
    • There is a time limit to how long her influence lasts as well. Those who consume her dango are under her influence for a month. However, they can remain friendly towards her if they choose to afterwards.
  • Nice Girl: As early as her debut chapter, Tama feeds Luffy her entire stock of rice, which she's only allowed to eat twice a year.
  • Ninja Brat: Tama claims to be a kunoichi in training, but she doesn't show any real ninja feats. At the end of the Wano Arc, she becomes Shinobu's apprentice.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted. She has the same name as a sphinx in Whitebeard's hometown.
  • Pauper Patches: To show how poor she is, her kimono is patched.
  • Secret Legacy: Unbeknownst to all of her friends, Tama is actually a member of the Kurozumi clan.
  • Sole Survivor: After the events of the Wano arc, Tama is the last known survivor of the Kurozumi clan.
  • Spanner in the Works: When the agents of CP-0 predict the pirate/samurai alliance's defeat at the hands of Kaido's numerically superior force through sheer attrition, they don't count on Tama using her powers to turn the SMILE users against Kaido, dramatically shifting the power balance. She also reveals to Big Mom that the town that was nice to her while she was amnesic was burned down, causing Big Mom to break the alliance.
  • Tender Tears: When Tama learns from Nami of Luffy and Ace's relationship, she gently cries as she realizes how much Luffy suffered from the latter's death.
    Tama: (With Ocular Gushers) Whaaaat?! Bi.. big.. Big Bro Luffy's... ...Ace's brother?!! Then I touched a really sore spot for him!!
  • This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: Tama's Devil Fruit ability to tame animals initially appears to be of little use, especially in the hands of a little kid. But, since it works on SMILE users as well, it becomes absolutely vital when she reaches Onigashima and single-handedly turns the tide of the battle by making a good part of Kaido's army change sides, removing their numerical advantage.
  • Through His Stomach: The reason Luffy decides that she's good is because she feeds him her entire ration of rice. Which she's only allowed to eat twice a year.
  • Token Mini-Moe: She's eight years old, and cute as a button. Downplayed because there's also Toko, although Tama plays a bigger role in the Wano arc.
  • Took a Level in Badass: She starts as a frail kunoichi in training who needs to be saved and protected to being able to control a significant amount of members of one of the strongest (and largest) pirate crews of the world with her powers and sheer will. She basically turns the number of allies in favor of Luffy and the others.
  • White Sheep: In chapter 1051, in a flashback after the Onigashima War, Tama's parents gravestones reveal that their surname is Kurozumi, making her the only known good person from the clan that is otherwise presented as villainous. Oda confirms this in SBS 105.
  • You Remind Me of X: As she continues to interact with Luffy, and especially when he uses the red hawk, Tama makes note that he's a lot like Ace. Luffy doesn't reveal to her that this is because he's Ace's foster brother but she learns it through Nami and Usopp.

    Tenguyama Hitetsu 

Tenguyama Hitetsu

Voiced by: Ryūzaburō Ōtomo (JP), John Burgmeier (EN)

Age: 81

Debut: Chapter 911 (Manga), Episode 894 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tenguyama_hitetsu_anime.png

A swordsmith, as well as Tama's friend. He deeply cares for her, and along with Tama, is one of the only two people remaining in their village.


  • The Blacksmith: He is a Swordsmith of some renown. Zoro's Kitetsu III is one of his line's works.
  • Evil Weapon: His Ancestor made the infamous Kitetsu trio. The second of which is in his hand.
  • Famous Ancestor: His ancestor is Kitetsu, the blacksmith who created a trio of supremely powerful but cursed swords.
  • Gag Nose: As expected, he has a huge red nose that, in some panels, seems to change in length. Subverted, it's a mask.
  • Hope Bringer: He tells Tama of Lady Toki's prophecy and how things will turn around for Wano in a few years to help her not give into despair after her parents die.
  • Meaningful Name: Besides the obvious one with his family name, "Hitetsu" read literally means "non-ferrous", referring to his blade-smithing.
  • Mr. Exposition: He explains Tama's history as well as the country's Kaido situation to Luffy.
  • Papa Wolf: Although not her father, he's the one taking care of Tama, and is very protective of her, like when he kicks Luffy for having eaten her rice that she can eat only twice a year.
  • Parental Substitute: He takes Tama in after her parents died working in one of Orochi's factories.
  • Really Royalty Reveal: He's actually Kozuki Sukiyaki, father of Oden who's presumed dead for 20 years.
  • Tengu: His design, in a nutshell, is heavily based off this figure.

Okobore Town

    Tsuru 

Tsuru

Voiced by: Shino Kakinuma (JP), Hope Endreyni (EN)

Age: 55

Debut: Chapter 912 (Manga), Episode 897 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tsuru.png

A tea shop owner living in Wano. After Zoro rescues her from some of Kaido's thugs, she repays him by treating Tama's poisoning. There's more to her than what she appears to be. She is the wife of Kin'emon.


  • Animal Motifs: Tsuru is the Japanese for "crane" and, like the titular bird, Tsuru has a very long neck while her kimono presents the silhouettes of two cranes.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: While Tsuru is friendly to anyone who doesn't try to steal from her, she's very thankful to Luffy and Zoro for having saved her from Kaido's goons and prepares them a meal.
  • Berserk Button:
    • She doesn't take "no" for an answer. When Tama repeatedly declines food Tsuru offers her, Tsuru flips her lid and grabs the poor child by the collar to make her accept it.
    • She also doesn't like thieves, as not even a teenage Kin'emon can get away with so much as touching her koban. Being able to fend off her treasury from her childhood friend in his thuggish years speaks a lot about her.
  • Happily Married: It's later revealed that Tsuru is Kin'emon's wife and, despite the latter being missing for 20 years, she has remained faithful to him.
  • Non-Standard Character Design: She's not drawn in the usual One Piece style, but like a Ukiyo-e painting.
  • Older Than They Look: Given that she's Kin'emon's wife, she's likely around 50, but she looks at least ten years younger. Kin'emon himself comments that she hasn't changed a bit after 20 years.
  • One Degree of Separation: She's actually Kin'emon's wife, and hasn't seen him since he was flung 20 years into the future by Kozuki Toki.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted; she shares her name with Vice-Admiral Tsuru, though hers is written in kanji. Fans refer to her as O-Tsuru to avoid confusion.
  • True Blue Femininity: Tsuru has the appearance of a woman from an Ukiyo-e painting and wears a blue kimono to highlight her femininity and elegance.
  • Uncertain Doom: Prior to the Fire Festival, the citizens of Okobore Town took the blame for the thefts from a nearby farm to protect the rebels. As a result, the town is burned to the ground by Holdem but Tsuru's fate remains unknown until the aftermath of the Onigashima War, where she's happily reunited with Kin'emon, and is revealed that she suffered a nasty burn.

Bakura Town

    Urashima 

Urashima

Voiced by: Mitsuaki Kanuma (JP), Campbel Cooley (EN)

Debut: Chapter 913 (Manga), Episode 899 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/urashima_2.png

"Silence, commoners! From the perspective of the warrior class, you're ALL chattel!! Whether any of you live or die, is up to ME!"
Chapter 915

A Sumo Wrestler in Wano and one of the most famous, he's proud of his status and abuses of it at the expenses of those of lower ranks, he also wants to make Kiku his wife despite the latter declining his numerous proposals. Being proud of his fame, he doesn't like being humiliated in front of others, and gets angry when Kiku cuts his topknot.

Luffy challenges him in a sumo match and, despite using dirty tricks, Urashima is easily defeated by Luffy with a single harite and sent flying to Holdem's mansion.


  • Abhorrent Admirer: He keeps proposing to Kiku who is blatantly uninterested and he doesn't get it until she cuts his topknot.
  • Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Urashima is an unpleasant sumo wrestler who brags about his social status and sumo abilities and treats lower-ranking people like trash. Yet, when he faces a strong enemy, he doesn't hesitate in using unfair attacks, making his defeat at the hands of Luffy all of the more satisfying.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Despite using straight sumo techniques, Urashima's not afraid to go for the eyes if he starts getting mad. Luffy even notes some of his attacks aren't fair tricks.
  • Curbstomp Battle: None of his attacks touch Luffy, and the latter defeats him with a Gear Third harite (a slap in the face).
  • Entitled to Have You: He believes that his position, wealth, and strength mean that Kiku is obligated to marry him. She won't be having any of it.
  • Fat Bastard: He wants to marry Kiku and is willing to destroy her life to do so. That's not even taking the way he treats people of lower social rank into account...
  • Faux Affably Evil: He likes to put on airs of being generous and honorable, but he's more than willing to destroy Kiku's life (possibly even considering rape) if she won't accept his advances. Then she cuts off his topknot, and even his pretentious airs go right out the window.
  • Gonk: He's not exactly pleasing on the eyes, justified since a sumo wrestler needs to be very fat.
  • Jerkass: Urashima is a very mean person who tries to make Kiku marry him, treats the lower-class like scum, and he is a sore loser.
  • Kick the Dog: After Mouseman tells Urashima about the influence and power he has as one of Wano's most famous sumo wrestler, Urashima orders an old couple to cook their pet racoon dog for him as a proof of how cruel and uncaring to the commoners he is.
  • Lack of Empathy: Seeing that a restaurant family happens to own a raccoon dog, which has been their faithful pet for years, he orders them to cook it up for his meal just to show off his authority. He's also insistent on having Kiku marry him even though she's refused him multiple times.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: A two-fold example. Firstly, his unwanted advances on Kiku, in which he claims his right to have her thanks to his higher social rank, finally push her too far. In answer, she cuts off his topknot, which is a humiliating insult in old samurai culture. Then, after sending multiple opponents flying out of the ring during his matches, he himself is launched out of the ring by one of Luffy's Gear Third strikes.
  • Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: A variation, he can attack with multiple sumo-slaps at high speed.
  • Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: When the audience of his latest match boos and jeers Kiku from coming from a lower social class, he chews them out and declares that if Kiku marries him, she'll be of a higher class than them.
  • Stout Strength: Like real-life sumo wrestlers, there's a lot of muscle strength behind his bulky frame. He's nowhere near Luffy's league, though.
  • Sumo Wrestling: His main characteristic is being a renowned sumo wrestler, and one of the strongest ones in Wano. However, he's not above using dirty tricks to win a fight.
  • Unstoppable Rage: He completely loses it when Kiku cuts his topknot off, switching his objective from marrying her to murdering her. Luffy quickly puts a stop to it.
  • Would Hit a Girl: In his case, Would Kill A Girl, just for cutting off his topknot. Good thing Luffy stops him from doing it.

Ringo Region

A snowy region, uninhabited with the exception of Gyukimaru. There is the Northern Cemetery, in which the bodies of warriors are preserved (thanks to the cold) along with their swords, including the grave of the legendary warrior Ryuma.

    Gyukimaru 

Gyukimaru/Onimaru

Voiced by: Hiroshi Shirokuma (JP), Cyrus Rodas (EN)

Age: 69

Debut: Chapter 936 (Manga), Episode 932 (Anime)

Devil Fruit: Human-Human Fruit, Model: Onyudo

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gyukimaru_anime_concept_art.png
Click here to see Gyukimaru's true form

"An opening is the path to victory in a fight to the death!! I strike only when opportunity presents itself!!"
Chapter 937

A massive warrior monk who carries a lot of weapons on his person he stole from warriors who tried to cross the bridge. Holds a great deal of respect for Ryuuma, claiming he's known as the "sword god".


  • Asian Fox Spirit: He's actually a fox called Onimaru, who takes the appearance of a human to protect the bridge.
  • Combat Pragmatist: This is played straight and then for laughs: he suddenly tries to stab Zoro when he's distracted, scolding him for taking the fight too lightly. He then keeps trying to spear Zoro when the latter is fighting Kamazo, calling him out each time, much to Zoro's annoyance.
  • Due to the Dead: The man has nothing but deep respect for Ryuuma, which is why he stole Zoro's Shuusui and returned it to Ryuuma's grave. As Onimaru, he kept watching over the tombs of Ringo until Kawamatsu persuaded him that those Gravestone Weapon could be of more use in the hands of the living.
  • Irony:
    • In his first appearence, he yells at Zoro for being distracted during a fight and tries to spear him. In his second appearance, his own distraction gets him shot by some Animal Kingdom Pirates looking for revenge.
    • He antagonizes Zoro in order to steal Shuusui and return it to Ryuuma's grave. An SBS then reveals that Zoro has a legitimate claim on the blade, as he's one of Ryuuma's descendants and the grandnephew of Onimaru's deceased master, Ushimaru.
  • Legacy Character: Kawamatsu initially took on the identity of Gyukimaru, in order to prevent grave robbers from crossing the bridge and stealing the swords. After Kawamatsu was imprisoned, Onimaru became a human and took the name Gyukimaru to protect the bridge in his place.
  • Made of Iron: He's shot by no less than three bullets from guns which are stated to be able to bring down even a rampaging wild beast: he's back on his feet and running away a few panels later.
  • Meaningful Name: The name Gyukimaru refers to the youkai Ushi Oni (Demon Bull), but is also a portmanteau of Benkei and Yoshitsune's youth names (Oniwaka and Ushiwakamaru). In this case, it refers to his real name, Onimaru, and his master's Ushimaru.
  • Mr. Exposition: After a brief clash against Zoro, he tells him (and the audience) of how Wano's country was formerly known as the Country of Gold and frequently attacked by pirates and foreign nobles, until Ryuuma's dragon-slaying feat and reputation kept everyone at bay. He also explains how swords become black if embedded with a lot of Armament Haki.
  • Morphic Resonance: His true form is that of a kitsune, and both forms have the same eyebrows and a similar nose.
  • No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Anyone vaguely familiar with Japanese History/folklore will recognize him as one for Musashibo Benkei, being a massive, ogre-like Sohei with a naginata and a basket filled with many melee weapons. He's even introduced challenging another swordsman, Zoro, on a bridge, while threatening to take his swords in case of victory.
  • Offscreen Moment of Awesome: It's never shown, but after Luffy arrives in Wano, he did steal Zoro's own sword Shuusui and returned it to its proper place evading Zoro in the process.
  • Pet the Dog: In spite of all his talk about pragmatic fighting, he doesn't lift a finger when a wounded Zoro's about to fall down K.O. and is content to leave, smirking, after taking Kamazo's other scythe with him.
  • The Reveal: His real name is Onimaru, the fox companion of the daimyo of Ringo and Kawamatsu’s friend during the time between Hiyori’s leaving and him being arrested.
  • Shapeshifting: It’s revealed that he can change between a human form and fox form, with the latter being how he really looks.
  • Trademark Favourite Food: Fried tofu, a typical dish traditionally associated with foxes.
  • Walking Armory: Like his inspiration, many weapons can be seen poking from the basket on his back, including swords, hammers, saws, spears, and sickles. Zoro even comments that if he defeats him, he could arm the rebels with his arsenal.
  • Warrior Monk: Being based off a famous monk, the looks and weaponry are of the typical Japanese Sohei warrior.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: He constantly stole weapons from countless warriors for several years, even if it meant kill them for their weapons, but he did so to ensure the rebellion against Kaido stood a chance at victory.
  • You Shall Not Pass!: Fights Zoro on Bandit Bridge to keep him from pursuing Shuusui, like Benkei did to obtain 100 swords in his famous, romanced story. More poignantly, he's been defending Ringo graveyards from would-be graverobbers. He did for five years alone until Kawamatsu comes along, and other thirteen years after that until Kawamatsu comes to retrieve the swords for the samurai army.

Creatures

In the Land of Wano, lives a great variety of creatures. Many of which have a characteristic flame-like mane.

    Mountain God 

Mountain God

Debut: Chapter 960 (Manga), Episode 960 (Anime)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mountain_god_anime_concept_art.png

"The ancient scrolls say it's a white boar the size of a mountain!! That's what they call the Mountain God!!"
Denjiro (Chapter 960)

A boar so gigantic people mistake it for a mountain, which is considered a legendary creature. Forty-one years before the events of the Wano Arc, it rampages through the Flower Capital while looking for its child, destroying a good portion of the city until is stopped by Oden. A few years later, he's seen still alive and tamed by Oden.


  • Ambiguous Gender: Both the Mountain God's and its child's gender aren't specified.
  • Death by Adaptation: The Mountain God is never seen again in the Anime after being bifurcated, with its Unexplained Recovery scene cut out. Implying that it was killed by Oden's attack.
  • Defeat Equals Friendship: Justified, since it's a wild animal. After being defeated by Oden, the Mountain God has become loyal to him.
  • Full-Boar Action: The Mountain God is an enormous boar that can destroy an entire region if enraged.
  • Giant Animal Worship: While not worshipped, the white boar is described by Denjiro as the size of the mountain, and for this reason it's also known as the "Mountain God".
  • Gigantic Adults, Tiny Babies: A young white boar is small enough to get mistaken for a common pig, while the adult is the size of a mountain. A few years after that, the baby became as large as an elephant.
  • Glasgow Grin: Exaggerated. Oden cuts the Mountain God in half at its mouth's height, but it gets stitched back together, resulting in two stitches from its mouth that cross its entire body.
  • God Guise: In Wano, white boars are believed to be the heralds of the gods.
  • Half the Man He Used to Be: Oden stops the Mountain God by slicing it in half, freeing all the people that have been swallowed. Subverted when the Mountain God is later seen stitched back together.
  • Mama Bear: Or Papa Wolf, since its gender is unknown. The Mountain God is said to move only when its child is taken, and would've destroyed an entire city if Oden hasn't stopped it.
  • Non-Malicious Monster: The Mountain God rampages through the Flower Capital simply to find its child, but still causes a lot of destruction.
  • Only a Flesh Wound: Oden cuts the Mountain God in half lengthwise, yet it not only survives, it gets literally stitched back together with nothing but a line of cross stitches to show for it. It turned out in SBS Volume 100, that Oden's cut was simply THAT clean and precise.
  • Shout-Out: To the Kojiki, which describes the Kami of Mount Ibuki as a giant white boar slain by Yamato Takeru.
  • Swallowed Whole: While rampaging through the Flower Capital, the Mountain God swallows several people, but they're all freed after Oden cuts it in two.
  • Unexplained Recovery: Oden slices the Mountain God clean in half lengthwise, but it's later shown stitched back together and no worse for wear.
  • The Worf Effect: The Mountain God is strong enough to not feel any of Kin'emon's attacks, but is easily sliced in two by Oden, showing how strong he is.

Past characters

    Shimotsuki Ryuma 
See his entry on the Thriller Bark Pirates page.

    Shimotsuki Ushimaru 

Shimotsuki Ushimaru

Voiced by: Ryōta Takeuchi (JP), Christopher R. Sabat (EN)

Debut: Chapter 953 (Manga), Episode 964 (Anime)

A descendant of Shimotsuki Ryuma and the deceased former daimyo of the Ringo region, the former owner/companion of Onimaru, and Yamato's friend.


  • Comforting Comforter: Shimotsuki Ushimaru covers a sleeping child Yamato with his yukata when they were both imprisoned by Kaido in a cave.
  • Generation Xerox: He's a near mirror image of both Ryuma, his Famous Ancestor, and of Roronoa Zoro, his great-nephew. If Kawamatsu and Hyogoro are to be believed, he also had a similar fighting style to both of them. In fact, Zoro's strong resemblance to him is why the people of Wano and the members of the Kozuki clan in particular warmed up to him so quickly, which is why Kawamatsu didn't protest when Hiyori offered Enma to Zoro in exchange for Shusui.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In Yamato's flashback, he gave his life in a Last Stand against Kaido alongside two of his fellow samurai in order to ensure Yamato would survive to fight in the Final Battle against his father decades later.
  • Posthumous Character: By the time of the present storyline, he's been dead for around twenty years.
  • Present Absence: Despite his death, he still influences much of the plot of the Wano arc. His companion Onimaru still guards the Ringo region in his stead as Gyukimaru, and his heavy resemblance to his great-nephew Zoro is the reason why the latter ingratiates with the people of Wano so easily, leading him to inherit Enma, one of the swords of Kozuki Oden.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: His resemblance to Zoro is not a coincidence; an SBS reveals he is the younger brother of Zoro's grandmother Shimotsuki Furiko, making him the latter's biological great-uncle.
  • Undying Loyalty: As a former daimyo, he's very loyal to the Kozuki clan, and to Kozuki Oden in particular. He admits to Yamato during his flashback that he loved Oden much like Yamato does.


Alternative Title(s): One Piece Wano Country, One Piece Wano Kozuki Kurozumi Clan And Allies, One Piece Wano Kurozumi Clan And Allies, One Piece Kurozumi Orochi

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