Summary
Swords and their standing in the world play a huge world inOne Piece,as some of the most revered characters in the series have owned blades that are just as legendary. Made by the hands of some of the greatest blacksmiths on the entire Grand Line, weapons such as Ace and Murakumogiri have gone down the history books as some of the biggest reasons why Roger and Whitebeard were as powerful as they were.
Since there is such an emphasis put on these weapons and their role within the overall story ofOne Piece, it should also be noted thatsome of the most powerful swordsin the world belong to the legendary Kitetsu line. Made in the Wano Country, the 3 Kitetsu swords have been present in the series since the early days, so let’s break down each of these weapons and see what makes them so formidable!
Other Name: Kitetsu 3
First Appearance
One Piece, Episode 49, “Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri! Zoro’s New Swords, and the Female Master Chief Petty Officer”
Sword Grade
Grade Sword
The first of the 3 legendary Kitetsu blades is the Sandai Kitetsu, which was shown in the early days of the series and has seen many battles in the hands of Zoro. Being the weakest of the line, Kitetsu 3 is still classified as Meito, or named blade, but it doesn’t fall into the category of Fine, Great,or Supreme Grade Swords, instead just being a Grade Sword.
Still, though, this doesn’t mean that this weapon is weak by any means. Found by Zoro in the shop of a sword seller very early in the Loguetown arc, the Sandai Kitetsu was introduced as a cursed blade, a fact that was later revealed to be the calling card of the Kitetsu line. It is said whoever wields any of them will eventually meet a gruesome end. After realizing that his luck is greater than the curse of the sword, Zoro decides to keep it.
Why don’t we test what’s stronger? My luck… or its curse?
Forged by one of Wano’s greatest blacksmiths, Kozuki Sukiyaki, the Sandai Kitetsu is a formidable blade able to easily destroy any other run-of-the-mill weapon, yet pales incomparison to the graded blades above it. The cursed power of the blade is something Zoro can sense from it, and can even use to his favor, as was seen whenever he uses the sword in battle. The Sandai Kitetsu is famous for its sharpness, as Zoro was able to cut the Water Train in half by using this blade in the Water 7 arc.
Moreover, the sword was powerful enough to go up against the legendary Shusui in the hands of arguably the greatest swordsman to have ever lived, Shimotsuki Ryuma, though Zoro did say that it would have broken if the fight went on any longer. Kitetsu 3 is called a ‘problem child’ blade, always making Zoro want to cut more and cause devastation even when he doesn’t want to. Zoro still uses this blade alongside his other 2 Great Grade Blades, showing just how formidable this weapon truly is.
Other Name: Kitetsu 2
One Piece, Episode 897, “Save O-Tama - Straw Hat, Bounding through the Wasteland!”
Great Grade
The further down one goes through the Kitetsu line, the less is known about them due to their sparing appearances in the series. However, just like the Sandai Kitetsu, the Nidai Kitetsu is also cursed but is far greater in terms of its strength due to beingone of the 21 Great Grade Blades. The extraordinary durability and sharpness of this sword are what make it so formidable, though it hasn’t seen much use in battle.
It’s a well-known sword! It’s a sin to carry it so casually!
However, despite its brief showings, it is still on par with Enma, Shusui, Wado Ichimonji, and Ame no Habakiri due to it being a Great Grade Blade and the direct creation of the legendary blacksmith, Kotetsu. This means that, in the right hands, this weapon is strong enough to cut the very Earth itself. Furthermore, this blade is extremely dangerous even when wielded by those who are inexperienced with swordsmanship, as Luffy, who is famous for never wielding a sword, was able to cut through other weapons with ease when he used it during the Wano arc.
Other Names: Kitetsu 1
First Mention
Supreme Grade
Unlike the other 2 Kitetsu blades, the Shodai Kitetsu has only ever been mentioned, with its possible location only being theorized. However, this blade is the original in this line and isknown to be a Supreme Grade weapon, which puts it on the same level as Ace, Murakumogiri, and Yoru, meaning that its power is second to none. Pretty much nothing more is known about this weapon, but it’s fair to assume that the durability, strength, sharpness, and curse of this weapon are far greater than those of the other 2.
The possible location of the Shodai Kitetsu is still a mystery, though many fans seem to have an idea where it might be. More than sharing the curse, the Kitetsu blades are also very similar in appearance due to being made by the same school of blacksmiths, which is why many think that Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro of the Gorosei has the legendary Shodai Kitetsu.
My ancestor, Kotetsu, forged that world-famous sword!
This is because he is always pictured with a long katana. This katana has the same tsuba, or guard, as Kitetsu 2 and 3, leading many to think that it is the Shodai Kitetsu. It would also make sense for him to have it, since theother known Supreme Grade weaponsbelong to some of the most powerful characters in the series, so one of the 5 Elders of theOne Pieceworld would be a perfect contender to use such a fearsome weapon!
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One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
