“Because Zoro Is the Main Character”: One Piece Fans Blame Toei Animators for Being Zoro Fanboys
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has arguably become one of, if not the most popular works of art in the modern century. Toei Animation took the responsibility of animating the popular pirate manga and has played a major role in the growth of the franchise. They have animated over 1105 episodes and 15 movies over the past two decades and the work they put into their animation is certainly second to none, especially when it comes to the “Pirate Hunter”.
Monkey D. Luffy’s right-hand man, the “Pirate Hunter” Roronoa Zoro, seems to be a character that the animators at Toei Animation absolutely love animating. Zoro’s fight against Kaido’s right-hand man, King, in episode 1062, was one of the best-animated scenes in the entire One Piece series. However, fans have started noticing a continuous thread of the special treatment the Three Sword Style pirate has been getting over the past decade.
One Piece fans call out Toei Animators for favoritism
Roronoa Zoro is one of the most popular characters in the One Piece universe and for good reason. Eiichiro Oda structured the “Pirate Hunter” in a way that is impossible for people to hate. From his adorable relationship with Chopper to his unquestionable loyalty to Luffy and the straw hats, it’s not a surprise to see Zoro get the attention of the animators at Toei Animation.
However, though most fans have started to notice the “Pirate Hunter” get special attention in recent times, the clip that has been making rounds on social media is from the “One Piece Film: Z”. The movie was released back in 2012, which was over a decade ago. A short clip of Zoro’s fight against Ain at the “One Piece Film: Z” on Instagram garnered quite a lot of hilarious reactions from fans.
“We can’t blame them for that. Zorro has multiple options. If toei don’t treat it well, he will find another anime” – @pramod__melath
“Toei: I have no Favourite child i treat everyone as same…. Also Toei” – @casbury._
“Toei has a different level of obsession with zoro”– @saaurrraaavvv_
“Because Zoro is the main character” – @shaik.sadik5226
“They think zoro is the main character”– @_rz.jix_
“Bro has an entire studio as a fanbase”– @rakesh.hmm
“They clearly have a favorite, we all do”– @hamidrahh
Given that the Straw Hat pirate with a 1.111 billion berries bounty is one of the most popular characters in the franchise, it’s not surprising to see the animators spare no expense while animating his fights. But this leads us to question, what makes Roronoa Zoro such a beloved character?
3 reasons why Roronoa Zoro is one of the most beloved characters in one piece
The One Piece franchise has consistently managed to put on some of the best characters in Anime. Among those characters, the green-haired swordsman from the Straw Hats Pirates has managed to be the cream of the crop for many fans. Here are three reasons why Zoro is a fan favorite in One Piece.
1. Loyalty: Roronoa Zoro is probably one of, if not the most loyal member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Episode 377 of One Piece shows us just how much love and loyalty he has for his crew as he takes all of Luffy’s pain when offered by Kuma. What takes it to the next level is when Zoro refuses to let any of his crew know about his noble sacrifice.
2. Brings Swords to Gunfights: Zoro is one of the strongest swordsmen in the One Piece universe. Though he still has ways to reach the status of Dracule Mihawk, the Straw Hats swordsman is slowly but surely getting there.
3. Live by the Sword & Die by the Sword attitude: Zoro is known as being a character having a high moral compass. His introduction in the anime where he sacrificed himself for the people of Shells Town showed the generosity of the green-haired swordsman. And his Deul against Mihawk was a testament to how much he valued his dreams of being the best swordsman on the planet.
You can stream the One Piece anime on Crunchyroll, Hulu & Netflix.
