Unveiling the Epic Encounter: One Piece Chapter 1094 Introduces the Majestic Ryuma Shimotsuki in Thrilling New Monsters Anime!

One Piece makes a grand return after a recent break, with chapter 1094 featuring a color spread that pays homage to Monsters, a one-shot manga created by Eiichiro Oda, the franchise's creator. The protagonist of this story is Ryuma, an extraordinary samurai who was the most powerful warrior of his era.

Unlike Oda's other one-shots, Monsters is considered fully part of the One Piece series and exists within the same narrative universe. Ryuma is intricately connected to Roronoa Zoro, serving as a sort of predecessor to the "Pirate Hunter" character. Initially published in 1994, Monsters was later included in the 1998 volume Wanted!, which compiles all of Oda's pre-One Piece stories. Excitingly, Monsters is now being adapted into an anime series.

To commemorate the upcoming Monsters anime, Eiichiro Oda has paid homage to Ryuma, Zoro, and other members connected to the Shimotsuki Family, including Yasuie, Kozaburo, Koushirou, and Kuina, by dedicating the cover of One Piece chapter 1094 to them. Please be aware that this article includes significant spoilers from both the Monsters manga and upcoming anime adaptation.

In view of the Monsters anime, One Piece 1094 honors the Shimotsuki Family with an amazing color spread

The plot of Monsters, in summation

Expand Tweet

The narrative commences as Flare, a waitress, kindly offers nourishment to Ryuma, a penniless young samurai who had endured five days without a meal. Yet, Flare swiftly diverts her focus to Cyrano, a renowned swordsman who has graced her restaurant with his presence.

After leaving the premises, Cyrano's sword accidentally grazed Ryuma's. Adhering to his strict code of honor, the samurai perceived this as a challenge and promptly challenged Cyrano to a duel. The two skilled swordsmen clashed, but Ryuma abruptly halted at Flare's plea.

Not long after, a gentleman informed Ryuma that Flare's hometown had been decimated by a colossal dragon seven years ago. Only Flare and Cyrano survived the catastrophic event, with Cyrano bravely rescuing the girl's life. Since that fateful day, Cyrano had gained widespread renown for his triumph over the mighty dragon.

"The King" was the subject of the man's words, an individual renowned for their unmatched fighting prowess. Ryuma, with his unyielding determination, declared his desire to one day confront "The King" and demonstrated his unwavering conviction as a true warrior.

Ryuma encountered a man named D.R., who immediately began yelling and accusing the samurai of stabbing him in an attempt to steal his enchanted dragon horn. D.R. declared his intention to seek revenge by unleashing a dragon that seemingly caused his own demise.

The townspeople shifted the blame onto Ryuma for the unfortunate events that transpired. Flare, slapping the samurai's face, expressed disbelief at Ryuma's lack of understanding of the true terror a dragon possesses. Ryuma, innocent and completely bewildered, declined to accept responsibility for the incident.

Expand Tweet

As Cyrano bravely confronted the dragon, he made a brave request for the entire town to vacate, allowing him to face the menacing creature alone. All the townsfolk swiftly departed, their faith in Cyrano's heroic capabilities not wavering. However, two unexpected witnesses remained – Ryuma and Flare. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they stumbled upon an astonishing sight. To their utter dismay, Cyrano and his cunning companion, D.R., were engaged in a shameful act of pillaging, reveling in their ill-gotten gains from the now abandoned town.

The two longtime partners planned and executed a scheme to frame Ryuma for the dragon incident. Seven years ago, D.R. summoned a dragon to annihilate Flare's village. Cyrano, who was looting from the villagers, encountered a young girl who pleaded for his assistance before losing consciousness.

Taking advantage of Flare's unconscious state, Cyrano killed her father. In an effort to gain popularity, he later rescued Flare, falsely claiming to have defeated the dragon responsible for the village's destruction. In the present moment, Flare burst into tears, while Ryuma emerged to challenge D.R. and Cyrano.

In the image brought to life by Eiichiro Oda and Shueisha in One Piece, we witness the epic moment of Ryuma fearlessly slaying the dragon.

Without breaking a sweat, the skilled samurai Ryuma swiftly ended Cyrano's attack with a single decisive strike. The sudden turn of events left D.R. trembling with fear, desperately pleading for his life. He reminded Ryuma of the crucial role he played in controlling the dragon and putting an end to its devastating rampage.

Despite this, D.R. also fell victim to the samurai's blade. As the monstrous dragon descended upon the scene, Ryuma fearlessly leaped towards it, swiftly beheading the terrifying creature with a single, powerful stroke.

Flare, overwhelmed by what she had witnessed, questioned Ryuma as to why he remained unknown despite his incredible strength. The samurai responded by explaining that true might cannot be gauged by fame, but rather by one's dedication to protecting others.

Who is Ryuma in One Piece?

Upon Ryuma's departure, an observer immediately identified him as "The King," the renowned epitome of valor across the globe. This revelation prompted the realization that Ryuma himself may not have been cognizant of the distinguished title bestowed upon him by the multitudes he had selflessly rescued.

Expand Tweet

According to Eiichiro Oda himself, the character Ryuma from One Piece is indeed the same character that appeared in Monsters. Additionally, Oda directly confirmed the canonicity of Ryuma's character and the story featured in Monsters in the SBS columns of Volume 47 of the manga.

Reader: "Is the swordsman Ryuma, who was reputed to have vanquished a dragon, the exact same Ryuma featured in the captivating short story entitled "Monsters" from your renowned collection volume titled "Wanted!"? I assume he is, am I right?"

Oda: "The undead Ryuma makes an appearance in Chapter 450 of this volume, and he certainly is the very Ryuma that took the lead role in "Monsters". Within the realm of One Piece, he is hailed as a fabled swordsman who met his demise due to illness."

Born in Wano several centuries before the current events of One Piece, Ryuma was a formidable combatant renowned for his incredible strength. However, it was his unwavering commitment to a principled moral compass that truly set him apart as an honorable man.

Ryuma Shimotsuki is undoubtedly one of the most formidable characters in the One Piece series. Known as the "Sword God," he is not only the strongest fighter from Wano but potentially the most skilled swordsman in the entire series.

Little did Ryuma know, he was hailed as "The King," the world's most powerful warrior. Single-handedly, he protected Wano by defeating pirates and World Nobles who sought to conquer the land and seize its riches.

Among all the characters in the One Piece series, only Ryuma and Mihawk managed to attain the esteemed status of possessing a Black Blade. This rare and powerful sword represents an exceptional feat accomplished by these two individuals. In the world of One Piece, the sheer magnitude of Ryuma's expertise in combat was equated to that of the legendary warrior Joy Boy. Even centuries after his demise, Ryuma's exceptional skills and remarkable achievements continue to be unparalleled and highly revered.

Despite the presence of formidable fighters like Oden, who had the strength to battle Kaido and earn the respect of both Roger and Whitebeard, it is Ryuma who is revered as "Wano's Greatest Hero".

Ryuma's incredible mastery of Haki is evident in his ability to transform his sword Shusui into a Black Blade, a rare accomplishment shared only by Dracule Mihawk. Notably, Ryuma passed away undefeated at the age of 47 due to a debilitating illness.

The parallel between Ryuma and Zoro in One Piece

Zoro using Ryuma's sword, the Black Blade Shusui (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)

Ryuma bears a remarkable resemblance to another renowned swordsman from One Piece, known as "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro. Zoro holds the position of the Straw Hat Pirates' second-in-command and serves as the trusted right-hand of Monkey D. Luffy.

Being a Shimotsuki, Ryuma is actually a direct ancestor of Zoro. The resemblance between them goes beyond their facial features and even includes the distinctive scarred eye. The only noticeable contrast lies in their hair color.

In the story, Zoro encounters the reanimated corpse of Ryuma, transformed into a zombie by Gecko Moria. Years after Ryuma's death, Moria stole his corpse and had Doctor Hogback use Brook's shadow to bring it back to life.

Although the "Zombie Ryuma" was not as strong as the original, he still possessed considerable power and managed to defeat Brook effortlessly, despite only having a fraction of his strength. Fortunately, Zoro intervened and took Brook's position in the battle, saving him.

After a gripping battle, Zoro emerged victorious over the formidable undead creature, liberating Brook's imprisoned soul. Utterly amazed by Zoro's indomitable power, Ryuma, on the verge of vanishing into oblivion, bestowed upon him the legendary sword, Shusui. Having skillfully wielded the formidable blade for more than two years, Zoro ultimately decided to return it to its rightful home in Wano, where it holds esteemed status as a cherished national treasure.

While watching Zoro's fight against King, Hyogoro and Kawamatsu, who are both Wano natives, noticed that he resembled Ushimaru Shimotsuki, a direct descendant of Ryuma, in appearance and fighting technique. They went on to compare Zoro directly to Ryuma, believing that it was destined for the green-haired swordsman to bring the Shusui back to Wano. Furthermore, both Zoro and Ryuma shared the same aspiration to become the strongest.

Zoro's connection to Ryuma in One Piece has evident parallelism (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece). As a result, many fans of the series believe that Zoro is Ryuma's successor, similar to how Luffy is believed to be the reincarnation of Joy Boy.

Zoro's most powerful techniques, Dragon Blaze from the One Sword Style and Dragon Damnation from the King of Hell: Three Sword Serpent, draw inspiration from Ryuma's dragon-beheading slash in Monsters. The correlation becomes even more apparent with the upcoming anime adaptation titled Monsters: Ippyaku Sanjo Hiryu Jigoku, which directly translates to Dragon Damnation, the attack Zoro utilized, bolstered by Conqueror's Haki, to defeat King.

Naturally, Ryuma's immense power and status make him a significant milestone for Zoro to strive towards, and perhaps even surpass. Fans eagerly anticipate witnessing the green-haired swordsman surpassing the accomplishments of this legendary samurai from the past, which will be brought to life in the upcoming Monsters anime. Stay updated on the progress of One Piece's manga, anime, and live-action adaptations as we journey through 2023.

One Piece Manga - Anime One Piece is an incredible adventure-filled series that has captivated its fans for over two decades. It follows the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they search for the ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the King of the Pirates. With its compelling storyline, diverse and lovable characters, epic battles, and themes of friendship and determination, One Piece has created a vast and immersive world that keeps fans eagerly anticipating each new chapter or episode. It is a timeless masterpiece that continues to redefine the boundaries of the shonen genre, making it a must-watch or read for any anime or manga enthusiast.