Roronoa Zoro - Blog Posts
Mihawk and his spotlights
OMG JUST UNCOVERED: SHORT SEGMENT OF THE ANIMATION MEME I THOUGHT I HAD LOST FOREVER T O T!!!
Oh boy I thought people were over the Rayleigh-Zoro parallel being a 1 for 1 thing. But I see with this chapter they're not and now they're doing the same with Sanji and Gabán.
Rayleigh was a parallel to both Zoro and Sanji and Gaban's the same.
Rayleigh's a swordsman but he also uses his legs to fight while Gabán uses two axes (which ironically makes for 3 weapons + 1 pair of legs, it's probably just chance but who knows with Oda).
Rayleigh made fun of Zoro's stupidity the same way Sanji would, he's got a got a scar similar to Zoro's.
Rayleigh's a big drinker like Zoro and Gaban's very into love like Sanji.
Gaban's linked to Wano like Zoro and they both like to stir shit up.
Both Sanji-Zoro and Gabán-Rayleigh will not hesitate to argue against their captains if they feel like it's needed, so far Gabán and Zoro have only been shown to do it when they're particularly worried (both shown in chapter 1139), meanwhile Sanji and Rayleigh will scold Luffy-Roger for more mundane stuff as much as when they're worried.
So like outwardly Gabán-Sanji and Zoro-Rayleigh parallels are super obvious but in truth it's a mix because Luffy's crew is not just a copy of Roger's.
(also don't comment by saying that both Rayleigh and Zoro are 1st mate/Vice Captain as a parallel, Oda confirmed in vol. 102's SBS Zoro isn't, which we've been knew but apparently not everyone, anyway the idea of the Strawhats having a 1st mate is just weird when them not caring about hierarchy bc they're a family is so important)
"Don't try to find a reason for somebody's love!"
Something about Zoro being one of the most misunderstood and mischaracterized characters in One Piece is funny (not haha funny, funny sad) to me because?? That’s literally how his introduction starts?? With people misunderstanding him and thinking he’s some big, monstrous demon who kills with cause and cannot be trusted or tamed.
Meanwhile the actual Zoro is a driven guy who is often both literally and figuratively directionless in life and found his goals in life through good people (first Kuina and then Luffy). He's tied up in the Marine base not due to those actual crimes he commuted (well not inherently anyway) but because he ‘disrespected’ a Captain's son and stood up for a little girl. He accepts the challenge they present to him and because Zoro himself is a guy that puts his money where his mouth is he assumes the Marines will uphold their end of the deal and let him go (note the actual shock when Koby tells him the truth)
He joins Luffy's crew but also outright says he’s not gonna let his goal take second place to Luffy or anyone else's for that matter, he bears the weight of two people's dreams, his heart isn’t going to be swayed by some pirate.
Speaking of Kuina, her impact and influence on Zoro's life isn’t talked about enough for my liking. She was Zoro's first friend, his first rival, his first goal. He looked up to her so much and his reaction to her passing cracks my heart in half every time because you can seem him just..go numb. Kuina, dead? Kuina, the strongest person he knows, gone? Kuina, who swore to him just yesterday they’d race to the top of the world together, doesn’t exist anymore. His blank face only cracking within the privacy of his sensei before he begs. He begs on his knees, tears streaming down his face please please please let me take Kuina's sword with me. Let me take our dream to a high neither of us could imagine. I won’t let her name die here.
On top of gaining the Wado Ichimonji that day Zoro also gained…fear. Not of death, well at the very least not his own, he gained his fear of not being enough. Kuina kicked his ass every way a person could and still died, what could someone like him do? So he trains…and trains…and trains some more. Overly, obsessively, constantly telling himself he’s not enough, he’s weak, he can’t protect anyone like this and everyone's death would be on him.
As for Zoro being cold and stoic that’s just…not completely true? He’s not stone, he can be excited or sad or angry just as much as most characters he just sucks at showing it canonically (Kuina thinks he hates her before their final fight after all). Sure he’s not as forthcoming about it as some of the other Strawhats but Zoro's more of an action guy anyway, he'll show his love with his protection and unwavering faith.
In conclusion, Zoro is a ridiculously stubborn, incredibly loyal, mildly emotionally constipated, do what you say/say what you mean kinda guy.
(Also that whole ‘Zoro would kill the whole crew if Luffy asked him to’ thing? Top ten stupidest things I’ve ever heard from the fandom and that’s saying a lot. He’s loyal not brainless and heartless guys if Luffy asked him to do that, he would never but I digress, Zoro would square the fuck up with him so fast. DPMO.)
Zoro to Road in this chapter:
zoro and law were so unnecessarily rude to tashigi in punk hazard, and my first reaction was to be irked by the misogynistic aspect of it. oda’s treatment of tashigi’s character is questionable, but there’s actually more to it than her being a woman
as we know, zoro can’t stand that she looks like kuina while being a weak crybaby: she vindicates kuina’s fears that women can’t be strong warriors. being so condescending towards her is a way for him to assert that she is not kuina (because kuina was so much stronger than him)
law is trickier because he is a douche to everyone & has no particular connection to tashigi. but the words he tells tashigi also happen to be the philosophy of doflamingo, the man he hates most in the entire world.
why would he think the same way as the man who caused him so much pain? law is obsessed by revenge against doflamingo for killing corazon. in doflamingo’s own words, cora was a weak person; he didn’t get to choose how he died. the injustice of it fuelled everything law undertook for the second half of his life
so why is law parroting that philosophy? maybe because fighting against a clumsy, emotional marine reminded him of the person he lost, and why he lost him
someone who also happened to be a weakling fighting for a desperate cause, who cried for sick children abandoned by the world
tashigi is a character of her own with her own goals, but others keep seeing their dead loved ones in her: she reminds zoro and nami of their best friend and mother respectively.
not to say oda isn’t misogynistic (he is), but tashigi’s weakness specifically mirrors the fragility of other characters who unjustly died because of that fragility, and yet changed everything for the people in their lives
Guys don't make fun of me i got lazy and couldn't draw. Just use your imagination.
Hidden Desire
My second contribution to @zolo-san’s 1k ZoSan Community Collab!
Written using @zorosleftankle’s Prompt/Headcanon: Obsessed with Sanji being into Zoro and secretly finding him hot but he only acts on it when he’s drunk but never remembers it so he still acts like it’s a secret
Zoro already knows but goes along with it because if that’s what makes the cook happy and how he can mentally deal with being into the sexiest swordsman then he’s fine with it 😎
Summary:
What happens when Sanji gets drunk?
Certainly a lot of messing around and fun to be had with the crew, that’s a given, but then there’s also Zoro, who Sanji would never, ever, admit his attraction to. Right?
Or;
Sanji has the worst case of denial. Zoro goes along with a lot to keep him happy.
Here’s a little sneak peak!
Excerpt:
His cool, steel grey eyes warming, revealing the flecks of gold in them when he smiles and the sun hits them just right. His teeth — still sharp and dangerous — surrounded by a grin so genuine it makes Sanji’s stomach ache and his toes curl.
This is how he ends up lying in the grass on Sunny’s deck. Zoro is there, leaning back on his elbows as he watches the crew with that warm fondness that seems to slip through the cracks more and more with every day, and Sanji is helplessly drawn to him like a moth to flame.
He groans, overwhelmed by how attractive Zoro is, and promptly begins gently kicking him in the head. It only seems natural that Sanji return the headache thinking about Zoro’s good looks always affords him.
Zoro raises a brow at him, but he doesn’t retaliate beyond grabbing Sanji’s boot to halt his gentle assault. “What do you want, Cook?”
Sanji frowns, makes a weak attempt to pull his leg back, then gives up entirely too easily. Something about the way Zoro is holding him feels nice. “You’re pissing me off.”
Zoro rolls his eye. “And how’s that?”
“Sitting there, smiling, looking all hot and unbothered while you make my insides stir. You’re not even trying. It’s annoying.”
Zoro actually laughs at that. His fingers curl around Sanji’s left ankle, thumbing over the jut of bone there. Sanji shudders, eyes fluttering as he watches that calloused thumb drag soft patterns over his skin.
“Oh, is that all?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Sanji shrugs noncommittally. He’s a little distracted.
Zoro tugs. Sanji goes easily, allowing himself to be yanked into place at Zoro’s side.
Zoro puts his drink down in the grass beside them, then turns so that he’s leaning into Sanji’s space; Sanji’s legs bracketing his hips, Zoro’s head hovering above his chest as those rough, strong fingers curve around his calve in a touch so gentle Sanji actually shivers and arches into it.
“If I didn’t know any better, Curls, I’d think you were hitting on me.” There’s a conspiratorial tug to his lips, like there’s a joke between them that Sanji is forgetting the context to, but he doesn’t care. Not when Zoro’s here, looking hot as all hell, and is halfway atop him.
Let me know what you think so far. The rest can be found here! Hope you enjoy!
But You Don’t Get Cold
This is my first post here on tumblr, so I figured it should be about these two loveable idiots.
Here’s a snippet of one of my recently posted oneshots!
Summary:
Sanji is awakened from his slumber by what feels like a devastating sea wave. Zoro joins him in bed, supplying “I was cold” as his reason.
Something about that doesn’t sit right with Sanji.
Excerpt:
“Why?” Sanji mutters sleepily. When Zoro hums a curious note, he elaborates. “Are you in my bunk.”
Zoro huffs a warm, amused breath against Sanji’s ear. His bangs fan across the bridge of his nose, tickling gently, but Sanji is too used to the feeling of them splayed across his face to be bothered.
“I was … cold,” Zoro explains.
Sanji hums a sound of assent, then closes his eyes again, content to return to sleep now that he has his answer.
It takes him about thirty whole seconds — which is far too long; just how deep was that sleep, anyway? — to realize something about that statement is fundamentally wrong.
The Moss-Head came to my bed because he’s cold…?
Zoro coming to his bunk, while a new development in their new relationship, is normal. This is supported by Zoro’s brazenness and overall comfort pressing feather-light kisses down the side of Sanji’s neck. So easily, he draws soft, weak sounds of content pleasure from Sanji’s unwilling but un-opposing mouth.
Thankfully, he’s now roused enough to probe the Sunny with his observation haki. Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Brook and Jinbei, all accounted for in the boys’ room, fast asleep. Franky and sweet Robin, up and about, on the deck for night watch duty. Precious Nami getting her beauty sleep in the lovely women’s quarters.
Still, something feels off.
Zoro .. came to Sanji’s bed .. because he is cold….
Then, as Sanji leans back against Zoro’s shirtless chest with a pleased hum, it hits him like a warm gust of Alabastian wind forewarning the next khamsin. “You don’t even get cold.”
Zoro snorts.
Hope you guys enjoyed this snippet!! I’d loved to hear what you think so far.
This idea came to me a couple weeks ago, and I thought it was just too damn cute not to write out. The rest can be found on here on ao3!
i finished fishman island!!
although i wasn't hooked from the beginning, this arc really grew on me! i really loved seeing the straw hats together again after their 2 year break. considering how emotional i was from everything that happened in marineford, it took a while to adjust to the new change of pace in the series! but seeing how strong & confident the members were made me feel so proud!!
each member of the grew worked hard to become stronger individuals for themselves AND for their captain/crew. some members trained to become physically stronger, some took the time to educate themselves, and some did both! zoro, nami, luffy, & robin are my personal favorite straw hats, so seeing them as better versions of themselves made me really happy!!! i love how hard everyone worked, and you could see it all pay off in this arc!
once i read/watched more of this arc, i started to really enjoy the plot! It was a very different side of one piece that we hadn't seen yet, other than in the sabaody archipelago arc. it expanded on the prejudice & discrimination that fishmen faced throughout history. how the hatred finds its way to the children, which creates more hatred. i really loved the narrator's monologue during the scene where jimbei gives his blood to luffy. it perfectly summarized the painful history between humans & fishmen. with jimbei's selfless act, it begins a new path for fishman island.
personally, this arc isn't in my top 5, but i really did enjoy it! i found it to be fun and the plot very interesting. i also really liked that we found out what the ancient weapon actually was in this arc after hearing about it for so long.
overall, i really loved how this arc showed us how much the straw hats grew during the timeskip. everyone did their best to become stronger so they could be prepared for the journey to the new world. i find it beautiful how devoted they are to each other and to their captain. i'm looking forward to what's next!
i love the straw hats so much!! every member has their own role and interests, and sometimes they don't align, but they all want to be together anyway. like zoro doesn't HAVE to be a pirate, sanji can cook anywhere, nami can be anyone's navigator, BUT THEY CHOOSE LUFFY!! each crew member meets luffy at the right time. before they did what they knew best, but after meeting luffy & becoming a crew member, their whole world has changed for the better. robin & nami in particular make me so emotional. they are now free to do what they want! every crew member has the freedom to live their lives on their own terms without judgment. it's so beautiful <3
i love watching edits in my spare time of my favorite characters & ships. especially with a song i love or a song that perfectly captures the characters so well. it just makes me so happy! it’s so beautiful to see so many people love the media i love & be able to create art with it. edits are one of my favorite things about starting a series!!
i finished thriller bark!
this arc was so much fun!! the world building is crazy and SOOOO GOOD!!! every arc i love the crew more and more. seeing the scaredy cat trio try to find their way back was so fun. had so many funny moments and one of the best zoro moments! AND WE GOT A NEW MEMBER YAAAAY 🫂🫂🫂🫂🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
i finished enies lobby arc!!
nico robin has become a favorite character of mine because of this arc! her backstory was so heartbreaking but so well written. i’m so happy she found a place to call home with friends who love her!!!!
the fights were amazing!! luffy using second & third gear was so cool! i loved seeing zoro using new techniques while fighting, he’s just very fun to watch to me! sanji’s fire leg was amazing also!! nami’s lightning technique was also really fun to watch!
seeing them say goodbye to merry made me so sad but i’m so happy they have a new ship along with a new member!! the crew are back together sailing the ocean and i’m excited to see what’s next!
robin’s backstory is incredibly heartbreaking but so well written. learning the reason WHY ohara was obliterated while also seeing why robin is the way she is. for 20 years she had been hunted by people and the government without anyone to lean on. she lost the library full of knowledge, the archeologists who supported her, and her mother who she had JUST reunited with. she was only 8 years old when she had the entire world chasing after her.
the scholars of ohara had the ability to read poneglyphs that could explain what happened during the blank history. simply wanting to learn more about history is what caused ohara’s destruction. now robin is the only one in the entire world who can learn about what happened during that time. all because one single person is ABLE to learn about what really happened, the world government put an enormous bounty on her so she could be caught one day.
i have always liked robin’s character because of the small moments where it was clear she wasn’t TRULY evil. all she wanted was to get closer to what her loved ones devoted their lives researching. her life has been far from easy, having to run around finding ways to live. hearing people call her a “devil”, saying she couldn’t be trusted when it was all a way for her to live without getting turned in.
the scene where she finally speaks from the heart, shouting “i want to live” is one of the most beautiful moments in media i have ever seen. although it hasn’t been long, but robin has learned what it means to find people who love her. she has a crew full of people who not only care for her, but who would willingly declare war on the world government just to have her back with them.
all those years of suffering, her childhood of loneliness, having to deal with her trauma, have all led to this one moment. now robin can be true to herself. she can say what she truly wants because she isn’t alone anymore. robin now has friends who are willing to protect her.
finished water 7 arc!!
so peak! i loved that the problems weren’t JUST a new villain but also the issues between the crew. the usopp vs luffy situation was very realistic. i was so hurt by their argument but it was important to show the audience that not EVER moment between the crew is amazing. after all, they are all different people with different dreams and personalities.
robin’s storyline is amazing. i have grown very attached to her character. she’s beautiful, smart, caring, and it hurts when people from the government label her as a “devil”. she was just a child :(
overall, this arc is definitely my favorite so far. there was some cool moments, some sad ones, and funny ones!! just a perfect arc in my eyes!
side note: the scene where zoro gets stuck in a chimney and luffy gets stuck between the wall TWICE made me laugh so hard. def a highlight for me 😭
currently on water 7 arc and i saw some people say zoro doesn’t care about the crew as much but as i’m watching it’s very clear HE DOES! he’s just very big on tough love i feel. he isn’t gonna sugarcoat things or be swept by emotions which is important in a friend group i think! he’s very stable, very reliable. he’s going to be a reminder that you need to push through. all his fights he’s always on the brink of death yet doesn’t allow himself to give up. zoro is resilient.
with the usopp vs luffy situation, it’s clear he is bothered by it but he won’t allow luffy to stay in his feelings. after all, as the captain he has to worry about the state of the crew. i just really love that about zoro. he’s someone that’s going to remind you to stand up. he won’t let you stay upset, but will be there to tell you to keep moving forward. he keeps you pushing on.
zoro’s like the rock of the crew in my eyes! his resilience keeps everyone calm & collected in a crisis. he’s someone you can rely on when you have a problem!
I FINISHED SKYPIEA ARC!! the story was amazing!! i love how the past of the island had an affect on it’s future. it was so much fun, i loved seeing the straw hats in a different environment! AND LUFFY RINGING THE BELL AHHH JUST AMAZING 🫂🫂🫂
i didn’t think i would love zoro so much, but the more i get into one piece the more i love him! he’s incredibly hardworking, he’s devoted to his crew, he will put his all into a fight even if the the odds are against him. he’s so cool!! i always thought he was super serious but i love zoro’s silly side the most! he’s just very endearing and sweet. it makes me so happy to see him enjoying the adventures alongside his friends. he’s an amazing character!
i finished alabasta saga!! alabasta arc is 100% my fav arc so far!! so much fun, the story was amazing, the writing was great
i loved meeting ace! he was so much better than i expected! i knew he was a fan favorite but he was so much sweeter and kinder than i thought he would be!
robin’s character is very interesting to me & i’m excited she has joined the straw hats! i have always wanted to see more of her and i’m hoping i get more info on her soon!
vivi is amazing! her character was so beautiful & i felt myself get more invested in the story because of how strongly she felt about her situation. i hope we get to see her again one day!
this saga was so much fun! i switched between the manga & anime and i thought it was the best way for me! i’m so excited to see what comes next!
i just finished east blue saga!!
i thought it was a very fun start to the series!! i honestly liked it a lot more than i thought! the characters are fun, the story is great, just a very good watch!! arlong park is definitely my favorite arc in this saga! I LOVE THE STRAW HATS!!!
Maybe I should start One Piece for this single dad
Happy birthday, my favorite alcoholic