Kurozumi Kanjuro in One Piece

Kanjuro was born and raised in a famous theatre troupe. One day, his parents, who were part of the Kurozumi Family, were killed on stage. After drifting for a while, he found his relatives Kurozumi Orochi, Higurashi, and Semimaru, who had avenged his parents' death. Orochi wanted to become the shogun and asked Kanjuro for help. To ensure his loyalty, Orochi gave Kanjuro the Fude Fude no Mi fruit, granting him special abilities. Kanjuro agreed to support Orochi's plan.

At 18 years old, Kanjuro was in Kibi, stealing hair to make brushes and sell them. He tried to steal from Oden, the future daimyo of Kuri but was defeated by him. Impressed by Oden, Kanjuro became one of his retainers.

Six years later, they were running low on funds, so they attempted to steal money from Shimotsuki Yasuie. Instead of punishing them, Yasuie advised them to become better people for the sake of Oden and Wano Country. They followed his advice, educated themselves, and trained to become dignified warriors.

30 years ago, they visited the Flower Capital with Oden. Orochi would frequently ask Oden for money, and Kanjuro secretly gave Orochi double the amount. When Oden wanted to join the Whitebeard Pirates, Kanjuro and the other retainers were against it.

When the Whitebeard Pirates left Wano, Oden and some others went missing. The retainers protected Kuri in preparation for Oden's return. When Oden returned with the Roger Pirates, the retainers were happy to see him, but Kozuki Toki prevented them from convincing Oden to stay in Wano. Oden chose to continue his journey with Roger, which made Kanjuro angry.

Around six months before Oden completed his voyage, the retainers were angry at Orochi, who had become the shogun and was abusing his power. Some of the retainers went to confront Orochi in the Flower Capital, but they found out that the Beasts Pirates were threatening Oden's family in Kuri.

When Oden returned to Wano, the retainers informed him about the situation, and he asked them to protect his family and Kuri while he went to confront Orochi in the capital. Despite Oden's efforts, he couldn't defeat Orochi and was seen as a fool by many in Wano.

Nevertheless, Kanjuro and the other retainers remained loyal to him for the next five years. Twenty years ago, Oden decided to take down Kaido, and the retainers joined him on a march to Onigashima. On the way, they were confronted by Kaido and his crew in the Udon region.

In a battle with Queen, Kanjuro, and Denjiro fought together, but they were overwhelmed, and Oden and the Scabbards were eventually captured and imprisoned in the Flower Capital.

Later, during their execution, Oden made a deal with Kaido. As he was about to be boiled alive, he asked his retainers to stand on a plank over the pot, saving them from the same fate.

After enduring the hour of boiling, Oden asked his retainers to open Wano's borders and then sacrificed himself to save them from execution by throwing them away from the pot. As they fled, some of the retainers were captured or split from the group while being pursued by enemies.

Eventually, the remaining retainers found Momonosuke, Oden's son, and his family. Momonosuke's mother, Toki, sent Momonosuke, Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, and Kikunojo twenty years into the future to escape the dire situation in Wano.

In the future, they discovered how much Wano had changed, but they also found allies to help them take back their country. They decided to seek aid from the Mink Tribe on the island of Zou. While traveling to Zou, they faced some challenges and got separated from Raizo. They ended up shipwrecked and drifted ashore to Dressrosa.

In Dressrosa, they were chased by the island's guards. Kanjuro chose to be captured to allow Kin'emon to escape and continue pursuing Momonosuke, who was on a ship heading to Punk Hazard.

Dressrosa Arc

After his capture, Kanjuro was imprisoned at the SMILE Factory disguised as a toy house. Kin'emon found him hiding in the walls and they planned to escape using a bird Kanjuro drew to life with his Devil Fruit ability. However, the trapped citizens and soldiers begged to be taken along, so Kanjuro created ladders for them to climb to the surface.

They met up with Usopp, Viola, and Riku Doldo III at the old King's Plateau. Kanjuro tried to keep the citizens from reaching the top, but they managed to climb it anyway. He offered to commit harakiri, but Kin'emon stopped him. Usopp used Kanjuro's brush to create a special projectile to defeat Sugar.

Kanjuro and Kin'emon were tied up by the citizens but were later released when they realized they were being manipulated by Doflamingo. They joined forces with Issho and fought against the Donquixote Pirates. When Pica attacked, Zoro defeated him.

As they were leaving the plateau, Kanjuro heard about Trafalgar Law's defeat from Viola.

As Doflamingo's Birdcage started shrinking, Kanjuro, Kin'emon, and Zoro tried to stop it. They were joined by Issho, and with everyone's effort, they momentarily halted the Birdcage. Monkey D. Luffy defeated Doflamingo, and the Birdcage collapsed, bringing an end to the crisis in Dressrosa.

Three days later, Kanjuro and Kin'emon were seen helping the citizens rebuild the country. They had a meal with the Straw Hat Pirates at Kyros' house. When the Marines mobilized to pursue Luffy and his allies, they fled the area.

While waiting for Luffy at the eastern port, they encountered Issho, who attacked them with rubble. With Luffy's arrival, they escaped on a ship and joined the Straw Hat Grand Fleet.

After celebrating their victory, each ally received a piece of Luffy's Vivre Card as a token of their bond. They then joined Bartolomeo's ship, the Going Luffy-senpai, and continued their journey together.

Zou Arc

During a hail storm, Luffy's group realized that the Barto Club's ship lacked a navigator and sailing experience. They had to protect the ship while traversing through the dangerous New World for a week until they reached Zou, an island that was a giant elephant.

After arriving at Zou and bidding farewell to the Barto Club, the group climbed the elephant's leg with the help of a dragon conjured by Kanjuro. While searching for their missing crewmate, Sanji, they encountered a falling monkey, which caused Kanjuro and Kin'emon to fall off the dragon. However, they assured the group that they were okay and would catch up later.

Kanjuro later conjured a cat to help them climb, but they panicked as the cat would melt if it touched the water, so they returned to the ship to wait for the next day.

The next morning, they finally reached Zou and asked the monkey mink about their missing comrade, Raizo. The monkey ran away, and the samurais chased after him, not realizing that Franky, Robin, and Brook were already on the island.

As they made their way to the Mokomo Dukedom, Kanjuro and Kin'emon were reunited with Momonosuke. When they arrived at Kurau City, the Straw Hats tried to keep them hidden from the residents of Zou.

When Kanjuro, Kin'emon, and the Straw Hats arrived at Zou, they were horrified to see Inuarashi and Nekomamushi fighting. However, the Mink Tribe welcomed them and revealed that Raizo was safe and had a friendship with Kin'emon's clan.

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi agreed to stop fighting for Momonosuke's sake, recognizing him as their lord. They took everyone to a secret area where Raizo was hidden. After reuniting, they were saddened by the state of Zou after Jack's attack.

Inside the whale tree, Robin deciphered a red poneglyph, revealing the history of the Kozuki Family and their connection to the poneglyphs. They shared Oden's will to open Wano and defeat Kaido and Orochi.

They formed an alliance with the Mink Tribe and the Straw Hats, making plans to meet again in Wano. Law agreed to take them back to Wano in his submarine. As they left, Zou was attacked by Jack, but Zunesha retaliated and saved them.

Momonosuke decided to stay on Zou to communicate with Zunesha. Kanjuro and the others prepared to go back to Wano with Law and Zoro. Luffy's party also decided to leave Zou.

Wano Country Arc

Kanjuro and his group infiltrated Wano Country and remained hidden until the alliance was ready to strike. He worked as a fishmonger, and Franky informed him about the bad news concerning the blueprints of Kaido's fortress.

Later, Kanjuro met with Shinobu, Robin, Nami, and Brook at the Northern Graveyard. He was surprised by Robin's information-gathering skills.

The Beasts Pirates found out about Kin'emon's secret message and the moon marks on the Kozuki Family supporters. At Ebisu Town, Kanjuro disagreed with Shinobu's suggestion to dispose of Law's captured crewmates, emphasizing the importance of retaining allies to take down Orochi and Kaido.

They encountered a man named Tonoyasu, who revealed the secret message and claimed to join their cause. Kanjuro and Shinobu were puzzled by his recognition of them but decided to trust him.

When Tonoyasu was captured and executed, Kanjuro and his group mourned his death and promised to give him a proper burial. They attended a meeting with other alliance members and reported information to Orochi about the alliance's plans and the Straw Hats' ships’ whereabouts.

On the day of the raid on Onigashima, Kanjuro joined the rebel group, including Momonosuke, Kin'emon, and others. However, they found their ships and allies missing. Despite the setback, the Scabbards were determined to proceed with the raid. Kanjuro secretly stayed behind and sent a drawing clone with the others.

During the boat journey, the drawing clone revealed itself as the traitor and captured Momonosuke, Shinobu, and others. However, the Scabbards' boat was unexpectedly supported by the Straw Hat, Heart, and Kid Pirates, and Denjiro arrived to reveal the real meeting place. Kanjuro tried to escape with Momonosuke but was confronted by Kawamatsu, leading to a fight.

Kanjuro managed to escape on a crane he drew and flew to Onigashima, taunting the alliance and mocking Oden's legacy. After reaching the island, he got lost but eventually delivered Momonosuke to Orochi and Kaido, revealing the failure of the plot to stop the Kozuki revolution.

He later confronted his former comrades with an army at Onigashima's back entrance. Kanjuro clashed with Kikunojo but was defeated and left wounded on the ground. Kin'emon solemnly placed his hat on Kanjuro as they passed him by.

Kanjuro survived the duel but knew he didn't have much time left to live. He tricked and ambushed the other Scabbards using a perfect replica of Oden. Ashura Doji saw through the ruse and sacrificed himself to save the others from the explosives.

Kanjuro went in search of Momonosuke and found him on the first floor with Shinobu, Kin'emon, and Kikunojo. He posed as Oden to deceive them but was ultimately defeated by Kin'emon and Kikunojo.

Despite being fatally wounded, Kanjuro received a message from Orochi, who urged him to create one final painting—a fiery specter called Kazenbo—and send it into the basement, believing it was their family's burial crypt. Kazenbo set the whole castle ablaze and continued its path of destruction.

After Kanjuro's death, Kazenbo was intercepted by Yamato and later nearly destroyed by Big Mom's explosion. It then went towards Orochi, who had been trapped under debris and set him on fire. Orochi tried to kill Hiyori but was decapitated by Denjiro.

The fire spread by Kazenbo was eventually put out by Jinbe and Raizo, bringing an end to the Kurozumi Family's reign of terror.

Kanjuro's personality is a complex mix of selflessness, deceit, and sadism, shaped by the traumatic events of his past and his unwavering loyalty to the Kurozumi Family. Growing up in the theatre, his life was centered around acting and impersonating others, which seems to have influenced his behavior throughout his life.

His tragic past, losing his parents during the persecution of his family, fueled a desire for revenge and a willingness to sacrifice himself. He played the role of a loyal retainer to the Kozuki Family, seemingly acting selflessly at times, as seen when he encouraged Kin'emon to leave him behind and pursue Momonosuke. He also displayed calmness and level-headedness when dealing with unexpected setbacks, acting as a voice of reason within the group.

However, there are times when Kanjuro can appear absent-minded, making mistakes that put others in danger. Despite his selflessness, he can be overzealous in his actions, even going as far as wanting to harm himself as compensation for putting others at risk. Nonetheless, he quickly abandons these ideas when advised against them, showing some willingness to listen to reason.

His complete loyalty to the Kurozumi Family appears to be his driving force, overshadowing any genuine attachment he could have developed to the Kozuki Family despite the moments they shared. This unwavering loyalty was responsible for his willingness to betray his comrades and friends without hesitation when Orochi ordered him to reveal his true identity.

Once his true nature is revealed, Kanjuro's sadistic side comes to the forefront. He takes pleasure in taunting and torturing those who once considered him a comrade. He showed no remorse for his actions, even when they caused emotional pain and turmoil to the other Nine Red Scabbards, especially Kin'emon, whom he betrayed and deceived.

His language usage also reflects his shift in personality. As a Kozuki retainer, he refers to himself using an archaic personal pronoun used by samurai, which adds an air of formality and loyalty. However, once his true allegiance is exposed, he switches to an informal personal pronoun commonly used by men, perhaps indicating the removal of the mask he wore while acting as a retainer.

Kanjuro's appearance reflects the traditional Kabuki performer stereotype, emphasizing his connection to the theater and acting. He is a rather tall individual, standing at an impressive 347 cm (approximately 11 feet).

One of his most striking features is his bright, long red hair that reaches all the way down to the floor. The front hair sticks outward and extends down to his chest, giving him a distinctive and flamboyant appearance. He has big lips and blush marks on his cheeks, similar to Bentham, which further adds to his theatrical and expressive look.

In terms of attire, Kanjuro wears a traditional samurai outfit, indicative of his role as a retainer of the Kozuki Family. The outfit likely includes a kimono with a ribbon in the middle, representing his loyalty and formal position. He completes his attire with zori, a type of traditional Japanese footwear.

A notable accessory that Kanjuro carries with him at all times is a large brush, which he keeps ready for use with his powers. This brush is instrumental in his ability to create illusions through his art, an essential aspect of his deceptive and treacherous nature.

As a sign of his loyalty to the Kozuki Family, Kanjuro also bears their crest somewhere on his body, indicating his connection to their cause and the role he plays in serving them.

Kanjuro possesses a range of unique abilities that make him a highly skilled and versatile individual. Physically, he exhibits immense strength, effortlessly carrying and wielding his giant ink brush without tiring. This strength is exemplified when he clashes with Kawamatsu, a fish-man with ten times the physical prowess of an average human.

Additionally, Kanjuro's mastery of Busoshoku Haki, also known as "Ryuo" in Wano, is a formidable asset. He can imbue his ink brush with this Haki, enabling him to push back and slow down powerful opponents and objects. For instance, he used this Haki to help Zoro and Kin'emon push back Doflamingo's Torikago, a dangerous and powerful cage made of razor-sharp threads.

Beyond his combat abilities, Kanjuro is a skilled craftsman. He has the knowledge and expertise in brush making, utilizing the hair of people and corpses to create his brushes. This craftsmanship allows him to craft tools that enhance the capabilities of his unique Devil Fruit powers.

In the realm of artistry, Kanjuro is more than meets the eye. Although he pretends to be a mediocre artist during his time with the Kozuki Family, he is, in fact, an exceptionally talented artist. He can draw life-like creatures, including humans, with great speed and precision. Despite maintaining his act for years, his true artistic skills remain intact, and he can produce perfect drawings when he stops pretending.

Kanjuro's abilities extend beyond the physical and artistic realms. Due to his upbringing in a theater troupe, he is an exceptional actor. He flawlessly poses as a loyal retainer of the Kozuki Family for 21 years, deceiving everyone around him. His lack of individuality, as noted by Orochi, enables him to fully adapt to his new identity and even fake genuine emotions. His acting skills and ability to hide his true skills from the Kozuki Family add an element of surprise and unpredictability to his actions.

As a weapon, Kanjuro carries a giant ink brush named Tuji Shibai, which he wields like a sword. The brush has a katana hilt and guard, enhancing its versatility in combat. Combining his artistic abilities with the size and shape of the brush, Kanjuro can be both a powerful combatant and a strategic asset in various situations.

Moreover, Kanjuro possesses the ability to use Kenbunshoku Haki, also known as "Mantra" or Observation Haki. This Haki enhances his perception, allowing him to sense and predict the movements and intentions of his opponents, further adding to his combat prowess.

Devil Fruit

Kanjuro possesses the abilities of the Fude Fude no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. With this fruit's power, he gains the ability to generate ink from his long hair, and he can manipulate this ink to draw pictures with his giant ink brush. The ink he creates has unique properties that make his drawings come to life and behave as if they were the real objects or creatures they depict.

These drawings can manifest and become three-dimensional, possessing the same abilities and characteristics as the subjects they represent. For example, a drawing of a bird can fly, a drawing of a ladder can be used for climbing, and a drawing of food can be eaten (although it may cause discomfort when consumed).

Kanjuro's drawings are not only passive constructs but can also be used for combat purposes. He can create powerful animals like snakes with immense constricting strength or graceful flying cranes to aid him in battles. These creations possess abilities comparable to or even exceeding their real counterparts.

If Kanjuro is familiar with the person whose effigy he is drawing, he can make the drawing's voice identical to that of the individual. This skill enables him to create perfect replicas of others, which can be used for deception or psychological attacks.

Additionally, he can apply a layer of ink over himself to create a full-body disguise similar to his drawn effigies. This ability allows him to hide in plain sight or assume the appearance of someone else.

Combining his acting skills with his drawings, Kanjuro can create powerful psychological attacks. For instance, he can animate a painting of Kozuki Oden and use his knowledge of Oden's personality to create persuasive illusions that deceive and mentally harm his opponents.

Kanjuro has hidden some of the more potent uses of his power from others, such as generating ink from his hair to create a rain of hardened ink droplets. These hidden abilities add to the surprise factor and catch opponents off guard.

Moreover, he can use his abilities on himself, transforming into a drawing to hide within surfaces, such as walls. This allows him to remain undetected or launch surprise attacks when needed.

Kanjuro can also create perfect clones of himself using his drawings, which are so convincing that even close allies may not immediately recognize them as fakes. These clones can be used for infiltration or as decoys.

Furthermore, he can weaponize his drawings by equipping them with dangerous elements like dynamite. This turns his drawings into walking bombs, capable of causing significant damage.

Kurozumi Family

Kanjuro had a strong and loving bond with his parents, and their untimely death devastated him. Their killing was a traumatic event that shaped his life and fueled his desire for vengeance.

When he later found his relatives, Kurozumi Orochi, Higurashi, and Semimaru, he gladly joined forces with them to avenge their family's persecution and to put Orochi in power.

For at least 21 years, Kanjuro served Orochi with unwavering loyalty. He took on the role of a spy, providing valuable information about the activities of the Kozuki Family. This information allowed Orochi to suppress any potential threats to his rule and maintain a tight grip on Wano, ensuring that his reign was marked by decadence and ruin.

Kozuki Family and the Nine Red Scabbards

Kanjuro infiltrated their ranks as a spy on behalf of Orochi, and his ultimate loyalty lied to the Kurozumi Family and the Beasts Pirates. However, he played his role so convincingly that he gained the trust and respect of the Kozuki Family and the Scabbards, allowing him to stay close to them for years.

Throughout his time with the Kozuki Family, Kanjuro appeared to be a loyal retainer, willing to fight alongside them and aid in their battles against enemies like the Beasts Pirates. He went to great lengths to portray himself as a devoted servant, even to the extent of risking his life for their cause. He wanted to be accepted as a true member of the Kozuki Family and sought death alongside them when the time came for their punishment.

Kanjuro claimed that he did not harbor any hatred towards the Kozuki Family or the Scabbards and did not intend to harm them on his own accord. He insisted that his betrayal only came when he was commanded by Orochi to act against them.

When the truth was finally exposed, the Scabbards were shocked and heartbroken by his betrayal. Kin'emon, in particular, was deeply hurt by Kanjuro's lack of honesty and his willingness to use underhanded tactics, such as kidnapping Momonosuke, insulting their fallen comrades, and psychologically tormenting them.

Even after his defeat, some of the Scabbards still expressed sadness for Kanjuro, but he showed no remorse for his actions and continued to taunt and provoke them. He even used a painted creation of Oden against them.

Wano Country Citizens

Kanjuro harbored intense hatred towards the citizens of Wano, viewing them as the perpetrators of his family's unfair persecution and his parent's death.

This hatred fueled his support for Orochi's tyranny and his efforts to undermine the Kozuki revolution by providing information to Orochi.

He did not hesitate to attack the Kozuki samurai and their loyalists, considering them as enemies who should have died two decades earlier, and expressing indifference towards their suffering and the sacrifices made for the Kozuki cause.

Kanjuro is a playable character in:

• One Piece Treasure Cruise

• One Piece Bounty Rush

He also appears as a supporting character in One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum.

• Kanjuro's first flashback appearance showed him with his hair in a ponytail, but in the volume release, Oda changed it to a shadowed appearance with a helmet or hat on his head.

• His role as a spy among the Scabbards may be inspired by Yamada Emosaku, a Japanese Christian painter and informant for the Tokugawa shogunate during the Shimabara Rebellion.

• His epithet "Evening Shower" and ink-related abilities hint at his eventual betrayal, as rain during sunny weather in Japanese folklore symbolizes deception.

• Kanjuro's betrayal coincided with the rise in popularity of the game Among Us, which involves identifying impostors among a group.

• His favorite foods are lettuce rolls filled with sashimi and cabbage rolls, while he dislikes peaches, fitting his dislike for Momonosuke.

• His animal resemblance is a hototogisu, a cuckoo bird species known for its parasitic behavior, similar to his role as a traitor among the Scabbards.

• Kanjuro's hobby is ink painting, which ties to his ability to bring drawings to life with the Fude Fude no Mi.

• His epithet "Evening Shower" is inspired by a rakugo and kōdan story called "Yūdachi Kangorō," meaning "raining blood," and his character is influenced by Hidari Jingorō, a left-handed artist from Japanese folklore.