Throughout the entire One Piece franchise, swordsmen tend to be some of the most widespread warrior-types in the world. Of course, this makes sense as well, considering that the world is populated with pirates and Marines, so swords being incredibly common is a given. Because of this, there are a few who have risen as the strongest swordsmen in the world.
One of these is the vice captain of the Straw Hats, Roronoa Zoro, whose main goal is to become the World's Strongest Swordsman. However, in order to gain this title, 4 powerful characters stand in his way, so let's take a look at the strongest swordsmen in One Piece that Zoro hasn't fought yet.
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Fujitora Is The Owner Of A Supreme Grade Blade
Weapon: Yakuza Kasen
- A Navy Admiral.
Of course, fans don't typically attribute Fujitora's otherworldly strength to his swordsmanship, and it's also no secret that his powerful status is mostly due to his overpowered Devil Fruit and incredible Haki. Despite this, many tend to call Fujitora an obstacle in Zoro's path to become the Strongest Swordsman due to his Supreme Grade Sword, Yakuza Kasen.
If you lose credibility just by admitting fault, you didn't have any in the first place!
With the incredible strength of this weapon mixed with one of the most powerful Paramecia Devil Fruits, Fujitora is a strong and formidable opponent that Zoro must take down on his journey to become the strongest swordsman. Even if Fujitora had no skill as a swordsman, simply owning such a powerful weapon makes Fujitora a worthy challenger.
Shanks Is Powerful, But He Is Luffy's Goal To Reach
Weapon: Gryphon
- Roger's protégé.
No list of powerful One Piece characters can ever be complete without Shanks, who is one of the strongest figures in the story with arguably the strongest Conqueror's Haki in the modern era. On top of this, he is also an amazing swordsman who has had a rivalry with Mihawk; the man known around the world as the World's Strongest Swordsman.
Good reason or not... Nobody hurts a friend of mine!
However, it is very unlikely that Zoro ever fights him due to their aligned goals and the importance of Shanks in Luffy's life and the story as a whole. Shanks has always been the person whom Luffy aspires to be like and meet again, so it's highly unlikely that there will ever be any situation where Zoro of all people will feel the need to fight him. Some in the fandom think that Shanks may secretly be evil, but even if that is the case, no one aside from Luffy should face him from a narrative standpoint.
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Dracule Mihawk Is The One Zoro Aspires To Defeat One Day
Sword: Yoru
- The World's Strongest Swordsman.
As the most powerful swordsman in the world, Mihawk can be seen as the genesis and the eventual goal for Zoro's entire journey in the seas. It was revealed that Mihawk eventually grew bored with the world since he defeated everyone he always meant to due to his unrivaled power, with him refusing to fight his only true rival, Shanks, because of him losing his dominant arm.
Strive to surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!
Mihawk vs. Zoro is a fight that has been teased since the very beginning of the One Piece series as it is the main one that Zoro has trained all his life for. Due to the promise he made to Kuina, Zoro's life goal has always been to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, and the only way to do that is by dethroning the man who already owns that title, which is Mihawk. Once the time comes, Zoro's inevitable battle with Mihawk is set to change the power scaling of the series.
Nusjuro Is The Real Strongest Swordsman In The World
Weapon: Shodai Kitetsu
- An ancient swordsman.
It is clear that, in the Final War, the Gorosei are set to be Imu's main generals. Because of this, their strength is incredibly broken, with the 5 Elders set to face Luffy's most powerful allies in the Final War. Keeping with this trend, it seems that Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro may be Zoro's ultimate opponent during this incredible conflict, making him the true final test for the Pirate Hunter.
Because of this, most fans are convinced that it's actually Nusjuro who should own the title of World's Strongest Swordsman, not Mihawk. With his legendary Supreme Grade Sword, the Shodai Kitetsu, and centuries of experience honing his craft and skills, it's highly likely that Nusjuro is the pinnacle of swordsmanship in One Piece, and that Zoro will have to fight him to truly own the title and make his childhood dream come true.
One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
One Piece
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- October 20, 1999
