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With the recent start of the Egghead arc in the One Piece television anime series in recent weeks, anime-only fans have finally stepped foot into what is allegedly the series’ Final Saga. Likewise, the loose ends and mysteries that still need to be resolved and answered have become a trending topic of discussion among fans, given author and illustrator Eiichiro Oda’s claim.
In fact, the opening episodes of the One Piece anime’s Egghead arc introduced yet another loose thread in Zoro telling Dr. Vegapunk that there’s something that he wants from the scientist. While the predominant belief is that Zoro will ask Dr. Vegapunk to find a way to cure the effects of the SMILE Fruits, there are some other likely possibilities, one of the most so being centered on Kuina.
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Unsurprisingly, many One Piece fans are of the opinion that Zoro wants to ask Dr. Vegapunk if Marine Captain Tashigi, who bears a striking resemblance to Kuina, is actually her clone. This in turn has led fans to question whether or not Zoro was in love with Kuina, which could be the motivating factor in him wanting this information.
One Piece’s infamous swordsman likely loved Kuina, but was far from in love with her given their age
Was Zoro in love with Kuina? Explored
More likely than not, Zoro was not in love with Kuina based on what One Piece has shown and told fans about the pair’s relationship so far. That being said, it’s clear based on what’s seen that Zoro had love for Kuina, but more so as a rival and best friend than a romantic partner. This can be compared to the relationships amongst the male and female Straw Hat crewmates, with most loving each other as a family but not being in love with each other.
One of the biggest reasons why it’s unlikely they were in love with each other stems from the ages at which they became rivals and best friends, with Zoro being 10 years old and Kuina being 11. Given how young they were, the concept of being in love with someone was likely so foreign to them that there was no way for them to actually be in love with each other.
It’s also worth mentioning that the One Piece anime and manga specifically emphasize their relationship as being one of two rivals even more so than of being two best friends. With this in mind, it seems the series and Oda went out of their way to tell fans that the two were far from love interests for each other.
It’s also worth mentioning that while the two aren’t directly related to each other, Kuina’s father trained and essentially raised the young Zoro following the death of his parents. Likewise, this gives a more familial context to their relationship, further establishing them as good friends and rivals rather than love interests.
Although Zoro’s interactions with Tashigi lend some credit to the idea that Zoro was in love with Kuina, the vast majority of evidence available suggests otherwise. The two have an almost sibling-like relationship with each other. Combined with their ages at the time, it’s almost guaranteed that Zoro was not in love with Kuina, even if he did love her as a friend.
Be sure to keep up with all One Piece anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2024 progresses.
