Zoro’s name from One Piece has a peculiar origin that no one would expect. Here is a summary of his story
If a large group of ‘One Piece’ fans were asked what they like most about the franchise, there would surely be a wide variety of answers. What we are not sure is if all of them know this information. Did you know that Eiichiro Oda is married to Nami in real life? Two of the most notable aspects of the shonen juggernaut are character creation and world crafting. Author Eiichiro Oda is believed by many to have the most creative mind in existence, as seen in the inspiration for his characters and the world of One Piece. This extensive list includes the actual origin of Roronoa Zoro’s name.
The origins of Roronoa Zoro
Zoro is an old bounty hunter and the first member of Luffy’s crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. Although not explicitly stated, both ‘One Piece’ fans and the characters consider him to be the vice-captain of the crew. Roronoa Zoro’s name comes from François l’Olonnais, a real-life French pirate in the 16th century.
Zoro is the only member of the crew named after a real buccaneer, but both characters, real and fictional, have other traits in common as well. François l’Olonnais arrived in the Antilles enlisted in the French army, fulfilling military service. Once finished, he chose to stay in Santo Domingo in the company of the adventurers and freebooters who lived there. Having won the admiration of the French governor of the island of La Tortuga, De La Place, he entrusted him with a small ship to fight the Spanish fleet in the Caribbean Sea.
This buccaneer, and later a pirate, had a skill that made him very special. This was none other than torturing the prisoners on his ship. In those days he was one of the most notable pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy, he came to achieve well-deserved fame in the seas and oceans and ended up being branded ‘The curse of Spain’ for his numerous boardings, cruelty and violence in their actions.
The cruel Francois l’Olonnais
At some point in their journey, l’Olonnais and his crew were shipwrecked in Mexico, off the coast of Yucatan, with significant booty accumulated on their raids. Spanish soldiers appeared and looted the crew, killing almost all of them. The pirate was able to survive after hiding under the corpses and covering himself with their blood and entrails.
This gabacho with few scruples and very bad background was very ruthless, capable of decapitating an entire Spanish crew that was chasing him. His thirst for blood led him to rip the heart out of a Spaniard’s chest and eat it in front of him.
François l’Olonnais, aka “The Bane of Spain”
In another episode, the governor of Havana had a ship find l’Olonnais and his group to kill them. l’Olonnais beheaded the entire crew, leaving one of them to send a message to Havana:
“Henceforth I will give no quarter to any Spaniard.”
Another fact that involves François is the looting in Maracaibo, currently Venezuela. Maracaibo was supposedly impenetrable, but l’Olonnais took a route that was not guarded. The inhabitants hid their gold, so the crew searched for them, and tortured them until they revealed the location of the gold. The Kuna indigenous tribe ended up capturing the crew, where the savage pirate met a horrible end and as a being of his stature should have.
Roronoa Zoro from One Piece aka Pirate Hunter Zoro
Roronoa Zoro is the most skilled swordsman of the Straw Hat crew, and both friend and foe alike acknowledge his brutal strength. His combat strategy in One Piece sometimes includes the concept of demons, such as the Hell King’s Three Swords style and his signature ancient technique, Oni Giri.
Zoro is known for his great loyalty and is often the voice of reason for the crew when needed. In cases where some colleagues get carried away by their emotions, this one brings the logical perspective. These abilities are the reason he is considered by many to be the vice-captain of the Straw Hats.
While not as unhinged as l’Olonnais, he does possess a certain sense of brutality of his own, especially in fighting. Both are skilled with sabers, although Zoro uses various sword styles when he attacks the enemy. l’Olonnais may also have had his own swords for certain boarding circumstances, though that was mostly about slicing up his enemies… literally.
Zoro would not hesitate to fight with killing intent if the situation called for it, while l’Olonnais hacks people to pieces like a master torturer.
Both pirates find a way to survive in dire situations. l’Olonnais uses his cunning and ingenuity, while Zoro has a very high level of bravery and resistance. In terms of titles, the fact that he is part of the worst generation can be compared to l’Olonnais being a well-known pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy.
And since we are in the One Piece universe, do not miss the cosplayer Seeu who make a cosplay of Uta that will make you want to live in anime.
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