| Akazaya Nine | |
|---|---|
| Name | Akazaya Nine |
| Native name | 赤鞘九人男 |
| Founded | 0 ~20 years before the current storyline |
| Founder | Oden Kozuki |
| Location | Wano Country |
| Allegiance | Kozuki Family |
| Opponents | Kaidou, Shogun Kurozumi Orochi |
Akazaya Nine
The Akazaya Nine are a group of nine retainers and samurai in the manga and anime series One Piece who swore fealty to Kozuki Oden and dedicated themselves to restoring the Kozuki Family and liberating Wano Country from tyranny. They matter in the narrative as emblematic resistors against feudal oppression, catalysts for the Wano arc's rebellion, and symbols of fidelity and social justice within Eiichirō Oda's story.
The Akazaya Nine serve as a loyal guard and vanguard for the Kozuki clan during a period of foreign invasion and internal corruption in Wano Country. When Kaidou forms an alliance with the traitorous Kurozumi Orochi to seize Wano, the Akazaya Nine act as both bodyguards to Kozuki Oden and as clandestine organizers of resistance. Their narrative function includes motivating the Straw Hat Pirates and other allies to intervene, exposing the cruelty of the occupying forces, and foregrounding themes of honor, sacrifice, and collective action. The group's activities intersect with major plot elements such as the search for the Road Poneglyphs, the struggle for the Nine Red Scabbards' homeland, and the broader fight against the Beast Pirates.
Each member of the Akazaya Nine has a distinct background rooted in Wano's social order: samurai, retainers, and former retainers of the Kozuki household who became exiles and outlaws after Oden's death. Prominent figures include Kikunojo (Red Oni), a skilled swordswoman; Kawamatsu, a former Sumo wrestler with ties to the people of Nakama District; Kanjuro, an artist and initially treacherous member whose betrayal deeply affected the group's cohesion; and Raizo, a ninja of the Iga-like traditions. Other members, such as Kin'emon—who later travels with the Straw Hat Pirates—connect the Akazaya Nine to the wider pirate world. Their shared history includes training under Oden, bearing scars from battles against foreign powers, and living years in hiding as they planned the eventual reclaiming of Wano.
During the occupation by Kaidou and Orochi, the Akazaya Nine engage in both open and covert actions: guerrilla strikes, intelligence-gathering, and protection of villagers targeted by the regime's exploitative policies. Their most notable campaign was the liberation attempt and uprising that culminated in the larger allied assault during the Wano Arc, coordinating with pirate crews, rebellious samurai, and underground networks. The group endured severe reprisals—executions, torture, and exile—that highlight the brutal enforcement mechanisms used by the occupying forces, such as the Beast Pirates' dominance and Orochi's puppet administration. The Akazaya Nine's resistance is framed as a struggle for land rights, freedom from forced labor (e.g., the exploitation at the Flower Capital), and restoration of legitimate governance embodied by the Kozuki line.
The Akazaya Nine form pivotal alliances with the Straw Hat Pirates, especially through the bond between Monkey D. Luffy and Kin'emon. Their cooperation expands to include the Mink Tribe of Zou, Trafalgar D. Water Law's coalition, and regional forces such as the Kurozumi-opposed samurai. These relationships are mutually transformative: the Straw Hats gain a moral imperative and local legitimacy for intervention, while the Akazaya Nine benefit from naval power, tactical resources, and the international attention the Straw Hats bring. The entwined alliances facilitate coordinated assaults on Kaidou's strongholds like Onigashima and exemplify cross-class solidarity—peasants, samurai, and pirates uniting against authoritarian rule.
The presence and sacrifices of the Akazaya Nine accelerate political change in Wano by inspiring mass resistance and delegitimizing Orochi's regime. Their narrative role foregrounds questions of land restitution, the dismantling of exploitative caste practices, and the rehabilitation of displaced communities. The group's martyrdom and eventual resurgence catalyze the revival of the Kozuki lineage's claim to leadership, prompting institutional shifts such as the abolishment of enforced labor and the restoration of local governance. Within the fictional society of Wano, the Akazaya Nine function as both a symbolic reminder of traditional samurai virtues and a contemporary force for social justice, challenging entrenched elites like Kaidou and corrupt retainers within the Kurozumi family.
In-universe, the Akazaya Nine become cultural icons for resistance; stories and songs among Wano's populace memorialize their loyalty and sacrifice. Their legacy influences character arcs—motivating characters toward reconciliation, reform, and the reimagining of samurai identity—and shapes fan and critical discourse on themes of loyalty versus tyranny in One Piece. Creatively, author Eiichirō Oda uses the Akazaya Nine to interrogate feudalism, colonization, and the ethics of rebellion, aligning the group's struggle with broader calls for justice and equity. Outside the story, the Akazaya Nine have become focal points for discussions about representation of dissenting collectivities, the cost of resistance, and narratives that center marginalized voices in large-scale fantasy epics.
Category:One Piece characters Category:Fictional samurai