#Shimotsuki Ushimaru

[anongalactic]

zoro is ur grandpa single. asking for a friend

[hylianane]

When Oda dropped the Shimotsuki family tree everyone jumped on the fact that he couldn’t help further paralleling Zoro and Sanji by naming Ms. Roronoa ‘Tera’ when Sanji’s mom is named ‘Sora’, but few realized that he couldn’t keep his grubby little hands from going even one step further- by confirming that Zoro’s Shimotsuki lineage comes from his dad’s side, meaning that while Sanji is the spitting image of his mom, Zoro canonically looks just like his father.

[brookstolemybrand]

I realised something, and idk if this is in any way a unique observation but:

Kawamatsu says that Zoro's "style with the sword" (剣の所作) is the same as Ushimaru's

I think the term in Japanese refers less to his swordstyle and more to his pose and way of moving while fighting, but still. And of course Ushimaru is shown using a two sword style which Zoro also did before Kuina's death

So the question is, where did Zoro actually learn this from? He never met Ushimaru himself. And if he learned it from his father Arashi, well, did Arashi ever meet Ushimaru either? I guess it isn't entirely impossible that Furiko took her family back to Wano to visit or something, but considering that she was an illegal emigrant, that seems kinda dodgy. Plus it's a long way from East Blue to Wano.

Okay long story short, my point is that to me it seems like the most likely person that Arashi would learn this style from would be Furiko herself, right? She's Ushimaru's older sister, maybe she learned it from whoever also taught Ushimaru (their father perhaps).

Wano is weird about women fighting of course, but Kuina was also trained despite Koshiro's notions about female swordsmasters. Hiyori wasn't, but she grew up in very unusual circumstances. And afaik it wasn't unknown to happen in feudal Japan that daughters of samurai families would also learn to fight, even though they were only expected to do it as a last resort to defend their homes. (I think. Don't quote me on that bc I don't actually know much about Japanese history.)

And the Shimotsuki crest is literally two crossed swords! And the Daimyo of Ringo branch of the clan are direct descendants of Ryuma. If there's one family line who would teach their daughters to fight, it would be them, right?

Sure, it's possible that Arashi did meet Ushimaru somehow, or maybe one of the other emigrants was a brother or a close male cousin or something, or maybe Koshiro also knew this style somehow and deliberately taught it to Furiko's grandson... But that all seems a bit farfetched in comparison to the simple answer that Zoro was taught by his father who in turn was taught by his own mother who was Ushimaru's sister and the only person who we know for sure has a close connection to both Ushimaru and Arashi.

And then after Arashi's death Zoro joined Koshiro's dojo but kept using his father's and grandmother's swordstyle until he developed it into his own three sword style after Kuina's death

Also, if Zoro knew that his grandmother was a swordswoman and taught his father, it would definitely inform his attitude towards Kuina

But yeah, that's just a thought, it's not like there's any evidence for any of this.

[missdblack22]

I'm writing a fic about Shimotsuki Furiko and I have written 4k and it's when she abandoned Wano and she hasn't met Roronoa Pinzoro. OMG! I'm very proud of it but... It will be very long!

[optreasurecruise]

[uaremyjae]

Zoro and his Great Uncle , Shimotsuki Ushimaru is similar. Yes I agree with Boss Hyogoro that Zoro is the spitting image of Shimotsuki Ushimaru.

In manga, they just mention about how Zoro appearance look very similar with Ushimaru & sword style. I was like yeah I can see that

BUT is no one bat an eye how Zoro & Ushimaru both have animal friend with them???

I think the fact Ushimaru has an animal friend, Onimaru; a fox with flame-like mane & tail who has Human-Human Fruit: Model Onyudo is just 🫨

Like Zoro also has animal friend with him and really closed with. Yeah it’s Tony Tony Chopper 😭 a fucking reindeer who happened has Human- Human Fruit too. WHAT A CONVENIENT COINCIDENCE IS THAT??

I find that details itself so cute how oda try to tell his readers that “YES THIS MARIMO IS AN EXACT SPITTING IMAGE OF HIS GREAT UNCLE FROM APPEARANCE TO HAVING ANIMAL FRIEND BESIDE HIM and also curly eyebrows friend ”

[joy-girl]

One Piece ep 1075 // Shimotsuki Ushimaru

[akira-sss]

We finally got to meet Shimotsuki Ushimaru and 2 other Daimyos and dAMN they're so strong and cool and KIND aghdvsnsbsk

Not me wishing to be starved-child-Yamato just so I could have the attention and care from 3 older men amsbsjsgsb 💀

Also Shimotsuki Ushimaru,,,his aesthetics and voice,,,man's balls must have dropped to his ankles, gAWHDAMN

[witchyuria12]

All this Yamato discourse I'm seeing reminds me of an idea I had back when I was catching up the manga. In Yamato's flashback, one of the Samurai imprisoned alongside Yamato (he's likely Shimotsuki Ushimaru) outright just accepts Yamato as Oden. No ifs and buts. He doesn't care that they are physically different people, he see's the spirit of Oden in Yamato and just accepts it. No calling Yamato delusional or anything.

So my idea was for someone to turn this into a Chad Wojak vs Soy Wojak where the soyjak is like "Noooo, Yamato is delusional!!! You can't be another person!!!" and Shimotsuki Ushimaru as the chad Wojak is just like "He is Kozuki Oden"

Unfortunately I suck at art/photoshop so I can't do it myself.

[onepiecebdays]

november 2nd - shimotsuki ushimaru

debut chapter: 953

recent chapter: 1048

age at death: 50

affiliation: wano country

bounty: none

[kiarakarma]

I won some Amazing One Piece merch through Ichiban Kuji (Japanese Lucky Draw Game is what they call it at the store)

🖤💜❤️💚💜🖤

[robinchan-hananomi]

Went shopping for Zoro’s birthday. I wanted a Kuina too but they didn’t have any

[star-fiend]

One Piece, chapter 953, "Once a Fox"

[missdblack22]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66651352

Shimotsuki Furiko es la hija mayor del daimyo de Ringo, pero es su hermano menor, Ushimaru, el heredero de la región. El deber de Furiko es aprender a tocar el shamisen y convertirse en una buena esposa. Pero, ella quiere aprender el arte de la espada, algo que les está negado a las mujeres. Un día, escucha una conversación sobre unos aldeanos que quieren huir del país.

Personajes: Shimotsuki Furiko, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, Shimotsuki Sukiyaki, Shimotsuki Koushirou, Shimotsuki Pinzoro, Roronoa Arashi, Tera, Roronoa Zoro, Neptune, Onimaru

Ships: Shimotsuki Furiko/Roronoa Pinzoro, Roronoa Arashi/Tera

Shimotsuki Furiko is the eldest daughter of the daimyo of Ringo, but her younger brother, Ushimaru, is the heir to the region. Furiko's duty is to learn to play the shamisen and become a good wife. However, she wants to learn the art of swordsmanship, something denied to women. One day, she overhears a conversation about some villagers who want to flee the country.

Characters: Shimotsuki Furiko, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, Shimotsuki Sukiyaki, Shimotsuki Koushirou, Shimotsuki Pinzoro, Roronoa Arashi, Tera, Roronoa Zoro, Neptune, Onimaru

Ships: Shimotsuki Furiko/Roronoa Pinzoro, Roronoa Arashi/Tera

[triangularz]

nothing insightful

big boys with thangs in mouths. zoro -> extra pic -> because I love him and so forth -> also great uncle ushimaru does not disappoint

[symbologic]

YESSSSS, more examples! Thank you for sharing them. There IS a lot going on, isn't there?

Oda's always used Zoro to mirror and emphasize Luffy's kingly (and now "god-like") qualities. But in Wano, he cranks those parallels to eleven and throws a heaping dose of fate into the mix.

Want another insane example? Take one of the reasons Hyogoro feels Zoro's presence in Wano is fated: He reminds him of Shimotsuki Ushimaru.

Turns out, Ushimaru has a white, flame-furred partner/retainer – Onimaru, a fox. In Japanese folklore, foxes are seen as servants of Inari, a goddess who rescued Japan from harsh famine.

It's fitting, then, that this fox buddy can also turn into a monk. How? Because he ate a mythical Zoan-type Human Human Devil Fruit...similar to a certain captain.

Fast forward a couple decades, and Zoro becomes the right-hand man to a guy who transforms into a white, flame-haired god. And would't you know it, he helps this god liberate Wano from starvation! In other words: Ushimaru and Onimaru are like flipped versions of Zoro and Luffy.

Why so many parallels? Well, Oda highlighting Zoro's service to Luffy ("I made a promise to my Captain...") — on top of drawing connections between Zoro and other powerful figures (god of the underworld, god of the blade) — shows us not only how extraordinary Luffy is as a leader, but also the incredibly unique bond they share as equals in willpower and strength of character.

Hyogoro and Kawamatsu noticed Zoro's outward resemblance to Ushimaru. But for fans who appreciate the depth of Luffy and Zoro's relationship...that parallel serves on so many levels.

It's like narrative poetry, everything rhymes. Fate at work, for sure.

Soul-Bound in Wano: The Spooky Simpatico of Luffy and Zoro

Just finished Wano, and wow. I'm surprised there isn't more talk about the crazy parallels between Luffy and Zoro throughout the arc, but especially the raid. It's like Oda was trolling us with how perfectly they mirror each other in places.

Of course, there's the whole shared "wandering samurai" theme in Acts I and II, and then there's the heartwarming scene with them both freaking out over spilled soup. (Side note: I wouldn't be shocked if Zoro's anime-only sake scene was stuff Oda had to cut from the manga – it totally fits Oda's style with Zoro.)

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. We've got a ton of other stuff too:

Zoro uses Conqueror's Haki to injure Kaido because they're all desperate? Boom, Luffy digs deep and starts doing it too.

Zoro gets bandaged up like a mummy? Well, guess who can't move because he fell in the ocean?

Both of them get their own team of doctors? How lucky!

Zoro gets revived with an injection? Here comes Luffy, fueled by some meat!

Zoro declares he'll become a GOD if that's what it takes? 🤔 Makes you wonder what that means for Luffy...

Death himself shows up for Zoro? Not good! Now Luffy's literally in cardiac arrest! Speaking of, Zoro's looking rough. Those sunken eyes, man...

Thank god they're both too stubborn to die. And guess what? They get put right next to each other, while people pray for them to wake up

And wouldn't you know it, they wake up at the EXACT SAME TIME

This can't just be a coincidence, right? It feels like they're on some spooky, soul-bound level where Zoro's fate weirdly determines Luffy's. Which actually slots so, so neatly into Wano and its recurring themes of fate! Hell, Oda himself even said in an SBS (the one about Zoro's family tree) that Zoro's story is that of a strange, twisted fate he's completely clueless about.

Honestly, I love that for them.

Zoro might not get a whole arc dedicated to his backstory like Nami, Robin, or Sanji. But the choices he makes carry a surprising amount of weight in the grand scheme of things.