| Nine Red Scabbards | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nine Red Scabbards |
| Series | One Piece |
| First appearance | One Piece (Wano Country arc) |
| Creator | Eiichiro Oda |
| Group | Rocks Pirates (historical ties), Kozuki Family retainers |
| Allies | Kozuki Oden, Kozuki Momonosuke, Straw Hat Pirates, Trafalgar D. Water Law |
| Enemies | Kurozumi Orochi, Kaido, Beasts Pirates |
| Nationality | Wano Country |
Nine Red Scabbards
The Nine Red Scabbards are a group of loyal retainers sworn to protect the Kozuki clan of Wano Country in the manga and anime series One Piece. Formed around the leadership and legacy of Kozuki Oden, they embody feudal loyalty, resistance against colonial-style domination, and a personal code of justice. Their actions in the Wano Country arc catalyze major political change across the world and influence key characters such as Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar D. Water Law.
The Nine Red Scabbards trace their origins to the vassals, samurai, and retainers who served Kozuki Sukiyaki and later Kozuki Oden in the isolationist nation of Wano Country. The group coalesced as Oden’s closest guardians and became known for carrying red scabbards as a symbol of their oath. Their history is intertwined with the fall of Wano: after Oden’s execution, the Scabbards were hunted under orders from the shogun Kurozumi Orochi and the pirate lord Kaido, forcing most into exile or secret resistance. Their backstory links to the ancient Poneglyphs archaeology through Oden’s voyage with the Whitebeard Pirates and Red Hair Pirates and to the broader power struggles between yonko such as Kaido and institutions like the World Government.
The Nine Red Scabbards include prominent retainers whose skills and identities are distinct: Kin'emon (leader in Oden’s absence and disguise specialist), Kanjuro (artist and spy), Raizo (ninja and infiltration expert), Kawamatsu (fisherman samurai), Denjiro (undercover strategist), Izo (gunsman and former Whitebeard Pirates ally), Fukurokuju (elder and tactician), Ashura Doji (former yakuza leader and warrior), and Sukiyaki’s loyal followers interpreted in various flashbacks. Each member fulfills military, intelligence, or morale functions: Kin'emon and Ashura Doji often lead charges; Raizo carries out covert operations; Denjiro (as Kyoshiro) maintained a public mask to protect the underground network; Kanjuro’s betrayal later reveals the vulnerability of resistance movements to co-optation. Their roles reflect feudal structures of obligation and the modern tactics of guerilla resistance.
In the Wano Country arc, the Nine Red Scabbards are central to the plot to overthrow Orochi and Kaido. They orchestrate reunification of scattered samurai, coordinate with outsider allies like the Straw Hat Pirates and Mink Tribe, and secure assets such as the Flower Capital and the castle of Kuri. The Scabbards’ intelligence-gathering and symbolic presence revive public dissent against the shogunate. Their coordination with figures like Trafalgar D. Water Law and strategic use of Oden’s legacy mobilize uprisings across Wano’s regions, contributing directly to the climactic assault on Onigashima and the liberation narrative central to the arc.
The Nine Red Scabbards personify tensions between traditional loyalty and revolutionary justice. Their oath to the Kozuki line evokes debates about feudal obligation versus the rights of the oppressed under Orochi’s tyranny and Kaido’s occupation. Their sacrifices emphasize collective responsibility: many endure exile, torture, or death rather than betray Oden’s will. The group’s arc interrogates questions of retribution, reconciliation, and the ethics of political violence, intersecting with broader One Piece themes such as inherited will (Will of D.) and anti-imperial resistance to institutions like the World Government and the hegemonic power of the yonko. Through their struggle, the series foregrounds solidarity across class and species—minks, samurai, and pirates—against authoritarian rule.
The Nine Red Scabbards participated in several key conflicts: the initial assault that led to Oden’s capture and execution, clandestine skirmishes preserving the Kozuki lineage, and the final rebellion culminating in the Battle of Onigashima. They played decisive roles in reclaiming parts of Wano, protecting Kuri’s populace, and enabling the defeat of key lieutenants within Beasts Pirates. The revelation of Kanjuro’s betrayal altered strategic dynamics, allowing Orochi’s forces to gain intelligence and inflict heavy casualties among the Scabbards. Despite losses, their cooperation with allies resulted in the eventual downfall of Orochi, the weakening of Kaido’s grip, and the restoration of the Kozuki line through Kozuki Momonosuke and the symbolic reestablishment of Wano’s autonomy.
The Nine Red Scabbards’ legacy endures as a narrative of grassroots resistance that reshapes political balance in East Blue-adjacent territories and the wider New World. Their story amplifies calls for justice and systemic change against tyrannical rulers and illuminates the costs of solidarity. The restoration of the Kozuki family has implications for the revelation and protection of Rio Poneglyphs and the truth about the Void Century, influencing the agendas of major actors like the Straw Hat Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, and even the World Government. Culturally, the Scabbards inspire renewed samurai identity in Wano and become emblematic of how marginalized communities can reclaim sovereignty when supported by cross-ideological alliances focused on equity and historical truth.
Category:One Piece characters Category:Fictional samurai