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Starting on Sunday, January 21, 2024, the long-awaited anime based on Eiichiro Oda’s Monsters was finally made available on Netflix. Following the unbridled success of One Piece’s live-action series, Netflix decided to broadcast the episodes of the ongoing Egghead Arc. The streaming platform will also release the anime adaptation of one of Oda’s pre-One Piece tales.
Monsters promises to be a real gem for fans, especially as its main character, the unparalleled samurai Ryuma, is narratively linked to One Piece's Roronoa Zoro. Strikingly similar both in appearance and manners, Ryuma and Zoro share an intriguing connection. The former is a forefather of the iconic green-haired swordsman.
Eiichiro Oda already confirmed that the content of Monsters, including Ryuma’s character, is part of One Piece’s canon. Compared to Oda’s original one-shot manga, the recent anime adaptation has brought some slight changes, retconning certain aspects to make its content more aligned with One Piece’s.
Eiichiro Oda's Monsters premieres on Netflix, featuring an emotional Ryuma and Zoro scene from One Piece
Monsters is a tale of honor and courage, centered around the wandering samurai Ryuma. Upon discovering a vicious machination, Ryuma brutally defeats Cyrano, a renowned swordsman, and slays a huge dragon. As per Eiichiro Oda’s explicit declaration in the SBS of Volume 47, the Ryuma depicted in Monsters is the same legendary warrior featured in One Piece:
"Is the swordsman Ryuma who was once said to have defeated a dragon the very same Ryuma that starred in the short story "Monsters" from your collection volume entitled "Wanted!"? He is, isn't he?" the Reader says
It goes on to say:
"The zombie Ryuma appears in Chapter 450 from this volume, and he is indeed the Ryuma who starred in "Monsters". In the world of One Piece, he's a legendary swordsman who died of sickness." Oda responds.
As revealed in One Piece, Ryuma’s surname was Shimotsuki, which makes the former an ancestor to Roronoa Zoro. Their kinship stems from the fact that Zoro is the great-nephew of Shimotsuki Ushimaru, who in turn is a direct descendant of Shimotsuki Ryuma.
Consequently, Ryuma and Zoro are blood-related, with the former being the latter’s remote, but direct, forefather. This explains the two swordsmen's striking resemblance, as both have the same facial structure and even share the same peculiar scar over the left eye.
In terms of aesthetics, the only difference between the “Pirate Hunter” and the “Sword God” is the color of their hair, besides which the two look substantially identical. Notably, Zoro also inherited Ryuma’s formidable ambition and sense of honor.
A prominent member of the Worst Generation’s Eleven Supernovas, Zoro aims high, as his dream is to become the World’s Strongest Swordsman. He is characterized by combat prowess and unwavering loyalty, traits that make him Monkey D. Luffy's trusted right-hand man and the Straw Hat crew's first mate.
Oda assigned Ryuma and Zoro the same month of birth, November. This is not a mere coincidence, but a precise reference to their common origin, as the traditional Japanese spelling for the month of November is “Shimotsuki." This is exactly the name of the homonymous clan.
Several centuries after Ryuma’s death, the prodigious warrior’s corpse was reanimated it as a zombie enlivened by Brook’s shadow. Although much weaker than the original, the revived Ryuma was still powerful enough to beat Brook easily.
In a twist of fate, Zoro met the zombie and, after a fast-paced duel, defeated him. Impressed by Zoro’s strength, Ryuma gifted him with his sword, the Black Blade Shusui, and faded forever.
Shimotsuki Ryuma, the strongest swordsman in One Piece history
In Monsters, Ryuma was asked why, despite his evident strength, no one had heard his name before. He answered this saying that might isn't measured by how famous one becomes, but by what one protects. Such words denote how Ryuma’s moral stature was no less than his fighting skills.
Unbeknownst to him, in reality, Ryuma was globally famous as “The King”, the most powerful warrior in the world. He wasn’t even aware of his reputation, considering that he himself wished to know and challenge “The King”.
Shimotsuki Ryuma was a man born in Wano several centuries before One Piece's present narration. He single-handedly protected his homeland from pirates, World Nobles, and anyone who tried to conquer the country and steal its gold.
Battle after battle, Ryuma was able to turn his sword Shusui into a fearsome Black Blade, permanently imbuing it with his all-powerful Haki. Notably, among all One Piece characters, only he and Mihawk ever achieved this feat.
Even Kozuki Oden, a man strong enough to fight on equal grounds with Kaido, as well as obtain Roger and Whitebeard’s respect, doesn’t measure up to Ryuma. Despite his exceptional prowess, not even Oden was able to take the title of “Wano’s Greatest Hero” from Ryuma.
A further testament to Ryuma’s insane strength, he was likened to the mythical Joy Boy. Interestingly, both the two legendary warriors have similar monikers. Due to his overwhelming might, which enabled him to end fights with a single strike, Ryuma was called "Sword God". Meanwhile, Joy Boy was linked to the fabled “Sun God”.
The Monsters anime opens up compelling scenarios
Aiming to better encompass Ryuma’s character within One Piece’s established canon, the Monsters anime operated a retcon. In the original one-shot manga, Ryuma wielded a normal, generic sword, while in the recent transposition, he uses an already permanently blackened Shusui.
Concurrently, Ryuma is depicted without the trademark scar that made him famous for being a one-eyed samurai. This means that he evolved Shusui into a Black Blade before receiving the scar on his left eye. Hence, the person who managed to wound Ryuma did that when the "Sword God" was in his prime, or close to it.
It’s rumored that Ryuma lived during the Void Century and that the Five Elders are immortal beings who were already alive and kicking back then. Combining these two popular theories, it’s possible that the fighter who wounded Ryuma was Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro.
Nusjuro was clearly depicted as a powerful swordsman. Also, based on his looks, he is probably a native of Wano. Ryuma died undefeated and overcame anyone who tried to seize Wano. However, there's a chance that Ryuma fought and beat Nusjuro in the past, but was wounded by the latter during the fierce battle.
Ryuma died of a non-specified, sudden disease. Interestingly, there are several cues about the Five Elders being carriers of mortal diseases. Maybe, Nusjuro and his colleagues tried to attack Wano, but the Sword God overpowered them. Outclassed in direct combat, they then resorted to killing him by infecting him with a deadly disease.
Regardless of any theory, it’s important to note that One Piece and Monsters creator Eiichiro Oda endorsed the changes regarding Ryuma’s sword. He wholeheartedly praised the newly-released anime.
"I can't believe "Monsters," the one-shot manga I drew in my youth, is getting an animated adaptation! THIS IS THE LIFE!!!" Oda said.
The anime developers also added a totally unexpected post-credit scene focused on Ryuma and Zoro’s meeting in Thriller Bark. The sequence, which is remade in the same animation style used for Monsters, shows the moment when the revived Ryuma acknowledged Zoro and entrusted Shusui to him.
This ending creates a metaphorical connection between Monsters and One Piece, removing any doubt about the former’s canonicity. It’s a strong final, with a deep emotional meaning. Entrusting Zoro with his precious sword, Ryuma didn’t just grant him a formidable weapon but also charged him with his yearnings and wishes.
Not even the passing of time, even if it’s a matter of entire centuries, can stop the inherited will. In the most unthinkable ways, fate linked Shimotsuki Ryuma and his descendant Zoro, allowing them to have an otherwise impossible encounter.
Two of Zoro's strongest techniques, the Flying Dragon Blaze and the King of Hell: Three Sword Serpent: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation, are performed with a pose very similar to the one of Ryuma’s dragon-beheading attack.
Incidentally, Zoro used Dragon Blaze to pressure Kaido who was in his Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon form, and performed Dragon Damnation to destroy King’s enormous flaming dragon, thereby defeating the Lunarian survivor in the process.
Additionally, the full title of the newly-released anime is Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation. This is an evident reference to the Conqueror’s Haki-enhanced attack that Zoro used to beat King.
These continuous callbacks masterfully emphasize the connection between Zoro and Ryuma, portraying the unparalleled “Sword God” as a major benchmark that the green-haired swordsman has to reach and surpass. Having unleashed the true power of his Haki and gained control over Enma, Zoro is ready to carry on Ryuma’s legacy and complete his rise to glory.
