Zoro's first ever named sword is already of great quality. Wado Ichimonji is one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, which is only inferior to the Supreme Grade Sword. Its story dates back to his childhood. It was forged by the legendary Shimotzuki Kozaburo, who also forged Enma, and has been in the possession of Kuina and her family. Zoro first meets Kuina when he is a child hunting dojos. He believes that a swordsman's strength depends on how many swords he wields, so he uses as many bamboo swords as he can against Kuina. Needless to say, Kuina hands him his ass. Kuina's father then takes Zoro in as a disciple, and Zoro eventually becomes Kuina's friend and rival. However, Zoro's childhood isn't filled with sunshine and rainbows. He challenges Kuina in a real swordfight using a real katana, wherein Kuina uses Wado Ichimonji. Kuina defeats Zoro one final time, then she and Zoro make a vow that he will get as strong as her. They also promise that no matter the gender, one of them will be the greatest swordsman in the world.

However, Kuina dies an untimely death the next day. Zoro, lost in grief, cannot accept her death. He then requests Wado Ichimonji from his master, who gives to him. Since then, Zoro has been wielding Wano Ichimonji through his adventures. Its sharpness and durability proves itself during his fight with Mihawk. After taking Mihawk's attack without Haki to reinforce his katanas, only Wado Ichimonji remains intact.

Appearance

The sword has a pure-white hilt with a circular hand-guard. The sheath is painted white and the hardening line is suguha or straight blade.

In descriptive terms, Wado Ichimonji is a Shinogi Zukuri style katana that has a traditional yet still stunning pure-white ito wrapped around a gray samegawa covering the tsuka (hilt), leaving a traditional diamond-shaped pattern. The end has a nice, simplistic kashira of the same color as the tsuba. The tsuba, or crossguard, also conveys a harmony of simplicity: It consists of a rounded oval thick tsuba from which the blade goes through, in a nice metallic golden color. To once again convey the beautiful simplicity of this blade, the colors of the edge are divided in perfect equality. The inner bo-hi is a deep black, while the outer ha, or edge, is a shining white. The blade curves slightly towards the end, with a stunning sharp tip that cuts through foes. The sheath represents a peaceful harmony, being completely white with a modest kojiri at the end.

It is described as "magnificent" by Tashigi when it catches her eye in Loguetown.

Abilities

As one of the masterpieces of the legendary Wano swordsmith, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, classified as one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, Wado Ichimonji is among the world's most powerful swords, second to Enma. Tashigi, a sword fanatic, described it as a magnificent katana of the highest caliber, not accepting the fact that such a famous blade was in the hands of a Bounty Hunter-turned Pirate, causing her to hunt Zoro. More than anything, Wado Ichimonji holds a great deal of significance to Zoro, though he'd allow others to examine it, he refuses to ever give this blade up to anyone.

Zoro prefers to place Wado Ichimonji in his mouth when using his Three Sword Style, though prior to the timeskip, he uses it when using his One Sword Style in some battles. After the timeskip, he appears to favor Shusui when using his One Sword Style.

It is extraordinarily durable, all without being imbued with Haki, withstanding a strike from Dracule Mihawk's Yoru, a Supreme Grade Sword and the Strongest Black Blade, which shattered his two ungraded swords, cut large battleships, and a giant iceberg. Both its durability and sharpness are further shown as Zoro used it for his One Sword Style Iai: Shishi Sonson against Mr. 1, cutting through his steel body, despite being lauded as being resistant to slashing attacks thus far. In another battle, Wado Ichimonji was capable of clashing against Shusui, a renowned black blade wielded by the zombified samurai, Shimotsuki Ryuma reanimated using Brook's shadow for an extended period of time, although, he was worried his katana would break if the battle continued.

After the timeskip, from his improved strength and skills, as well as using Busoshoku Haki, Wado Ichimonji's power and defense can be amplified, to the point of being able to cut down Pica at his gigantic form several times, before he cut him down completely coated in Haki. As mentioned by Kozuki Sukiyaki, because Wado Ichimonji and Enma were forged by the same person, it allows Zoro to get used to Enma rather quick during the time spent training. It managed to wound Kaido having strengthened it using Haoshoku Haki and Busoshoku Haki, used alongside his Nine Sword Style: Ashura Bakkei: Moja no Tawamure, giving him another permanent scar.

History

Past

Sometime in the past, Wado Ichimonji was created by Shimotsuki Kozaburo. When Kozaburo left Wano, he took his handcrafted Meito sword with him. The sword was carefully stored in the warehouse of the Isshin Dojo rarely used as Koushirou does not have any need to use it for combat as his dojo used only wooden swords to train and teach his students. Once, Roronoa Zoro, a student of the Isshin Dojo and rival to Koushiro's daughter Kuina, challenged the girl to a fight with real swords. Kuina then borrowed Wado Ichimonji for this fight.

After Kuina's death, the sword was in the possession of her father, Koushirou. Zoro declared to Koushirou that he will become the strongest swordsman in the world and asked for the sword. Koushirou accepted his request and passed on Wado Ichimonji to his second-best student.

Loguetown Arc

Zoro was left with only Wado Ichimonji after two of his swords were broken in his fight with Dracule Mihawk. After arriving at Loguetown, he went into Ipponmatsu's arms shop to buy two more swords. The owner of the shop recognized Wado Ichimonji and asked Zoro to see the blade. Ipponmatsu tried to fool Zoro to sell his sword for a hefty price, but Zoro refused to sell it for any price.

Tashigi suddenly entered the shop and recognized the blade, and started to explain that the sword is one of the 21 O Wazamono grade swords and that it can only be sold for at least Beli.png10,000,000.

Later, when Tashigi found out about Zoro's true identity, she vowed to defeat him and retrieve the Wado Ichimonji from him.

Wano Country Arc

While training with his newfound Enma, Zoro was notified by Tenguyama Hitetsu of Wado Ichimonji's origins, and that it may have been the reason that Kozuki Hiyori chose to bequeath Enma to Zoro.