The Hidden Depth of ZORO | The Anatomy of One Piece

The hidden depth of Zoro's character is an analysis I've wanted to dive into for quite some time. Mostly because for the majority of the time I've enjoyed One Piece, I've actively been sort of lukewarm on him as a part of the Straw Hats. But today that all changes as I correct the record. Diving deep into the sublte character work Oda has offered this character I want to demonstrate just how wonderful, complex and yet beautifully simple Zoro's character is. This is the Anatomy of One Piece!

Thanks to @PrinceVegeta for voicing Zoro in an unadapted scene

MUSIC USED:

Zoro's Battle Theme
Zoro's Theme (Cover by Yottorai)
What Do You Fight For (Guilty Gear)
Snow (Katana Zero)
Decisive Battle (World Seeker)
The Showdown (White Bat)
Red Rose - Tragic Hero
Thornfelt Swamp (Ori)
Burned To Ashes (Unlimited Red)
The Very Very Strongest (Cover by Carameii)
To The Grand Line (Cover by GuildMasterMusic)
To The Grand Line (Cover by Joris van Rheden)
Memories (Cover by SLSMusic)

[n.nirbhai]

"Zoro was the first one to look the big bad world in the eyes, and lived to tell the tale" .. Mark you killed this brother.

[Animus_Altia]

I'm so glad you touched on the difference between Zoro and Sanji offering themselves up to Kuma. It's a subtle difference that you only really get the full grasp of after Whole Cake Island, but the fact that Sanji does so out of a lack of value for himself is so core to who he has been as a character. Meanwhile, Zoro values his strength and role as the Guardian of the Strawhat Crew so highly that he can't allow anyone else to take on such a burden. If he were to fail to do so, then he wouldn't be worthy of becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman. Such trials are another step on his road to that dream, and if he dies, then he wasn't good enough, but it's never an outright attempt at sacrifice.

[g-rift]

One thing I love about the “absolutely nothing scene” is before zoro goes in he just breathes. And does it. No monologue. No flashback. No long winded speech about friendship or being strong and hope. He just inhales and goes in. Absolutely nothing Legendary.

[sonic]

What makes the Water 7 such a pivotal moment for Zoro is that his words flipped everyone's dynamics on their head; Sanji who usually is Zoro's biggest critic, agrees with him wholly, and Nami who usually is the voice of reason, has no rebuttal. It's a wonderful scene.

[ArtBusinesswithNess]

Zoro is my favorite character and you explained why so well. On every re-watch, it still amazes me how quickly Zoro goes from "go away" to "I will die for you". For Zoro it's more than friendship, his complete respect and loyalty to Luffy is beautiful to watch. By the time he fights Mihawk, he's already become more concerned about disappointing his captain than anything else. As a kid, he wanted to become the best swordsman for himself. Then, he wanted to do it for Kuina. And now, he wants to do it for Luffy.

[IdgasAlpha]

The biggest point I feel about Zoro not letting Usopp come back to the crew was the point that even if Luffy is an idiot and not what a typical captain is, they will treat him with respect because he is the captain. And if they don't, what kind of crew could they be but children playing pirate.

[MrGalRoz]

The Mad Lad did it, he made the "no one understand zoro" video before Nux did.

[Raph___A]

This morning, I saw a TBSKyen short where he describes Zoro as someone with every character trait worthy of a shonen protagonist, yet because he isn't and Luffy is, it makes him all the more better because he bounces off his captain so well. I love this moss-headed man.

[danielsanchez]

Another moment that really pushes this is when Zoro begs Mihawk to train him during 3D2Y moment. Mihawk was surprised at how quickly Zoro puts his pride aside for others.

[mixofmatt]

Zoro is so much more than just the “cool right hand man” that everybody sees him as

[OGslick]

"What do you fight for" was such an awesome musical choice and very fitting for zoro.

[oliverorchard]

You know that Zoro moment in the Post Enies Lobby arc is serious when even Sanji agrees with him.

[thatinsufferablenerd]

I think this video is the perfect companion piece to MelonTeee's videos about Zoro and how his desire to be strong enough to protect the crew he loves is near desperate. Excellent work Mark, loving this series.

[AVarghul]

A detail i love about Zoro is that he speaks volumes about his character through the use of his swords. And i don't mean the flashy techniques and whatnot, but rather, how in most meaningful of moments, he will always sheathe back his swords and instead draw out the most important of his blades: His Wado Ichimonji, the literal reminder of his goal in life, and his friend's last token.

You can see this even in subtle moments like Zoro making his stand on Ussop's return to the team.

[barban]

It insane how much depth Zoro has for a character that never got his own arc to focus in on him. Just that slow transition from being a swordsman out to protect himself and his dreams to extending that to Luffy's and then it all culminates with him taking charge of the crew and making it his responsibility to lead and protect them when Luffy is not able to is crazy lowkey development that usually played off as a joke or happens in the background.

[solidskullz]

Zoro is a badass swordsman yes, but my favorite thing about him is how loyal to the crew he is. He would go through hell and back for the sake of the straw hats and that scene where he took on all of Luffy’s suffering and came out standing is unforgettable

[acetofresh]

I’m glad people like Mark exist to help rectify and disseminate informations regarding popular narratives and their shortcomings. Because Zoro doesn’t become a completely different person, or because of a lot of his development already occurring anime fans would then reductively deem him one note or cliched, but he has a lot of depth including his emotional awareness, and he’s one of the best deuteragonist the Animanga has to offer.

[Deode-dh]

What I love about Zoro is that he plays into, but also subverts the cool guy trope. He's always cool and level headed, but he's also pretty dumb outside of combat stuff, he's just as dumb as Luffy but rarely does he show it. He has this stoic face, but isn't afraid to show joy or emotion when meeting up with Luffy and the others as shown at the start of Wano. He has moments where he is being made fun of and isn't afraid to show emotion, such as the case of Perona's ghost and the aftermath of that event. It's these little moments that give life to Zoro. He isn't this generic stoic badass all the time, and he's okay showing emotion that isn't brooding contemplation. I say this because there is a world where Zoro is basically a Hiei clone, and Sasuke and every character similar to him like Aki from Chainsaw Man or Megumi from JJK would be called Zoro/Hiei clones. But no, Oda manages to differentiate Zoro enough that he doesn't fall under that stoic badass trope. It's one of the many things that makes me like Zoro as a character.

[monitaren]

the "Nothing happened" scene really shooked me. I wanted for his friends to know what he went through for them and it felt so unjust he did not tell.
But it shows to the extreme that Zoro does not care about how he is perceived, nor he needs recognicion. He does what is right, and nobody else has to know. That really teached me about my own life as well. Just live acording to your values, and if you do, you do not need for others to know. Be true to yourself.

[trumpets]

The complexity and depth that Oda gives each of his characters is astounding, and nothing short of perfection has he given to Zoro. He IS the cool guy. But it's not just the "cool" factor, its all of the underlying qualities that Oda has bestowed him. He also does the cool stuff. Zoro's fights are just as brilliant as Luffy's. The dynamic that the two have, Zoro is well deserving of First Mate.